Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry season is starting and the proof is in the market. No longer are there boxes of measly strawberries; instead, in their place are bright red, plump strawberries. Eaten raw, strawberries are a good source of vitamin C, needed to help your body produce collagen. Collagen is a protein found in tendons, skin and ligaments.

Strawberries can be eaten in different ways. Dipped in chocolate, freshly cut into yogurt or cream cheese and, best of all, on a cake. With the abundance of strawberries, I wanted to incorporate them into my diet until they are out-of-season. Searching the Internet, I found a recipe for a a cake-size Strawberry Shortcake.

If you ever like Strawberry Shortcake, then this is for you. Instead of smaller individual shortcakes, you will have one large cake. What I liked best about this recipe is that the active time is only 30 minutes.

With Florida’s weather steadily heating up, I would recommend giving this recipe a try. It is a very light and fluffy cake, almost fail-proof to make. The strawberries add the sweet and refreshing taste of fruit that helps to curb the heat of the season.

There is one bit of advice I would give about making this recipe. To prepare the strawberries you are going to be combining them with sugar making a syrup. Be careful about how much of this syrup makes it on the cake. Drizzle sparingly. The longer the cake sits, the longer the glucose in the sugar has to ferment. It is best if it can be eaten in one day, trust me, it is not hard to do.

Do not let that deter you, though. This cake is fast, easy and a good dessert to any dinner. most of the ingredients are things you probably already have around the house, except the strawberries. Plus, you will learn how to make whipped cream.

Recipe:

1/2 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 milk

1 pound strawberries, sliced thin

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1. Butter a 8 inch cake pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

3. In an electric mixer, beat butter and half of the sugar until fluffy, beat in eggs one at a time and then add vanilla.

4. Turn the mixer to low and alternate adding flour and milk, start and end with flour.

5. Spread batter into the cake pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. When they are done, let them cool completely. Combine strawberries with 1/4 cup sugar.

6. While the cake cools, add the gelatin to 2 teaspoons of water in a saucepan and let stand for 5 minutes. Place on the oven at low heat and let dissolve. Remove from heat and cool.

7. Combine the rest of the sugar with the heavy whipping cream in a bowl. With an electric mixer, beat until it begins to stiffen. Slowly add the gelatin.

8. Cut the cake in half horizontally. Cover top of both half with whipped cream and then strawberries. Stack layers and enjoy!