Strawberry Shortcake

Hi Everyone! As everyone is gearing up for their summertime activities, here is a great recipe to make for your next BBQ or park event. This is one of my favorite cake recipes as it is really light and compliments the flavor of the fresh fruit and whipped cream. I just brought this to a birthday party last weekend, and everyone really seemed to enjoy it! Bon appetit!

Cake Recipe

You will a square 9x9x2 inch baking pan, if you have an 8 inch that is fine. You could also bake these as cupcakes, just lower the amount of baking time to around 14 minutes.

4 eggs - separated (whites and yolks separate bowls)

1/4 cup neutral oil

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cup sifted unbleached cake flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp of vanilla extract

1/2 vanilla bean (if you don’t have it, no worries)

Take your square baking pan and line the bottom only with parchment paper. Do not grease or line the sides, the cake is very spongy and it needs the support of the pan as it bakes so it keeps its height. In your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk your egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks appear. Add sugar slowly and increase speed until you have stiff egg white peaks. They will be shiny and hold shape when flipped upside down. Preheat oven to 350F.

In a separate bowl whisk the salt, vanilla extract and bean, egg yolks and oil well. After, using a spatula, fold in the egg white sugar mixture into the egg yolks in three parts. Careful not to deflate all the air out of the eggs. Then, sift in the flour and baking powder in three increments as well, use your spatula. You will have a smooth and airy batter that is uniform in color.

Put cake batter into pan and smooth gently with spatula. You can tap your pan a couple of times to get rid of any excess air bubbles.

Bake cake for 18-20 minutes. Do not open oven while cake is baking. You can tell its done because it will be a uniform level, firm and brown on top. Use knife to cut sides and take out of pan. I waited for the cake to cool on a rack before using a serrated knife to cut into 9 even squares. Keeps room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days most.

Homemade Whipped Cream

1.5 cups of heavy whipping cream

1 tsp of good pure vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1/2 cup of powdered sugar

Homemade whipped cream is very simple especially if you have a stand or hand mixer. You could do by hand, but it will take awhile. My tip is to freeze your bowl for a couple of minutes before whipping up. Put the whipped cream in your bowl and mix on medium high until cream thickens and has soft peaks. Add 1/4 cup powdered sugar at a time and mix on high until thick and add in second addition of powdered sugar and repeat. Don’t over do it! You don’t want to make butter!! Season with salt and vanilla, mix briefly to incorporate. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Will only last a day or two. Serve cold.

Putting together

I used a 2 pint container of strawberries that I washed, hulled and cut into half the night before. I macerated them with 2 tsp of sugar to intensify sweetness. The cake goes on the bottom, followed by whipped cream and strawberries. Yum!

Perfect for summertime!