Strawberry Cream Cake
Cook's Illustrated May/June 2006 issue
Use a cake pan at least 2" high, or springform pan. Grease and flour an 8" pan, then line bottom with parchment. Preheat oven to 350 deg.
Cake:
1-1/4 cups Cake flour
1-1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1/4 tsp. Table salt
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs (2 whole and 3 separated) at room temp
6 Tbl. Unsalted butter, melted & cooled slightly
2 Tbl. Water
2 tsp. Vanilla
Filling:
2 lb. (about 2 quarts) strawberries, washed, dried & stemmed
(NOTE: you can use 24 nice strawberries, plus a bag of frozen berries, defrosted)
4-6 Tbl. Sugar
2 Tbl. Kirsch
pinch salt
whipped Cream:
8 oz. Cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/8 tsp. Salt
2 cups heavy cream
Cake:
Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and all but 3 tablespoons of the sugar in a mixing bowl.
Whisk in the 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks (reserve whites), butter, water and vanilla; whisk until smooth.
In clean mixer bowl with whisk attachment, beat the 3 egg whites at med-low speed until frothy, 1-2 minutes. With machine running, gradually add rest of sugar (3 tbl.), then increase speed and beat to soft peaks. Stir 1/3rd of the whites into batter to lighten then add rest and gently fold until no white streaks remain. Pour into prepared pan and bake until pick comes out clean, 30-40 min. Cool 10 min. then invert onto greased cooling rack. Discard parchment. Invert again and cool 2 hours.
Filling:
Halve 24 of the nicest strawberries and reserve. Quarter the rest of berries (or use defrosted berries), toss with 4-6 Tbl. Sugar, and let sit 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain berries and reserve juice - there should be about 1/2 cup juice. Pulse the berries in blender 5 seconds. There should be about 1-1/2 cups pureed berries. In a small saucepan over med. Heat, simmer reserved 1/2 cup juice with the Kirsch until syrupy and reduced to about 3 Tbl. (3-5 min.). Pour over the macerated berries, add pinch of salt and toss. Set aside.
Whipped Cream:
When cake has cooled, put cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt in mixer and whisk on med-hi until fluffy (1-2 min.). On low speed, add cream in slow steady stream; when almost fully combined, increase speed and beat until stiff peaks form.
ASSEMBLY:
Cut cake in 3 level layers (yes, they will be thin, so don't worry). Place 1st layer on cake plate. *Arrange 20 strawberry halves, cut side down and stem ends facing out, around perimeter of layer. Pour 1/2 of the berry puree in center and spread to cover exposed cake. Gently spread 1/3rd of whipping cream over berry layer, leaving 1/2" border from edge. Place next layer on top and gently press down. Repeat from *. Spread remaining whipped cream on top of cake and decorate with the remaining cut halves. A sprig of mint looks nice but is optional. Chill up to 4 hours before serving.
http://benbakesacake.blogspot.com/2006/05/strawberry-cream-cake.html
Cook's Illustrated May/June 2006 issue
Use a cake pan at least 2" high, or springform pan. Grease and flour an 8" pan, then line bottom with parchment. Preheat oven to 350 deg.
Cake:
1-1/4 cups Cake flour
1-1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1/4 tsp. Table salt
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs (2 whole and 3 separated) at room temp
6 Tbl. Unsalted butter, melted & cooled slightly
2 Tbl. Water
2 tsp. Vanilla
Filling:
2 lb. (about 2 quarts) strawberries, washed, dried & stemmed
(NOTE: you can use 24 nice strawberries, plus a bag of frozen berries, defrosted)
4-6 Tbl. Sugar
2 Tbl. Kirsch
pinch salt
whipped Cream:
8 oz. Cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/8 tsp. Salt
2 cups heavy cream
Cake:
Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and all but 3 tablespoons of the sugar in a mixing bowl.
Whisk in the 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks (reserve whites), butter, water and vanilla; whisk until smooth.
In clean mixer bowl with whisk attachment, beat the 3 egg whites at med-low speed until frothy, 1-2 minutes. With machine running, gradually add rest of sugar (3 tbl.), then increase speed and beat to soft peaks. Stir 1/3rd of the whites into batter to lighten then add rest and gently fold until no white streaks remain. Pour into prepared pan and bake until pick comes out clean, 30-40 min. Cool 10 min. then invert onto greased cooling rack. Discard parchment. Invert again and cool 2 hours.
Filling:
Halve 24 of the nicest strawberries and reserve. Quarter the rest of berries (or use defrosted berries), toss with 4-6 Tbl. Sugar, and let sit 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain berries and reserve juice - there should be about 1/2 cup juice. Pulse the berries in blender 5 seconds. There should be about 1-1/2 cups pureed berries. In a small saucepan over med. Heat, simmer reserved 1/2 cup juice with the Kirsch until syrupy and reduced to about 3 Tbl. (3-5 min.). Pour over the macerated berries, add pinch of salt and toss. Set aside.
Whipped Cream:
When cake has cooled, put cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt in mixer and whisk on med-hi until fluffy (1-2 min.). On low speed, add cream in slow steady stream; when almost fully combined, increase speed and beat until stiff peaks form.
ASSEMBLY:
Cut cake in 3 level layers (yes, they will be thin, so don't worry). Place 1st layer on cake plate. *Arrange 20 strawberry halves, cut side down and stem ends facing out, around perimeter of layer. Pour 1/2 of the berry puree in center and spread to cover exposed cake. Gently spread 1/3rd of whipping cream over berry layer, leaving 1/2" border from edge. Place next layer on top and gently press down. Repeat from *. Spread remaining whipped cream on top of cake and decorate with the remaining cut halves. A sprig of mint looks nice but is optional. Chill up to 4 hours before serving.
http://benbakesacake.blogspot.com/2006/05/strawberry-cream-cake.html