Strawberries are available year-round, but those from your garden or local farmstand, ripened by warm days and sunshine, are the sweetest of all. Strawberries are best when they’re simply allowed to shine. You can enjoy their natural sweetness without competing flavors. This cake is a perfect example of that philosophy, showcasing local strawberries layered with vanilla cake and lightly sweetened whipped cream. This recipe is from our forthcoming cookbook, Macrina at Home. Until then, bake it while local berries are at their peak.
Makes one 6-inch cake
Printable PDF of this version here.
2 cups cake flour
2¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
6 egg yolks
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, divided
¾ cup whole milk, divided
12 Tbsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 cups fresh strawberries, divided
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 cups heavy cream
Garnish: garden strawberries and leaves
Preheat oven to 325°F. Brush two 6-inch cake pans with neutral oil on base and sides, and line with cut-out circles of parchment paper, plus 3-inch strips on the sides. These will extend higher than the sides of your cake pans. The oil will adhere parchment to the pan and protect the cakes from sticking.
Sift flour, 1¾ cups of the sugar, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
In a separate bowl add the egg yolks, 1 Tbsp vanilla and ¼ cup of the milk. Mix with a whisk and set aside.
Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream for 4 to 5 minutes, until pale in color. Add the flour mixture, pulsing a few times, then mixing on low to fully combine. With mixer on low speed, slowly add the remaining milk. Increase to medium speed and mix for 30 seconds.
Add a third of the egg mixture and mix on medium speed for 20 to 30 seconds. Scrape bowl’s sides to make sure everything gets incorporated. Repeat the process 2 more times, until all egg mixture is incorporated.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Place on oven’s center rack. Bake for 30 to 32 minutes or until golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Let cakes cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then invert and remove from pans. Peel off parchment and let cool completely.
Sort through your strawberries, choosing 1 cup of beauties for garnishing. Cut the remaining 5 cups into quarters. Place in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes to release the juices. In a small bowl combine ¼ cup sugar and 1 Tbsp cornstarch. Add to the berries and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve sugar and slightly thicken the cooked strawberries. Pour into a separate bowl and let cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip heavy cream with remaining ¼ cup sugar and 2 tsp vanilla. Whip to medium-stiff peaks then keep cool in the refrigerator.
Cut each cake in half horizontally, creating a total of 4 layers. Set aside.
If you wish you can trim the golden-brown surface of each layer top and bottom, but truly it’s just for presentation purposes and reduces the size of your overall cake.
Place a cake layer onto your presentation plate and spread with ⅓ cup cooked strawberries. Top with ¾ cup of sweetened whipped cream and level with a spatula. Repeat these steps with the second and third layers of cake, finishing with the final cake layer on top. Press down lightly on the top layer to level. Make sure sides are aligned for the final exterior frosting. Chill cake for 20 minutes to set up.
Add remaining cooked strawberries to the last of the whipped cream. Mix them only partially. It’s nice to see some pieces of strawberry in the frosting. Frost the cake’s exterior with the whipped cream, smoothing surfaces with a spatula. Garnish by placing the remaining strawberries on top and around the plate. To complete the summer cake presentation, I like to add garden strawberries and leaves also. Chill cake until ready to serve.
