Yellow Sponge Cake With Early Grey Pastry Cream Recipes

Steps:

• Fill a small saucepan with about 1 inch of water and set over medium heat until the water steams.
• Meanwhile, coarsely chop about a quarter of the strawberries and combine in a medium heatproof bowl with the sugar. Cover the bowl tightly and set it over the saucepan. Reduce the heat if necessary to keep the water just below a simmer and allow the berries to sit, swirling the bowl once or twice to dissolve any stubborn sugar clumps, until they've released all their juices, are mushy, and swim in a translucent red liquid, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat, uncover and strain through a fine-mesh strainer. (You should have 1/2 to 3/4 cup of strawberry syrup.) The mushy berries will have given off their color and flavor, and even though you won't use them in the cake, they're still tasty. Reserve the berries for spooning over pancakes or yogurt.
• In a separate medium bowl, combine the heavy cream, crème fraîche and salt. Whisk the mixture vigorously by hand, or beat with a hand mixer on medium-high, until thick, light and holding a medium peak. Chill the bowl of whipped cream. Thinly slice the remaining raw strawberries lengthwise.
• Invert the sponge cake on a flat serving plate or cake stand. Holding a long serrated knife horizontally and parallel to the work surface, use it to lightly score all around the side of the cake at the midway point. Then, using long, even strokes and still holding the knife parallel to the surface, slice clean through the cake, using the score marks as a guide, to cut it into two even layers. Set the top layer aside.
• Use a pastry brush to dab several tablespoons of the strawberry syrup across the bottom layer, lightly soaking the entire surface. Pull the bowl of cream from the refrigerator and dollop about half of it across the soaked layer, then spread in an even layer all the way to the edges. Arrange half of the sliced strawberries on top of the cream, then place the second cake layer on top of the first, cut side up. Lightly soak the top layer of cake with the strawberry syrup, reserving any remaining syrup for serving. Spread the remaining cream on top of the cake, then pile the remaining sliced strawberries over top. (If not serving immediately, cover loosely and refrigerate until ready to serve.)
• Slice the cake with a serrated knife and serve. Drizzle the slices with any remaining strawberry syrup. The cake is best served the day it's made, but will keep, covered and chilled, for up to 3 days.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a rimmed baking sheet and line with parchment; set aside. On a piece of parchment, sift together flour and cornstarch; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat on high speed until mixture is thick and holds a ribbon-like trail on surface when whisk is raised, about 5 minutes.
• Holding parchment like a funnel, gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture in two batches. With machine running on low speed, mix until just combined. In a steady stream, add butter; mix until just combined. Remove bowl from mixer; detach whisk. Using the whisk, fold mixture several times.
• Spread batter evenly into prepared sheet. Bake until center springs back when lightly touched and edges pull away from sides, 20 to 24 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add egg; beat well. Stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk. Beat on medium speed for two minutes. Pour into a 9x5-in. loaf pan coated with cooking spray. , Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. , Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir for two minutes. Stir in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm. Gradually stir in confectioners' sugar. Place pan in a bowl of ice water; stir until mixture reaches desired spreading consistency. Spread frosting over top of cake.