Shelly's Recipe

STRAWBERRY CRUNCH CAKE

Category: Cakes

2 quarts strawberries, hulled and sliced thin
3 tbsp sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 recipe 8-inch yellow cake round (see recipe below)
1 recipe 8-inch meringue round (see recipe below)
12 whole strawberries for garnish
Confectioners sugar for dusting

Cake
3/4 cup milk
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened but still cool

Meringue
2 large egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Line 8-inch cake pan with parchment.

Cake: Whisk milk, eggs, and vanilla together in medium bowl.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together on low speed until blended. Add butter and mix on low speed until dry ingredients are moistened, about 2 minutes. Add milk mixture and beat until just combined, then increase speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Bake until cake is golden, and cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes, run paring knife around edges to loosen cake, and invert onto large plate. Remove parchment and invert back onto wire rack. Cool completely.

Meringue: Heat oven to 250 degrees. Use bottom of 8-inch cake pan to trace circle on sheet of parchment. Flip parchment over and place on baking sheet.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer set to medium-high speed until frothy. Add sugar, a tbsp at a time, continuing to beat until the whites hold stiff peaks, 1 to 2 minutes. Using spatula, spread meringue over traced circle on parchment, (see related Tip for illustrations). Bake until lightly colored and completely dried out, about 90 minutes. Transfer meringue (with parchment) to wire rack. Cool completely. Peel off and discard parchment.

For the filling: Toss sliced berries and 2 tbsp sugar in bowl and stir occasionally until sugar dissolves, about 15 minutes. Beat cream and remaining 1 tbsp sugar with electric mixer at medium-high speed until cream just holds stiff peaks, 2 to 3 minutes.

To assemble: Slice cake horizontally into two layers. Place one layer, cut side up, on serving plate. Spread with 1 1/2 cups whipped cream. Arrange half of sliced berries on cream, then top with meringue. Arrange remaining sliced berries on meringue, spread 1 1/2 cups whipped cream over berries, then top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spoon remaining 1 cup whipped cream on top of cake and arrange whole berries. Dust with confectioners sugar.