Summer Strawberry Cake

This dessert is a true DELIGHT! We used Dorie’s Everything Cake for the cake, but cooked it on a sheet pan to cut down cook time and simplify the cake crumbling process. Once we took the cake out of the oven, we basted it with the juices from the strawberries and it is just oh-so-good! You can layer these in individual glasses or in a large trifle bowl- both present beautifully!

For the cake:
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, room temp
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk, room temp
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk the flour and baking powder together.

Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper and grease the whole pan, paper and all, with nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt for three minutes until combined. (I used a stand mixer but you can use a hand mixer or your muscles!) Add in the vanilla and milk. Switch to a flexible spatula and stir in the dry ingredients. When fully incorporated, fold in the butter. Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake for 12 minutes on a sheet pan. Remove from oven and, while still warm, brush with 1/2 cup reserved strawberry juices. Let cool completely. Crumble the cake.

For the berries:
2 lb Strawberries (about 7 cups), cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt.

Fold all ingredients together and let stand for 30 minutes. Strain strawberries, reserving the juices. Brush the juices on top of cake.

For the whipped cream:
2 cups very cold heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt

Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (you can also use a hand mixer). When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until firm. Don't overbeat!

Layer crumbled cake, strawberries and then whipped cream. Repeat. Top with a strawberry slice.

For one large cake: mix cake ingredients and pour batter into a greased 9 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes or when a toothpick comes out clean. Let rest for 5 minutes, run a knife around the outside of the cake and remove from cake pan and onto a wire cooling rack. Let cake cool. Slice in half horizontally. Brush both halves with strawberry juices. Fill the middle with whipped cream and strawberries. Repeat with whipped cream and strawberries on top.