When an ingredient is fresh – perfect – you just don’t mess with it. Say it again: DON’T mess with it. Like these strawberries. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I love my Dreyer Farms CSA. We all know. Week 2 and you are probably sick of hearing me talk about it like you get sick of hearing a teenage girl go on and on about her latest crush. But these beautiful babies are why I love it. They need nothing to be amazing. As my husband says, “That’s what a strawberry is supposed to taste like.”
When the farm announces that strawberries are available, I run to the farm to grab them up. Because like everything in life, they simply don’t last. These days, they appear in lunches, on the breakfast table and at dessert. At least 3 out of 4 of us cannot get enough of them. And even the picky Chef Eclair will eat a few of the little ones.
This fresh strawberry cake is a simple yellow cake that actually has very little flour and a good amount of egg. Top it with a not-too-sweet vanilla whipped cream and a pile of fresh strawberries and you have a perfect dessert for a summer picnic, barbecue, or any old night of the week. The strawberries are the star here, so get the best ones you can find. If you’re in New Jersey, head straight to Dreyers in Cranford. I’ll see you there 🙂
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 3 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅛ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. canola oil
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled, larger berries sliced
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
- In a small bowl, sift together flour and cornstarch.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until thick and pale, about 4 minutes.
- Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Add oil in a steady stream until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Immediately remove cake from pan and allow to cool completely on a rack.
- Meanwhile, make the whipped cream. Combine the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in a bowl and beat on high until it holds stiff peaks.
- To serve, top cake with the whipped cream and fresh berries. Serve immediately.
Â
simple and spongy cake but i liked the combination with sliced strawberries. thanks for sharing