strawberry tall cake

the goods:

1 box mix angel food cake

1 pint strawberries, hulled, and chopped

3 cups heavy whipping cream

6 tablespoons powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Mix angel food cake according to box instructions. Pour half into each pan. Bake for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Gently remove cakes from pan and with a sharp serrated knife, slice them in half to create 4 thinner cake layers. Layer cake, then whipped crem, then strawberries, finishing with a large mound of whipped cream and strawberries. 

Simple. Fresh. Delicious. Beautiful.

strawberry shortcake

 

the goods:

 

1 and 1/2 pounds strawberries (about 6 cups)

1/4 cup sugar

2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/3 cup sugar

2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

whipped cream

 

Hull and quarter the strawberries; toss in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup sugar. Let stand until syrupy, tossing occasionally, at least 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food professor, combine flour, butter, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the milk; pulse just until moistened, 4 or 5 times. Do not overprocess.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; with floured hands, gently pat the dough into a 4-by-8-inch rectangle.

Dust a large knife or pastry cutter; cut the dough into 8 squares. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet (you might notice in my first picture there is no parchment, this is because I burned my first batch, and learned my lesson the second time around!). Sprinkle tops with sugar. Bake until golden, about 12 minutes; cool on baking sheet.

 

To serve, split the biscuits with a serrated knife; layer with the berries and whipped cream.

raspberry shortcakes

 

the goods:

 

2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup cold heavy cream

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 cup raspberries

sanding sugar

whipped cream and berries, for serving

 

In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Transfer to a bowl and stir in cream, buttermilk, and raspberries until just combined. Do not overmix.

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide dough into 8 portions and shape into rounds. Place 1 and 1/2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until golden brown and set, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely on sheet on a wire rack.

To serve, halve and fill with whipped cream and berries.