Strawberry Cream Cake Americas Test Kitchen Recipes

Steps:

• For the puree: Pulse the strawberries in a food processor, scraping as needed, until a smooth puree forms. Add the strawberry puree to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the puree reduces by half (to about 1 cup). Transfer the puree to a bowl and set aside to cool.
• For the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment rounds; lightly coat parchment with nonstick spray.
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl until combined. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, oil and vanilla in another bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the whole eggs and yolks one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl, until the batter is completely combined, smooth and creamy. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold in 1/2 cup of the cooled strawberry puree. Reserve the rest of the puree for the frosting.
• Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Smooth the tops. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the cakes are a light golden brown and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cakes cool for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cakes and invert onto the wire rack. Remove the parchment and let the cakes cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in the butter, beating until smooth. Sift the confectioners' sugar into the bowl and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Remove 3 cups of the frosting to a medium bowl and set aside. Fold the reserved strawberry puree into the remaining frosting. Refrigerate both until slightly chilled and firm, about 20 minutes.
• To assemble the cake: Place one cake domed-side down on a platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the strawberry frosting evenly over the top. Place the remaining cake domed-side up on top. Spread the top and sides of the cake with 1 1/2 cups of the white frosting. Smooth out completely to make an even crumb coat. (It's okay if some of the cake shows through. This is just a base layer.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the frosting set.
• Spread the remaining white frosting on the top of the cake and the upper half of the sides. There should be a band all around the bottom of the cake with the crumb coat exposed. Fill in the exposed area with 1 cup of the strawberry frosting. Use a large offset spatula to smooth the top and sides of the cake. The strawberry and white frostings should blend together during smoothing to create an ombre effect. Transfer the remaining strawberry frosting to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag fitted with a medium star tip. Pipe 8 rosettes evenly spaced along the top border of the cake.

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. , In another bowl, beat egg yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in the lemon juice, oil and water. Combine flour and salt; add to yolk mixture., Beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff glossy peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into the batter, then fold in remaining whites. , Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on the lowest oven rack at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour. , In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form. , Run a knife around sides and center tube of pan; remove cake. , Cut into three horizontal layers. Place one layer on a serving plate; top with some of the whipped cream and sliced strawberries. Repeat. Top with remaining cake layer; spread remaining whipped cream over top and sides of cake. Arrange remaining sliced berries on sides of cake. , Cut whole berries in half; arrange on cake top. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• FOR THE CAKE:.
• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease and flour round 9 by 2-inch cake pan (pan must be at least 2" high!) or 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and all but 3 tablespoons sugar in mixing bowl.
• Whisk in 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks (reserving whites), butter, water, and vanilla; whisk until smooth.
• In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat remaining 3 egg whites at medium-low speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes.
• With machine running, gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form, 60 to 90 seconds.
• Stir one-third of whites into batter to lighten; add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert cake onto greased wire rack; peel off and discard parchment.
• Invert cake again; cool completely, about 2 hours.
• FOR THE STRAWBERRY FILLING:
• Halve 24 of best-looking berries and reserve.
• Quarter remaining berries; toss with 4 to 6 tablespoons sugar (depending on sweetness of berries) in medium bowl and let sit 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Strain juices from berries and reserve (you should have about 1/2 cup).
• In workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, give macerated berries five 1-second pulses (you should have about 1 1/2 cups).
• In small saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer reserved juices and Kirsch until syrupy and reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Pour reduced syrup over macerated berries, add pinch of salt, and toss to combine.
• Set aside until cake is cooled.
• FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:.
• When cake has cooled, place cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment.
• Whisk at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed.
• Reduce speed to low and add heavy cream in slow, steady stream; when almost fully combined, increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes more, scraping bowl as needed (you should have about 4 1/2 cups).
• TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
• Using large serrated knife, slice cake into three even layers.
• Place bottom layer on cardboard round or cake plate and arrange ring of 20 strawberry halves, cut sides down and stem ends facing out, around perimeter of cake layer.
• Pour 1/2 of pureed berry mixture (about 3/4 cup) in center, then spread to cover any exposed cake.
• Gently spread about one-third of whipped cream (about 1 1/2 cups) over berry layer, leaving 1/2-inch border from edge.
• Place middle cake layer on top and press down gently (whipped cream layer should become flush with cake edge).
• Repeat with 20 additional strawberry halves, remaining berry mixture, and half of remaining whipped cream; gently press last cake layer on top.
• Spread remaining whipped cream over top; decorate with remaining cut strawberries.
• Serve, or chill for up to 4 hours.

Steps:

• For the shortcakes, use first 8 ingredients: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with the rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• In a food processor, mix the flour, 5 teaspoons of sugar, the baking powder, and salt until combined (about 3 pulses) then add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal (about 15 pulses).
• Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Whisk the half-and-half and the whole egg together then mix into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until large clumps form. The recipe indicates that using regular milk is ok but not as rich as the half-and-half and that using heavy cream makes the cakes too dense.
• Turn the mixture onto a floured board and shape the dough into two circles about 2-1/2 inches in diameter and about 1 inch thick.
• Brush the tops with the egg white. Then sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar.
• Place on prepared cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, turning the pan halfway through cooking.
• Cool on wire wrack.
• For the fruit use the next 2 ingredients: Crush 3/4 cup (about 3.75 ounces) of the strawberries with a potato masher in a medium bowl. Slice the remaining strawberries and fold them into the crushed berries, along with the sugar. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
• For the whipped cream use the last 3 ingredients:.
• Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium spead until frothy -- about 1 minute. Then turn to high and whip to soft peaks, 1-3 minutes. Of course, store bought whipped cream will work, too.
• To serve: Slice the shortcake horizontally. Place some of the strawberries on the bottom half, put a dollop or two of whipped cream on the strawberries and top with the other half of the short cake.