Strawberry Shortcake for Mother's Day

Strawberries are in season now. What better application than shortcake with lofty cream, some spiked syrup, ripe sweet strawberries, to celebrate Mom. This is a simple cake you can make a 10 inch cake to feed 15-20 or 2, 6" cakes and freeze one for another time. The 6" cake will serve 6-8. This cake is light, moist and delicious, perfect for Mom on Mother's Day. What better way to show your love.

Ingredients

5 large eggs 

3/4 cup sugar

1 pinch of salt

1/4 tsp. bakiing powder

3/4 cup cake flour

1 pint strawberries, 1 1/2 pints for a 10"

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

3 Tbs. Orange liquor, if desired

3 cups heavy cream

4 Tbs. sugar

1 TBS. vanilla, 1 1/2 TBS. vanilla for a 10" cake

Beat the eggs and the sugar in an electric mixer with the whisk attachment on high

until thick and the batter leaves a mark when you draw a line with your finger.

(Beat for 5-7 minutes).

Sift the salt, baking powder and flour, together on a piece of parchment.

Carefully fold in the sifted dry ingredients with a rubber spatula.

Place the batter into 2 well buttered and flour dusted 6" or 1- 10" cake pans.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes until cake gently springs back when touched,  it is a golden yellow color and the cake has pulled away from the sides of the pan. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 20 minutes. Then remove from the pans and cool the cakes completely.

Make a simple syrup with 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil, in a small sauce pan, until sugar dissolves.

Let the syrup cool completely. Cut the cake into 3 layers. Add 3 Tbs. Orange liquor to the syrup if desired. Divide syrup in half. Brush half of the syrup on the 3 layers.

Select 8 nice small strawberries for the top of the cake for each 6 inch cake. 12 for a 10 " cake.

Slice  the remaining strawberries. Put the remaining syrup on the cut strawberries.

Whip 1 1/2 cups of cream with 2-3 Tbs. sugar and 1 TBS. vanilla for each 6" cake or 3 cups of cream for a 10 " with 4-5 Tbs. sugar  with 1 1/2 TBS. vanilla. Place about 1/4 cup of cream on 1 layer, top with half of the sliced strawberries. Repeat.

Cover the whole cake with the whipped cream and garnish with the whole strawberries. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe writing and photos by Karen Pickus 2012

Courtesy Karen Pickus 2012