Strawberry Cake With Fresh Strawberries
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 20 minutes plus freezing time of 1 hour
Cooking time: 0 minutes
Serves: 6-8 people
For Filling
- 450g/1lb double unfilled sponge cake* or use hot milk sponge recipe below
- 160g/5.6ozs cream cheese, cold, cubed
- 150g/5ozs pure icing or powdered sugar, sifted
- 320ml/11.3flozs pure or thickened cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 8 small strawberries, washed
- 1 tablespoon icing or powdered sugar (plus extra to sieve over cake)
- 12x large strawberries (around 25g/0.9oz each), washed and pat dry
Step 1 - First place the bowl open side down on the sponge cake and cut out a circle of sponge cake (this will be the base of the cake once upturned). Then slice the sponge cake until around 1cm/0.4inch in thickness. Line a small bowl (I used a 13cm/5inch diameter, 8cms/3.1inch high bowl with a 700ml capacity/25floz) with cling film with some overhang to cover the cake. First cut out a circle of sponge for the base and set aside. If your bowl is wider you may need to cut your sponge in half horizontally and cut out two half moons. Then cut sponge to fit around the bowl as shown below.
Step 2 - Freeze your mixer bowl, beater and whisk for 5 minutes before using. Toss strawberries in icing sugar to sweeten them.
Step 3 - In the chilled mixer bowl beat the cream cheese and icing or powdered sugar together using a beater attachment for 1 minute until the mixture is smooth. Then switch to the whisk attachment and add the cream and vanilla and whisk until it starts to come together and you get soft peaks. Then using a spatula go around the edges and incorporate the cream cheese clinging onto the edge of the bowl into the cream and whisk again until you get stiff peaks. Your cream is ready when you can slice a butter knife through the cream and the cut holds.
Step 4 - Spread some cream on top of the sponge in a thin layer. Then add 3 of the strawberries. Layer with a couple of tablespoons of cream and then add the remaining 5 strawberries. Cover with some cream and smooth over. Place the disc of sponge cake on top and then wrap up with the overhanging cling film. Freeze for 1 hour. Keep the stabilised whipped cream in the fridge.
Step 5 - While it is freezing, slice the green ends off the large strawberries and slice in half.
Step 6 - When ready, upturn onto a cake board or serving plate and gently remove the bowl and cling film. Spread cream over the dome first in a thin crumb coat and then in a thicker coat, reserving around 3/4 cup to pipe swirls over the cake. Place strawberries onto the cake in an alternating pattern. Place the remaining cream in a piping bag fitted with a #867 tip or similar. Pipe swirls on the cake and then sieve icing sugar over before serving.
Sponge Cake
- 165ml/5.8floz whole milk
- 55g/2ozs butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 200g/7ozs caster or superfine sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup/150g/5ozs cake flour*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Step 1 - Line a 30x20x5cm/13x9x2inch brownie or slice rectangular pan on the base and sides with parchment. Preheat oven to 160C/320F. In a saucepan heat the milk and butter until the butter has melted and stir in the salt (do not boil, just scald the milk). Set aside. Sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl.
Step 2 - In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment whisk the sugar, eggs and vanilla for 5 minutes until syrupy thick and very pale yellow (almost white). Add the hot milk mixture and whisk for 15 seconds or until incorporated. Then fold in the flour mixture on low speed in two lots until smooth (do not overmix). It will be a very liquidy batter. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 25-28 minutes or until the centre springs back when gently pressed. Cool on a cake rack in the tin.