Memorial Day Dessert: Strawberry Country Cake

Image via: Pinterest

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Preparation

Yielding 2 (8-inch) cakes

All-purpose flour (2 cups)

Cornstarch (1/ cup)

4 eggs (extra large), at room temperature

Sugar (2 cups)

Unsalted butter (12 tablespoons or 1-1/2 sticks), at room temperature

Sour cream (3/4 cup), at room temperature

Baking soda (1 teaspoon)

Kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon)

Pure vanilla extract (1/2 teaspoon)

Orange zest (grated; ½ teaspoon)

Lemon zest (grated; ½ teaspoon)

Cake Filling (for one cake)

Hulled and sliced fresh strawberries (1 pint)

Sugar (3 tablespoons)

Chilled heavy cream (1 cup or ½ pint)

Pure vanilla extract (1/2 teaspoon)

Image via: Babble

Preparation of Cakes

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Take two 8-inch pans and brush butter on their bottom. Line them with parchment paper. Brush butter and spread flour on the lined pans.
• Take a bowl and add butter and sugar in it. Cream them with an electric mixer until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
• Keep the mixing pace at medium and add the eggs one at a time. Now, gradually add sour cream, orange and lemon zests, and vanilla extract. Scrape down the bowl as needed and mix the ingredients with each other well.
• Sieve together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch. Add this mixture slowly to the butter mixture and blend well until it becomes smooth.
• Pour the batter into the two pans, dividing evenly. Smooth the top surface, place the pans at the center of the oven, and bake until a toothpick or fork inserted in the middle comes out clean, for approximately 40 to 45 minutes.
• Take the cakes out of the oven and let them cool in the pans for half an hour. After that, transfer the cakes to wire racks and let them cool at room temperature. If you want to make the cake sometimes later, just wrap properly and store in the freeze.

Preparation of Filling

• Whip the cream, vanilla extract, and sugar in a mixer. Whisk.
  Take a long, sharp knife and slice one cake in half. Place the bottom half of the cake on a serving platter with the cut side up. Now, spoon half of the whipped cream and spread evenly over the surface. Scatter strawberry slices.
• Put the top half on the bottom half of the cake and spread the remaining whipped cream. Again, scatter strawberry slices to garnish.

Image via: Momversation

This Memorial Day dessert will be a big hit on any occasion. The great thing about the cake is that it can be versatile. You can double the cream filling, leave the orange zest, double the lemon zest, or use different fresh fruits instead of just strawberry slices.

For more summer desserts on Stagetecture, click here.