Strawberry Shortcake Time!

Its Strawberry season! Or at least I thought it was until I went to the store and there wasn’t but a few cases…but then again, Marshall isn’t known for its vast food selection.  But when I was asking Doug for any requests on the next blog addition…he said strawberry shortcake.  So of course I wanted to make something a little more appealing than the regular strawberry Shortcake.  I searched and searched for an appealing angel food recipe and came across this one here.  I tweaked it a little of course..(not much) and then added the strawberries and the whipped cream frosting from a tuxedo cake from the Pastry Queen. 

Some quick notes on this cake…don’t try and eat it until you have let it set in the fridge for a few hours.  On that- seems to taste much better the next day.  Also, it is kind of hard to cut without it falling apart…this cake was built for taste, not appearance.  But it sure is tasty!  The frosting is designed to withstand a little more time hanging around than regular whipped cream.  From that, a tip- if you add powdered sugar to heavy whipping cream, instead of sugar, it will hold up a little better.  Powdered sugar has cornstarch in it, and holds things together better, and which is why I decided to use it.  One last note, please feel free to change this around however you want. You do not have to assemble it like I did.  You can just make the cake in a bundt pan and then top it in a bowl with the strawberries and whipped cream!

One last note…I am putting myself on a strict diet starting tomorrow, since this blog hasn’t been helpful to my waistline.  So, I am going to try and keep up with some new recipes during the next couple months, but I can’t eat..just taste. Booooo!

I know you are tired of me rambling and ready for the recipes, but I had to share something with you that is near and dear to me.  This turtle below used to sit in my Nanny and Papas home and was their little dauschund treat jar.  It is now my utensil holder, and I love it, it is like my Nanny is there with me when I am cooking! And its cute!

Now, on to the cake! Start by slicing 2 lbs of strawberries, take 1/3 of those and mash them in a bowl with a tater masher or fork.

Add the remaining strawberry slices and 1/3 cup of sugar and mix them all together.  Set to the side for the remaining time while baking the cake.

For the Angel food cake, start by beating the egg whites until frothy. Then add cream of tartar and salt. Beat until fully incorporated then begin to add 3/4 cup of sugar 1-2 tablespoons at a time. When sugar has been added, beat egg whites to soft peaks. I would go a little longer than I did here but not to stiff peaks.

Sift together the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar and all of the cake flour, then sift in 5-6 additions into the egg yolks.  Fold it in slowly, so you don’t beat down the egg whites.

I divided the cakes into 2- 8 inch pans make sure you line the bottom with parchment paper.  I baked at 325 degrees for 40 mins.  But again, you can put it in whatever size pan you want.  You just will need to bake until the top springs back up when lightly touched.  Set out to cool for 5 minutes, run around the edges with a pairing knife and remove from pan and allow to cool completely on cooling racks. While cooling you can make the whipped frosting by combining 2 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream, 1 tsp of pure vanilla and 3/4 cup of powdered sugar.

Once cooled, start your assembly.  Place bottom layer on cake server, spread a thin layer of whipped cream and then a layer of the strawberries.

Add top later then ice all over if desired-

Add remaining strawberries, I lined the top with whole strawberries so that it would keep most of the juices on top.  They are heavy of course and easily slide off the side if it sets out too long. 

Place in fridge for at least 2 hours and enjoy! It is easiest to slice with a serrated knife! YUM!

Printable Recipe
Vanilla Bean Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberries:
2-3 lbs of strawberries (hulled and 2 lbs sliced)
1/3 cups of sugar

Vanilla Bean Angel Food Cake
1 1/2 cups egg whites (10-12 large), room temperature
1 1/2 cups superfine sugar, divided
1 cup sifted cake flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1 Vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped (use seeds)
1 Tsp Vanilla Pure Vanilla Extract
Whipped Cream Frosting:
2 1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Strawberries:
Slice and hull 2 lbs of fresh strawberries.  Put 1/3 of the strawberries in a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher.  Add remaining strawberries and sugar, cover with a paper towel and set aside for 30-60 minutes (or longer).

Vanilla Bean Angel Food Cake
Preheat oven to 325F. In a small bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup sugar and the cake flour. Set aside.
Split Vanilla Bean length wise and scrape out the seeds, set aside.

Beat egg whites until frothy, the add cream of tartar and salt. Beat until fully incorporated then begin to add the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar 1-2 tablespoons at a time. When sugar has been added, beat egg whites to soft peaks. You will know when you have soft peaks because the egg whites will look like soft waves and when you lift the beaters, the peaks will droop back down into the batter. If your batter is falling in ribbons, it is not quite down. Don’t be afraid to slow down the mixer and check a few times as you get close. Do not beat all the way to stiff peaks.

Once you have soft peaks, add the vanilla bean seeds and the extract and beat for a few seconds to evenly distribute. Sift the flour/sugar mixture over the egg whites in 6-8 additions (depending on your proficiency with folding flour into egg whites) and gently fold it in after each addition. It is better to take your time and do it gently than to rush and deflate the egg whites. Spoon batter into two 8 inch round cake pans with parchment paper on the bottoms. Smooth the top with a spatula and tap the pan on the counter once or twice to ensure that there are no large bubbles lurking beneath the surface.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly pressed.  Remove from oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes then run a pairing knife around the edges.  Invert onto plate, then invert again onto cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Whipped Cream Frosting:
Beat heavy whipping cream and vanilla till soft peaks form, add powdered sugar in and serve.

Assembly:
Place one layer of the angel food cake on a cake serving dish, top with a thin layer of whipped cream frosting.   Add a layer of the strawberries on top, do not over stuff because remaining strawberries will be heavy.
Place second layer of cake on top, then ice with the remaining whipped cream frosting.  Add whole strawberries around edges if desired, then add remaining sliced strawberry mixture.  Strawberry juice will drip down the side some, again not made for beauty, but beautiful taste!