I had remembered a recipe using strawberries Ina Garten made years ago in one of her earlier cookbooks (Parties), a cake she called Strawberry Country Cake. It was a simple cake in presentation, yet the combination of the cake, strawberries, and whipped cream made it taste anything but simple. Having not made this cake in years, I wanted to experience it with Native versus store-bought strawberries. And now that I have, I don't think I will make this cake 'out of season' as the ripe, fresh native strawberries (ones just harvested) elevate this cake into something worthy of a dessert served in a four star restaurant. Okay, it would not be one of the fancy desserts served in a high end restaurant, it would be one of those perfect comfort food desserts that seem to have been making a comeback in restaurants these days.
This recipe makes two cakes as each layer is a cake all unto itself. A single layer is cut in half and then both layers are topped with whipped cream and strawberries. I would go so far as to say this is a perfect summer dessert.
The making of the cake requires some planning ahead as the eggs, butter and sour cream all need to be room temperature. I do take my butter and eggs out the night before, but let the sour cream sit for several hours before I began assembling the batter.
The cake isn't a typical layer cake and isn't a pound cake, but it is a cross somewhere in between as there is a sweetness and moistness to the cake that makes it a little unique. The dry ingredients are all sifted before adding to the batter.
While the strawberries are star of this cake, the zest of an orange and a lemon have an important supporting role. The zests add a subtle flavor to the cake that make them a necessity and not an option. So if you are thinking of making this cake and considering omitting the zests, I beg you not to.
The original recipe called for using 8 inch cake pans but I prefer using 9 inch cake pans for this recipe, as I don't want their to be a perfect balance between the layers of the cake with the whipped cream and strawberries. The batter is poured evenly into two prepared (always line with parchment paper) pans and baked for 35 to 40 minutes on a rack centered in the oven. You can test the doneness of the cake with a toothpick, cake tester or your finger. If using your finger, the cake will bounce back when lightly pressed.
The cakes are cooled in their pans for 30 minutes and then removed and placed on a wire rack until they are room temperature (don't rush this part as you don't want your whipped cream melting into a warm cake).
A pint of heavy whipping cream (19% fat content if you can find it) is whipped to soft peaks. Three tablespoons of sugar and one-half teaspoon of vanilla are added until blended in. You will double these quantities if you are assembling both layers of the cakes.
Each layer of the cake is cut half horizontally using a long serrated knife. Half of the whipped cream is spread on the bottom layer until it just reaches the edges.
I like to place the sliced strawberries on the first layer so that they appear like they are spilling out of the cake. Once the bottom layer is finished, the top layer is added and topped with the remaining whipped cream and strawberries. I like to serve this cake with a bowl of freshly sliced strawberries. And if you are lucky enough to have access to native strawberries, your guests will be in strawberry heaven.
Recipe
Strawberry Country Cake (slight adaption of Ina Garten's Strawberry Country Cake recipe)
Ingredients
12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
4 extra large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 pints fresh strawberries (native strawberries when they are in season)
Note: This recipe makes 2 cakes. If you are only assembling one, the other layer can be wrapped in plastic, placed in a ziploc bag and stored in the freezer for later use.
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter/flour and line two 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper.
3. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until fluffy.
4. On medium speed, add eggs one at a time, then add sour cream, orange and lemon zests, and vanilla. Scrape sides of bowl to ensure everything is well blended.
5. Sift flour, cornstarch, Kosher salt and baking soda. On low speed add, dry ingredients to the batter.
6. Pour evenly into prepared pans and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean and tops are evenly browned.
7. Remove from oven. Cool in pans for 30 minutes. Remove and allow cakes to come to room temperature.
8. To make the filling for one cake, whip cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla and whip until combined.
9. Slice strawberries, approximately quarter inch slices.
10. Slice one cake in half horizontally using a long serrated knife.
11. Spread half of the whipped cream on bottom cut layer. Top with half of the sliced strawberries.
12. Add top layer, spread on remaining whipped cream, and top with remaining cut strawberries (or use whole berries and serve sliced strawberries on the side.)
I was in NYC for the day last week serving as a chaperone on a middle school field trip. Upon arriving in Manhattan and driving down 5th Avenue toward our first field trip destination, I thought to myself "I am so close to such great shopping, but it might as well be a million miles away." All of my attention needed to be on the group I was responsible for and I didn't think it at all wise to suggest we skip lunch and shop (the euphoria of being in Manhattan wasn't enough to affect my good judgement). As much as I would have loved to run into a store or two, the truth of the matter is that I really don't need anything at the moment so any purchase would not have been out of necessity, but more likely due to a little bit of impulsivity. Yet before impulsivity is given a completely bad name, there have been a few good impulsive purchases and decisions made over the years.
More often than not as of late, I have been laboring over making some decisions, some important life decisions. This would be what I call the 'second guessing myself' decision making process which at times can be exhausting. During the writing of my dissertation some years back, second guessing myself peaked. I would write, rewrite, rewrite again and then look back at a first draft and wonder why I rewrote the first draft again and again. This second guessing almost took me off the path of finishing the dissertation. While it is important to be thoughtful in making important decisions, it is equally important to make a decision and not just hope that things will work themselves out (a lesson that is taking me a lifetime to learn). Like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders when I finished my dissertation, the weight of the world is also taken off my shoulders when I make important life decisions. I just need to remember how good it feels when that weight is lifted and not think there is any value in enduring the weight longer than necessary.
