I am not afraid. To bake. Anything. A tall cake. A short cake. A babka. A brioche. A cobbler. A danish. A pie - fruit, cream, meringue. You name it - I will bake it. And the results are always spectacular. Sometimes they're spectacularly magnificent. Sometimes they are a spectacular fail. But with every measured spoonful, with every sifted ingredient, there is the hope that this will be "the one". The one that will go down in family history as being the best/tastiest/most yummiest thing that was ever made. Every occasion will warrant one being made. Quarrels will erupt over the last slice/bite/crumb. Husbands will pester their wives to make it, then lament that it is just not the same. Children will grow up remembering how it tasted, and try to replicate it, but will fall just a little short. That elusive taste will forever linger in their mouths.
Dear friends, I will now confess, that this strawberry tall cake was a spectacular eh. It will not go down in family history. It will be devoured/enjoyed/gobbled down, but it will not be reminisced about. But, as I have already noted, I am not afraid to bake anything. And that includes another strawberry/sponge/whipped cream concoction. I will bake it again and again and again, until that I success in making my grandmother's "bishkopt" (sponge cake in Ukrainian, if you really wanted to know). That is the taste that still lingers in my mouth, the one that escapes replication.
Until that cake is made, I will continue to be fearless in the kitchen. And in the meantime, you can enjoy this one!
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living
Ingredients
For The Cake
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup safflower oil
- 7 large egg yolks plus 9 large egg whites
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For The Berries And Cream
- 2 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered (about 5 cups)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups cold heavy cream
- 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Directions
- Make the cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, the baking powder, and salt. Whisk together oil, egg yolks, and milk in a large bowl. Whisk flour mixture into egg-yolk mixture.
- Beat egg whites with a mixer on high speed until frothy. Add cream of tartar and vanilla seeds or extract, and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes. Whisk one-third of the egg-white mixture into batter. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining egg-white mixture with a rubber spatula.
- Transfer batter to tube pan. Bake until top of cake springs back when touched, 52 to 55 minutes. Let cool upside down 1 hour.
- Combine strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and salt, and let sit, stirring occasionally, 1 hour. Just before assembling, beat cream and confectioners' sugar until medium peaks form.
- Cut cake horizontally into 3 layers with a serrated knife. Transfer bottom layer to a cake plate or platter. Spread with half the berries, and drizzle with juices. Spread half the whipped cream over berries, then top with middle cake layer. Spread with remaining berries and whipped cream. Top with remaining cake layer. Refrigerate cake 1 hour.
