Elegant Strawberry Cream Delight
Indulge in the delightful layers of this Elegant Strawberry Cream Delight, a recipe inspired by America's Test Kitchen. This beautiful, multi-layered cake combines a light and fluffy vanilla cake with a luscious strawberry filling and a rich whipped cream topping. Perfect for any gathering, it boasts a stunning presentation and the freshness of ripe strawberries. Whether serving at a celebration or enjoying a casual family dinner, this cake travels well and is sure to impress everyone with its deliciousness and aesthetic. Follow this simple yet rewarding recipe to create a dessert that melts in your mouth and feels like a treat worth savoring.
N/A
Servings
450
Calories
17
Ingredients
Ingredients
Cake Flour
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces, sifted)
Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons (sifted)
Table Salt
1/4 teaspoon (fine)
Sugar
1 cup (7 ounces, divided)
Large Eggs
5 (room temperature (2 whole and 3 separated))
Unsalted Butter
6 tablespoons (melted and cooled slightly)
Water
2 tablespoons (room temperature)
Vanilla Extract
2 teaspoons (pure)
Fresh Strawberries
2 lbs (washed, dried, and stemmed (medium or large, about 2 quarts))
Sugar for Berries
4-6 tablespoons (to taste)
Kirsch or Cherry Flavored Liqueur
2 tablespoons
Table Salt
1 pinch (fine)
Cream Cheese
8 ounces (room temperature)
Sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces)
Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon (pure)
Table Salt
1/8 teaspoon (fine)
Heavy Cream
2 cups (cold)
Instructions
1
For the Cake: Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat to 325°F (160°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan (at least 2 inches high) or a 9-inch springform pan, lining the bottom with parchment paper for easier removal.
2
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and 3 tablespoons of sugar until well blended. Incorporate the 2 whole eggs and reserved yolks, melted butter, water, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth.
3
In a separate clean bowl, combine the reserved egg whites. Beat them at medium-low speed for 1-2 minutes until frothy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form, approximately 60-90 seconds.
4
Gently stir one-third of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites until no white streaks remain.
5
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack and peeling off the parchment. Let it cool completely, about 2 hours.
6
For the Strawberry Filling: Halve 24 of the most visually appealing strawberries and set aside. Quarter the remaining strawberries, then toss them in a medium bowl with 4-6 tablespoons of sugar. Allow them to rest for 1 hour while stirring occasionally to macerate.
7
Strain the juices from the macerated strawberries, reserving about 1/2 cup. In a food processor, pulse the macerated berries five times for 1 second each until roughly puréed, yielding about 1 1/2 cups.
8
In a small saucepan, combine the reserved strawberry juice and Kirsch; simmer over medium-high heat until the mixture is syrupy and reduced to about 3 tablespoons (about 3-5 minutes). Pour the syrup over the puréed strawberries and add a pinch of salt, tossing to combine. Set aside until the cake has cooled.
9
For the Whipped Cream: Once the cake has cooled, place cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary.
10
Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the heavy cream in a slow, steady stream. Once incorporated, increase to medium-high speed and beat until stiff peaks form, about 2-2 1/2 minutes more, scraping down the bowl occasionally. You should have roughly 4 1/2 cups of whipped cream.
11
To Assemble the Cake: Use a large serrated knife to slice the cooled cake into three even layers. Place the bottom layer on a cardboard round or cake plate. Create a ring of 20 strawberry halves, cut sides down, around the edge of the cake.
12
Pour half of the puréed berry mixture (about 3/4 cup) into the center of the cake layer, spreading it to cover the exposed areas. Gently spread about one-third of the whipped cream (approximately 1 1/2 cups) over the berry layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border from the edge.
13
Top with the middle layer of cake, pressing down gently to level the whipped cream. Repeat the process with the remaining strawberry halves, berry mixture, and half of the remaining whipped cream before placing the final layer of cake on top.
14
Spread the remaining whipped cream over the top of the cake and decorate with the reserved strawberry halves. Serve immediately or chill for up to 4 hours before serving.
Nutrition Information
30g
Fat
45g
Carbs
6g
Protein
28g
Sugar
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature should the oven be set to for the Elegant Strawberry Cream Delight?
The oven should be preheated to 325°F (160°C) with the rack in the lower-middle position.
What size cake pan is required for this recipe?
You should use a 9-inch round cake pan that is at least 2 inches high, or a 9-inch springform pan.
How long does it take to bake the cake?
The cake typically bakes for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
What type of flour is best for this strawberry cream cake?
The recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) of sifted cake flour.
How many eggs are needed and how should they be prepared?
You need 5 large eggs at room temperature. Use 2 whole eggs and 3 separated eggs (yolks and whites kept separate).
How long should the cake cool before being removed from the pan?
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack.
What is the total cooling time for the cake before assembly?
The cake should cool completely on a wire rack for about 2 hours.
How many pounds of strawberries are required?
The recipe requires 2 lbs of fresh strawberries, which is approximately 2 quarts.
How long should the strawberries macerate with sugar?
The quartered strawberries should macerate for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
What is Kirsch and how is it used in this recipe?
Kirsch is a cherry-flavored liqueur. It is simmered with reserved strawberry juice to create a syrup for the filling.
How much strawberry syrup should be left after simmering?
The mixture of juice and Kirsch should be reduced to about 3 tablespoons of syrup.
Why is cream cheese added to the whipped cream?
Cream cheese is whisked with sugar and vanilla to create a rich, stable, and fluffy base for the whipped topping.
Should the heavy cream be cold or room temperature?
The heavy cream should be cold when added to the cream cheese mixture.
How much whipped cream does this recipe produce?
The recipe yields approximately 4 1/2 cups of whipped cream.
How do you slice the cake into layers?
Use a large serrated knife to carefully slice the cooled cake into three even horizontal layers.
How are the strawberry halves arranged during assembly?
Create a ring of 20 strawberry halves, cut sides down, around the edge of the bottom and middle cake layers.
What is the calorie count for a serving of this cake?
Each serving contains approximately 450 calories.
How much fat is in one serving of this dessert?
There are 30 grams of fat per serving.
How many grams of sugar are in each serving?
Each serving contains 28 grams of sugar.
What is the protein content per serving?
The cake provides 6 grams of protein per serving.
How long can the cake be chilled before serving?
The cake can be served immediately or chilled for up to 4 hours.
Who inspired this specific strawberry cream delight recipe?
This recipe is inspired by America's Test Kitchen.
How should the egg whites be beaten for the batter?
Beat them at medium-low speed until frothy, then gradually add sugar and beat at medium-high until soft peaks form.
How do you incorporate the egg whites into the cake batter?
Stir one-third of the whites into the batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain.
What is the purpose of the parchment paper in the pan?
Lining the bottom of the pan with parchment paper ensures the cake can be easily removed after baking.
How should the macerated strawberries be processed?
Pulse them in a food processor five times for 1 second each until they are roughly puréed.
What texture should the whipped cream have?
The whipped cream should be beaten until stiff peaks form.
What ingredients are used to macerate the strawberries?
Quartered strawberries are tossed with 4-6 tablespoons of sugar.
How is the final cake layer decorated?
The top layer is covered with the remaining whipped cream and decorated with reserved strawberry halves.
How many strawberry halves are reserved for the edges and decoration?
The recipe instructs to halve 24 of the most visually appealing strawberries to use for the rings and topping.