In the words of Lana Del Rey, I’ve got that summertime sadness. More so the end of summertime sadness. Going back to school always brings a bit of the blues, so I decided to make a cake that I had made earlier this summer to really celebrate the season. One last night to eat the best of the warm summer nights: strawberries.
Strawberries are one of my favorite things about the summer months. Sweet, juicy and delicate British strawberries have a season that is gone even before you start to look for the precious ruby red fruits. To celebrate the season I dove head first into a bowl of strawberries and whipped cream: the most classic, simple and satisfying of desserts. But sometimes you just want cake, am I right?
I love a good Strawberry Shortcake. It was always my birthday cake of choice growing up. Most kids are diving head first into chocolate and sugary vanilla confections while I preferred the lightly sweetened whipped cream piled high on top of an airy sponge and scattered with slivers of plump strawberries. So I wanted to make one to celebrate the fast fleeting season of the British strawberry. But then I looked in the fridge and saw a lonely, desperate to be used carton of buttermilk. Sigh, I hate wasting good ingredients. So Buttermilk Cake it is!
This cake is a great hybrid of a Strawberry Shortcake and a classic Buttermilk cake. There’s a hint of vanilla in the cake with makes it that much more interesting and delicious.It is a simple and heartwarming cake that will please even the most diehard Shortcake fans (ie ME). I promise, you won’t be disappointed when you tuck into this delicious taste of summer, even if it is September.
Cake recipe adapted from Sweetapolita
Ingredients
- 4 whole eggs, room temperature
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, shaken
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups cake flour, sifted
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small even pieces
- 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, divided. 1/2 chopped and 1/2 prepared for decoration
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter the bottoms and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment round, butter the rounds and dust with flour.
- In a large measuring cup with a spout, lightly whisk the eggs, yolks, 1/4 cup of the buttermilk and the vanilla. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer set to low speed, add the cold butter one piece at a time, about 10 seconds apart. Continue mixing on low speed until all of the butter has been blended and there are no clumps. Mixture should have a fine crumbly, cornmeal-like texture.
- Add the remaining 1 cup buttermilk to these dry ingredients, and mix on medium speed for 4 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all of the ingredients are well incorporated. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the egg mixture; once the mixture has been added, increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute, but no more. Gently fold batter once or twice (but no more) to ensure the egg mixture has all been incorporated.
- Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans (use a kitchen scale to ensure even layers). Place the cake pans on a baking sheet and bake until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs but no batter, about 35-40 minutes. Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then loosen sides with thin metal spatula or knife, and carefully turn out onto wire racks, peel of the paper liners, and let cool completely.
- For the filling/topping: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream on high speed until thickened and soft peaks form (when you pull the beater(s) straight up, peaks form but tips fall over). Gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla then beat until stiff peaks form (tips do not fall over). Keep chilled until ready to use.
- Mix about 1/3 to half of the whipped cream with the chopped strawberries. Place one cake layer onto a plate or cake stand. Top with the strawberry whipped cream filling. Place the other cake on top and gently push down. Top with remaining whipped cream and strawberry halves. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.