STRAWBERRY CREAM CAKE

Each once in a far while, a
smaller than usual heating marvel occurs in my kitchen, and formula comes out
of how I had envisioned from the primary attempt.
Much the same as that… no
imperfections to be criticized, no changes required, no one next to the other
prepare offs followed by a progression of hair-pulling formula testing
required. Simply the sound of winged animals singing, bliss rippling noticeable
all around and the sweet taste of simple triumph.
The day I made this
Strawberry Cream Cake… was one of them.
It resembled the following:
a cake made spontaneously, the family went crazy, investigate wasn't
articulated (although I asked for it), and I went to the difficult to-accept
acknowledgment, that it's prepared for the blog!
Not having the option to
move beyond the way that it was too easy to be in any way obvious, I attempted
as I may discover something to enhance, however, I just proved unable. The cake
was flawless… and I have a quite positive sentiment that you'll concur.
Three layers of delicate
and rich vanilla cake, implanted with delightful strawberry juice, bested with
loads of coated new strawberries and dives of thickened whipped cream that
won't sob on you.
It is a thing of basic
magnificence and a sample of everything great in this world.
Strawberry Cream Cake is by
all accounts one of those shared factor pastries around the globe. I presently
can't seem to discover a culture that doesn't make a variety or the other of
it. I most definitely, experienced childhood in Egypt on a coated strawberry
studded one that had consistently figured out how to appear on each birthday
and evening gathering till this very day. Of course it generally originated
from a bread kitchen.
This one is a greater
amount of the American-style with the exposed sides and straightforward, yet
rich introduction. In any case, the flavor is similarly as recognizable as the
one I've been eating since I was a child (just better).
It's likewise simpler and
faster to make than most cakes of this sort, because of a mystery alternate
route that you'll either love or loathe.
Will it help if I reveal to
you that nobody will have the option to tell? Guarantee. My family knows Betty
Crocker when they eat one, yet they were oblivious to this one.
It is limitlessly enhanced
utilizing quality fixings like harsh cream, genuine vanilla, flour, sugar, salt
and eggs to make it taste progressively like custom made.
WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH THE CAKE MIX?
This doctored cake is
based on the internet-famous WASC (White Almond Sour Cream Cake) recipe. It is
a wildly popular one among professional bakers, because it tastes amazing, and
the texture is soft and moist yet holds up really well to decorating and
fondant.
If you’ve been
following here for any length of time, you’ll know that from-scratch baking is
my jam. So I’ll be the first to tell you that baking a cake from scratch
is an incredibly rewarding and therapeutic experience, and the results are
usually worth the extra labor of love. But I’m also not one to turn up her nose
on a cake mix from time to time, if it means giving me the results I want.
Remember this one? It’s THE BEST!
I
have yet to recreate the excellence of this doctored vanilla cake from scratch
(I blame it on not having proper cake flour in Egypt), so until that happens, I
will take no qualms using this semi-homemade version when needed. And if that
means a gorgeous cake in less time, then cut yourself some slack and go for it.
You don’t always have to bake harder, bake smarter.
The
great thing about this cake is that while it’s so soft and tender, it has a
sturdy, sponge-like crumb that holds up really well to the oodles of saucy
strawberries and clouds of whipped cream without crumbling or turning soggy.
Not every cake can do that!
Typically a genoise
sponge cake is the go-to here, for its ability to absorb the berry juices
without breaking down. You can’t just swap a basic vanilla butter cake and pile it with all these
goodies and expect it to work. The moisture from the fillings will wet
the layers and possibly result in a mushy texture and a less than stable
structure.
But
this one…it works!
HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY CREAM CAKE?
Unlike
sponge cake, it’s basically goof-proof! Mix everything together in a
large mixing bowl until combined, and it comes out perfect every single time.
Not
to mention that it is so open to flavor variations and can be adapted with
different fillings. But today…we’re all about the strawberries!
Fresh,
plump, juicy, sweet yet tart strawberries.
HOW TO PREPARE THE STRAWBERRY FILLING?
·
To make our filling extra special, we’ll
start by tossing diced strawberries with some sugar and leaving them to
macerate for about 1 1/2 hours.
THIS SERVES 2 PURPOSES:
1)
Sweeten the strawberries which can sometimes be too tart.
2)
Extract the berries’ natural juices, so we can later brush it over the cake, to
infuse it with more strawberry flavor and a little extra moisture (yes…the cake
can handle it).
·
Then we’re going to take 2 tablespoons of
that juice and microwave it with a little bit of cornstarch to create a thick
glaze. Stirring the glaze into the berries gives them more cohesion, and
an overall sweeter flavor and slightly saucier texture within the cake.
HOW TO MAKE STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM?
For
a cake with a sturdy structure that can stand tall for hours without risking
slippery layers, you need a firm filling. Basic whipped cream is too airy
and fluffy to be able to withstand the weight of the cake and strawberries.
So to stiffen the whipped cream and give it more body, we’re going to
create what is known as Stabilized Whipped Cream.
·
It requires cooking some of the cream
with cornstarch and powdered sugar until it thickens to a pudding-like
consistency.
·
Then after the mixture cools to room
temperature, it gets added in a steady stream to the rest of the cold cream as
it whips. This trick creates a whipped cream that has a thicker, almost
frosting-like consistency, and lasts longer without deflating or watering.
It’s amazing! If you’re looking for whipped cream stiff enough for
piping, this is your guy.
·
Now
that we have all our components ready to go, it’s time to assemble!
·
Plush
cake layers ✔️
·
Gorgeous
glazed strawberries ✔️
·
Flavor-packed
strawberry juice ✔️
·
Pillows
of stabilized whipped cream ✔️
·
Let’s
do this!
HOW TO ASSEMBLE THE STRAWBERRY CREAM CAKE?
·
Brush the first layer of cake with about a
third of the unthickened strawberry juice.
·
Arrange a ring of about 16 strawberry
halves, cut sides down and stem ends facing out, around the perimeter of the
cake layer. This acts as a border, so the strawberry filling doesn’t fall out.
It’s also pretty!
·
Spread half of the glazed strawberries
in the center of cake.
·
Gently spread about one-third of the
stabilized whipped cream over the strawberry layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border
from the edge.
·
Top with another cake layer, and repeat.
- Finally, gently press the last cake layer on top and brush with the remaining strawberry juice. Swoop and swirl the remaining whipped cream over the top and crown with a mixture of whole and halved strawberries.
- Then serve right away or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
One bite and everyone will
claim this the best strawberry cream cake they’re ever had.
Don’t be surprised if they praise
the cake portion specifically. Speaking from experience here 😉
So…are you gonna break the cake mix
secret or keep it to your yourself?
Since we’re keeping it real, here’s
a little a secret that I’m going to share with you. Actual cake slices
won’t look as neat as the one you see here. I had to intricately build a
slice, because the one that came out of the cake was messier than I would’ve
liked.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CAKE:
·
1 (15 1/4oz/432g) vanilla cake mix
(disregard instructions on the box)*
·
1 cup (125g) all purpose flour
·
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
·
1/2 teaspoon salt
·
1 cup (242g) sour cream
·
1 cup (237ml) water
·
3 large eggs
·
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 2
teaspoons if using imitation vanilla flavoring)
FOR THE STRAWBERRY FILLING: (YOU'LL NEED A TOTAL OF ABOUT 3LBS/ 1.3KG OF STRAWBERRIES, WITH THE STEMS, FOR THE ENTIRE CAKE. AMOUNT TO BE DIVIDED LATER)
·
1 1/2 lbs (680g) fresh strawberries,
stemmed & diced into 1/2 inch pieces (4 cups)*
·
3 to 4 tablespoons (38g to 50g)
granulated sugar*
·
1 1/2 teaspoons water or lemon juice*
·
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
·
About 16 large fresh strawberries,
stemmed & sliced in half vertically (1lb/ 450g)
FOR THE STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM:
·
3 cups (700ml) very cold whipping
cream, divided
·
1/2 cup (57g) powdered sugar
·
1 tablespoon (7g) cornstarch
·
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 2
teaspoons if using imitation vanilla flavoring)
FOR THE TOPPING:
·
8 whole fresh strawberries, with stems
(8oz/ 227g)
INSTRUCTIONS
TO MAKE THE CAKE:
1. Start
by preparing the cooked portion of the stabilized whipped cream (recipe below)
as it needs time to cool.
2. Adjust
oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350F/180C.
3. Spray
3 (9-inch) round pans with nonstick cooking spray or lightly grease with
oil. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment rounds and spray parchment or
lightly grease again with oil then dust with flour, tapping out excess flour.
4. In
a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix, flour, sugar and salt to combine.
5. Add
in the sour cream, water, eggs and vanilla. Using an electric mixer on medium
speed, beat everything together until well combined and a smooth batter forms.
6. Give
the batter a final stir to make sure it is thoroughly combined, then evenly
divide batter into the prepared pans. I like to use an ice cream scoop to get
an equal amount of batter into each pan, but you can also weigh them.
7. Transfer
the pans to the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into center of the
cake comes out clean or with a few cooked crumbs attached, 18 to 22 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the strawberry filling; recipe below.
8. Let
the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a small knife around the edges
of the cakes, then invert onto a wire rack, peel off parchment paper, and allow
to cool completely before filling, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When the cakes have cooled
and are ready to be assembled, start whipping the cream (recipe below).
TO MAKE THE STRAWBERRY FILLING:
1. In
a large bowl, toss the 4 cups (1 1/2lbs/ 680g) of diced strawberries with the 3
to 4 tablespoons of sugar (depending on the sweetness of the berries). Cover
and set aside for at least 1 1/2 hours and up to 3 hours.
TO MAKE THE STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM:
1. In
a small saucepan, off heat, whisk the powdered sugar and cornstarch to combine.
Gradually stir in 3/4 cup of the cream.
2. Place
the saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring
constantly until thickened to the consistency of warm pudding; it should still
be pourable.
3. Scrape
the mixture to a measuring cup with a spout or small bowl and stir in the
vanilla. Place plastic wrap directly over the surface of the thickened cream to
avoid a skin from forming, then set aside to cool to just room temperature.
4. In
a chilled mixing bowl, beat the remaining 2 1/4 cups of cold cream just until
traces of the beater marks start to appear. Add the cooled cornstarch mixture
in a steady stream, whipping as you go. Continue to whip until stiff peaks
form. Be careful not to over mix so the cream doesn't curdle. Keep chilled in
the fridge until ready to use.
TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
1. Drain
the diced strawberries in a strainer set over a bowl. Measure out 2 tablespoons
of the strawberry juice into a tiny bowl (reserving remaining juice in bowl for
brushing the cake layers with later). Stir the cornstarch into the 2
tablespoons of juice, until well combined. Microwave, stirring every 10
seconds, until mixture is very thick and translucent, 30 to 45 seconds.
2. Gently
stir the thickened strawberry juice into the diced strawberries, to
glaze. Set aside.
3. If
your cakes are domed, level them off by slicing away a thin layer from the top,
so the cakes are as flat as possible.
4. On
a serving platter, place the first layer of cake and using a pastry brush,
brush a third of the unthickened strawberry juice all over the surface.
5. Arrange
a ring of about 16 strawberry halves (more or less depending on the size of the
strawberries), cut sides down and stem ends facing out, around the perimeter of
the cake layer. Spoon half of the glazed, diced strawberries in the
center, then spread to cover any exposed cake. Gently spread about
one-third of the stabilized whipped cream over the strawberry layer, leaving a
1/2-inch border from the edge.
6. Place
the second cake layer over the whipped cream and gently press down. Repeat
with brushing half of the remaining strawberry juice, 16 additional strawberry
halves, remaining glazed strawberries, and half of remaining whipped cream.
7. Gently
press the last cake layer on top; brush with remaining strawberry juice. Spread
remaining whipped cream over the top; decorate with a mixture of whole and
halved strawberries. Serve right away, or chill for up to 4 hours. Cake best
eaten on the same day its made.
RECIPE NOTES
1.
I prefer Betty Crocker French Vanilla cake
mix, but any white or vanilla cake mix of your choice will work. Just be sure
it's the correct weight. Depending on where you live and what brand you use,
the contents of one cake mix may weight less than 15 1/4 oz. If so, empty from
a second box, enough on the first to add up to the required weight.
2. If
you can't find sour cream, full fat Greek yogurt will work as a substitute.
3. The
weight of the 1 1/2lbs (680g) of diced strawberries called for the strawberry
filling, is of them after the stems have been removed. So it is the net weight
of the strawberries without the stems.
4. Sweeten
the diced strawberries according to their taste. For sweet strawberries, go
with 3 tablespoons; for tart strawberries go with 4 tablespoons.
5. Similarly,
to macerate the strawberries, use water if you prefer a sweeter filling, and
lemon juice if you like a zestier one.
6. The
cake layers can be made up to several days in advance. Wrap in a double layer
of plastic wrap, place in a zipper-lock bag and keep at room temperature for
one day or store in the freezer until needed. Thaw frozen cake, unwrapped, at
room temperature for about one hour before proceeding with the recipe.
7. The
cooked portion of the cream can be prepared hours in advance. However, it is
best to whip the stabilized whipped cream within an hour or less before
assembling the cake. Keep chilled in the fridge until ready to use.
8. You
can macerate the strawberries up to 3 hours in advance. The glazed strawberries
can be kept in the fridge for several hours until ready to use, but be sure to
use within the same day..
TIPS FOR SUCCESS:
·
Do not overbake. The
enemy of moisture in cakes is overbaking. No matter how good and moist
the recipe you’re starting with is, overbaking will cause it to dry out.
So stay alert! Mine are done within 20 minutes, but each oven is
different, so use this estimate as a rough guide. As soon as the cake springs
back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with
a few moist crumbs attached, then its done!
·
Whip it good. A
perfectly prepared whipped cream is the heart and soul of this cake.
First, make sure the cooked cream mixture has completely cooled off to
room temperature, before adding it to the remaining cold cream as it whips.
Before you begin whipping, make sure the whipping cream is super cold.
Room temperature cream won’t whip properly. Get all your equipment
cold too! Chill the bowl and whisk attachment as long as you can in the
fridge before using. Start streaming in the cooked cream, as soon as you start
seeing whisk marks in the cream. When the cream forms soft peaks, stop
the mixer and finish whipping by hand until you achieve stiff peaks. This
lowers the chances of over-whipping the cream. Over-whipped cream, will
split and curdle and basically turn into butter, so be careful not do that, or
you’ll need to start over.
·
Cool before assembling. Be
sure that the cake layers have cooled completely before filling. The heat
from the cakes will cause the whipped cream to melt if you add it before they
cool.
·
Assemble shortly before
serving. While several of the cake components can be
made in advance, it’s best to put them all together and finish off the cake
within 4 hours before serving, so the strawberries and cream can taste their
freshest best.