English North Country Strawberries And Cream Courting Cake Recipes

ENGLISH NORTH COUNTRY STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM COURTING CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.
• Grease and line with baking parchment, three 7" or 8" round Victoria sandwich tins.
• Cream the butter, vanilla extract and sugar together until pale and fluffy - this is very important, it captures air and keeps the cake light and moist!
• Add the beaten eggs gradually, mixing well each time. Lightly sieve in the flour - again gradually - and then add enough milk to make the cake mixture a dropping consistency.
• Divide the mixture between the three cake tins - giving them a gentle shake to level them, and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 25 - 30 minutes, or until well risen and a pale golden brown. Turn the cakes out and leave to cool on a wire rack.
• Whip the cream until thick and holding soft peaks and add the vanilla extract if using.
• Sandwich the cakes together with the cream and sliced strawberries - reserving at least 8 for the top of the cake.
• Place the cake on an atractive cake or gateau serving platter/stand and sprinkle the icing sugar over the top of the cake.
• Decorate with the reserved whole strawberries.
• N.B. you can also decorate the top of the cake with the whipped cream - but this is not traditional!

STRAWBERRY COUNTRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans. Then line them with parchment paper and butter and flour the lined pans.
• Cream the butter and sugar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, then the sour cream, zests, and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and combine just until smooth.
• Pour the batter evenly into the pans, smooth the tops, and bake in the center of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then remove to wire racks and let cool to room temperature. If using 1 cake, wrap the second well and freeze.
• To make the filling for one cake, whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until firm. Slice one of the cakes in half with a long, sharp knife. Place the bottom slice of the cake on a serving platter, spread with 1/2 the whipped cream and scatter with sliced strawberries. Cover with the top slice of the cake and spread with the remaining cream. Decorate with strawberries.

COURTING CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 190°C/375°F.
• Grease and line the bases of three 7-inch round cake tins.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
• Gradually add the eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Fold in the flour, and then add enough milk to give a soft dropping consistency.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 minutes, until well risen and firm to the touch, swapping the position of the top and bottom cakes halfway through the cooking.
• Turn out and leave to cool on a wire rack.
• Whip the cream until it just holds its shape.
• Sandwich the cakes together with the cream and the strawberries, reserving a few for decoration.
• Dredge the top with icing sugar and decorate with the reserved strawberries.

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl cream the sugar and stork until the mixture is pale in colour.
• Next, one at a time mix in the the three eggs.
• Sieve half of the flour into the mixture and fold in using a metal spoon. Once the flour has been folded in sieve the remaining flour and fold into the mixture.
• In a small cup combine the baking soda, baking powder and white vinegar so that it fizzes then pour and stir into the mixture.
• Split the mixture between two sandwich tins and bake for 30-35 minutes in the oven at 130c until golden in colour and the sponge springs back when lightly tapped.
• Allow the cakes to cool slightly and then remove from the tins and place on a rack to cool completely.
• Once the cakes have cooled you can begin to make the filling by whipping the cream until it holds it shape.
• Position one of the cakes on a board or cake stand and smother the top with 3/4 of the whipped cream.
• Slice the strawberries and arrange them on top of the cream in a circular fashion and place the remaining cream on top of the strawberries.
• Next sandwich the two cakes together and mix up the icing sugar using a little warm water. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake and arrange any remaining strawberries on top to finish.

STRAWBERRIES-AND-CREAM STACK CAKE

Steps:

• Combine granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; continue boiling, covered, until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Uncover and continue boiling, swirling pan gently as color develops at edges of pan, until sugar turns medium amber and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes more.
• Remove from heat; carefully add lemon zest and juice and 1/4 cup cold water (add water all at once and pull hand away immediately; mixture will splatter and steam). Stir until smooth; if necessary, return pan to low heat to liquefy completely. Transfer to a heatproof bowl; let cool until slightly warm to the touch, about 30 minutes.
• Whisk mascarpone, cream, confectioners' sugar, and salt on medium-high speed to stiff peaks. Working one at a time, dip 10 ladyfingers in caramel, turning to fully coat and allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Spread a very thin layer of cream mixture on bottom of each dipped ladyfinger (to prevent sliding); arrange on a platter in a snug row.
• Dollop one-third of remaining cream mixture on top; spread to edges in an even layer. Top with one-third of strawberries in a single layer. Repeat dipping and layering twice more (skipping the thin layer of cream mixture on bottom of cookies for remaining layers).
• Cover loosely but fully and refrigerate at least 24 hours and up to 2 days. Top with more halved or whole berries. To serve, slice between each row of ladyfingers.

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB "COURTING" CAKE

Steps:

• To Make Cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms with parchment. Using electric mixer, beat butter until light. Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon nutmeg and salt into medium bowl. Fold into butter mixture. Gently mix in milk.
• Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until firm to touch about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely.
• Split each cake into 2 layers, using serrated knife. Combine cream, 6 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon nutmeg in bowl. Beat to stiff peaks. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup compote, then 1 cup cream. Repeat layering with 2 more cake layers, compote and cream. Top with last cake layer, cut side down. Cover cake and chill 1 hour. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Dust with powdered sugar. Arrange berries atop cake. Serve, spooning some of remaining compote over each slice.
• To Make Compote:
• Combine rhubarb, sugar and water in heavy medium saucepan. Bring just to boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook just until rhubarb is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; mix in berries, vanilla and nutmeg. Chill until cold. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)

STRAWBERRIES & CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease the two cake tins and set aside.
• Pour the eggs, butter, sugar, flour and baking powder into a big bowl & beat together until thoroughly combined. Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and place in the oven for around 20-25 minutes.
• Whilst the cakes are baking, start by slicing your strawberries (top downwards) - into about 4-5 slices per strawberry and then set aside. Leave 1 or 2 whole strawberries & about 6-8 good slices for the topping.
• In a clean glass or metal bowl, pour the cream and and whisk on low speed for about 30 seconds before increasing to medium speed until the cream begins to form stiff peaks (this should take a couple of minutes). Stop as soon as the peaks are formed, otherwise you will over-whisk.
• When the cakes are ready, transfer onto a cooling rack and using a knife/cake leveller, slice the rounded tops off to create a smooth surface. Allow to completely cool before assembling.
• In a new bowl, add the milk, butter, half the icing sugar, strawberry essence and colouring and whisk on medium speed until combined. Gradually add the remaining icing sugar until it combines to create a light and fluffy pink buttercream.
• Next, spread a generous layer of jam on the base of one cake. Add the sliced stawberries in a circular pattern and then top with just over half the whipped cream (save the rest) to create a thick inner layer. Place the second cake on top and carefully spread the icing on top
• Finally, add the remaining cream to a piping bag with an izing nozzle or ziplock bag with the end snipped off & pipe 6-8 cream 'nests' around the edges. Add a sliced strawberry to the top of each. Add a final whole strawberry in the middle - there are lots of online video tutorials for creating strawberry rose shapes! Dust with icing sugar & serve on the day.