Strawberry Cream Cake From Cooks Illustrated Recipe 435

STRAWBERRY CREAM CAKE FROM COOK'S ILLUSTRATED RECIPE - (4.3/5)

Steps:

• CAKE: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour round 9 by 2-inch cake pan or 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and all but 3 tablespoons sugar in mixing bowl. Whisk in 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks (reserving whites), butter, water, and vanilla; whisk until smooth. In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat remaining 3 egg whites at medium-low speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes. With machine running, gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form, 60 to 90 seconds. Stir one-third of whites into batter to lighten; add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert cake onto greased wire rack; peel off and discard parchment. Invert cake again; cool completely, about 2 hours. STRAWBERRY FILLING: Halve 24 of best-looking berries and reserve. Quarter remaining berries; toss with 4 to 6 tablespoons sugar (depending on sweetness of berries) in medium bowl and let sit 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain juices from berries and reserve (you should have about 1/2 cup). In work bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, give macerated berries five 1-second pulses (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). In small saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer reserved juices and Kirsch until syrupy and reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour reduced syrup over macerated berries, add pinch of salt, and toss to combine. Set aside until cake is cooled. WHIPPED CREAM: When cake has cooled, place cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whisk at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Reduce speed to low and add heavy cream in slow, steady stream; when almost fully combined, increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes more, scraping bowl as needed (you should have about 4 1/2 cups). ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Using large serrated knife, slice cake into three even layers. Place bottom layer on cardboard round or cake plate and arrange ring of 20 strawberry halves, cut sides down and stem ends facing out, around perimeter of cake layer. Pour one half of pureed berry mixture (about 3/4 cup) in center, then spread to cover any exposed cake. Gently spread about one-third of whipped cream (about 1 1/2 cups) over berry layer, leaving 1/2-inch border from edge. Place middle cake layer on top and press down gently (whipped cream layer should become flush with cake edge). Repeat with 20 additional strawberry halves, remaining berry mixture, and half of remaining whipped cream; gently press last cake layer on top. Spread remaining whipped cream over top; decorate with remaining cut strawberries. Serve, or chill for up to 4 hours.

STRAWBERRY CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• FOR THE CAKE:.
• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease and flour round 9 by 2-inch cake pan (pan must be at least 2" high!) or 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and all but 3 tablespoons sugar in mixing bowl.
• Whisk in 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks (reserving whites), butter, water, and vanilla; whisk until smooth.
• In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat remaining 3 egg whites at medium-low speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes.
• With machine running, gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form, 60 to 90 seconds.
• Stir one-third of whites into batter to lighten; add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert cake onto greased wire rack; peel off and discard parchment.
• Invert cake again; cool completely, about 2 hours.
• FOR THE STRAWBERRY FILLING:
• Halve 24 of best-looking berries and reserve.
• Quarter remaining berries; toss with 4 to 6 tablespoons sugar (depending on sweetness of berries) in medium bowl and let sit 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Strain juices from berries and reserve (you should have about 1/2 cup).
• In workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, give macerated berries five 1-second pulses (you should have about 1 1/2 cups).
• In small saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer reserved juices and Kirsch until syrupy and reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Pour reduced syrup over macerated berries, add pinch of salt, and toss to combine.
• Set aside until cake is cooled.
• FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:.
• When cake has cooled, place cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment.
• Whisk at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed.
• Reduce speed to low and add heavy cream in slow, steady stream; when almost fully combined, increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes more, scraping bowl as needed (you should have about 4 1/2 cups).
• TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
• Using large serrated knife, slice cake into three even layers.
• Place bottom layer on cardboard round or cake plate and arrange ring of 20 strawberry halves, cut sides down and stem ends facing out, around perimeter of cake layer.
• Pour 1/2 of pureed berry mixture (about 3/4 cup) in center, then spread to cover any exposed cake.
• Gently spread about one-third of whipped cream (about 1 1/2 cups) over berry layer, leaving 1/2-inch border from edge.
• Place middle cake layer on top and press down gently (whipped cream layer should become flush with cake edge).
• Repeat with 20 additional strawberry halves, remaining berry mixture, and half of remaining whipped cream; gently press last cake layer on top.
• Spread remaining whipped cream over top; decorate with remaining cut strawberries.
• Serve, or chill for up to 4 hours.

STRAWBERRY CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Make filling:
• Trim and slice strawberries and in a bowl stir together with sugar and lemon juice. Let strawberry mixture stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, 4 hours. In a large sieve set over a bowl drain strawberry mixture and reserve strawberries and liquid separately.
• Make custard:
• In a saucepan whisk together all custard ingredients except Punsch until combined well. Bring mixture to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly, and simmer, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Whisk Punsch into custard and transfer to a heatproof dish. Cool custard, its surface covered with a round of wax paper. Chill custard, covered, at least 3 hours, or until cold, and up to 2 days.
• Make cake layers:
• Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter two 9- by 2-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with rounds of wax paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess flour.
• Into a small bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In bowl of a standing electric mixer combine eggs and sugar and beat, beginning at moderate speed and gradually increasing to high speed, for a total of 9 to 10 minutes, or until very thick and pale and mixture forms a ribbon when beaters are lifted. Transfer egg mixture to a large bowl (for ease of folding).
• Sift one third flour mixture over egg mixture and with a large rubber spatula fold in gently but thoroughly. Sift and fold remaining flour mixture into egg mixture in 2 more batches in same manner. Fold in butter and vanilla gently but thoroughly.
• Divide batter between pans, smoothing tops, and bake in middle of oven, rotating pans on oven rack after 15 minutes (to ensure even baking), a total of 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake is springy to the touch and a tester comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on racks 10 minutes and invert onto racks. Peel off paper and cool completely. Layers may be made 1 day ahead of cake assembly and kept, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
• Assemble cake:
• With a long serrated knife halve each cake layer horizontally to make a total of 4 layers. Put 1 cake layer, cut side up, on a serving plate and top with half of reserved strawberry slices, arranging them in an even layer. Drizzle half of reserved strawberry liquid evenly over berries.
• Top filling with second cake layer, cut side down. Whisk custard until smooth and spread layer evenly with custard. Top custard with third cake layer, cut side up. Spread layer evenly with remaining strawberries and drizzle with remaining strawberry liquid. Top filling with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Chill cake, covered with plastic wrap, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
• Make frosting:
• In a chilled bowl beat cream with sugar until cream just holds stiff peaks.
• Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Cake may be frosted 4 hours ahead and chilled. Bring cake to cool room temperature before serving.
• Garnish top of cake with strawberries.