A wonderful light white cake that is filled with whipped cream and strawberries! Need I say more. This cake is my sister’s favorite, and when I lived near her, I made this cake for her birthday. I don’t know why I haven’t made this cake for such a long time, but fresh plumb strawberries beckoned me to make it again this year. Everyone will love my version of strawberry shortcake!

The yellow cake can be used in other recipes and works well with different fillings. I like adding lemon and lemon peel to the batter for flavoring creating a light refreshing cake. This cake is more flavorful than a traditional angel food cake yet still is light letting the strawberries and cream star!

Cake:

6 eggs, separated

1 3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

2 pints strawberries, washed and hulled

Cream Frosting:

2 cups heavy cream, chilled

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup currant jelly,  melted

In a large electric mixer bowl, let egg whites warm at room temperature for 1 hour. Sift four with salt in a medium-size bowl. With mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Beat in 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating after each addition. Beat until soft peaks form when the beater is slowly raised.

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a small mixer bowl at high speed and with the same beater, beat yolks until very thick and lemon-colored. Gradually beat in remaining granulated sugar in yolks; beat for 2 minutes.

At low speed, gradually beat flour into egg yolks and sugar mixture. Add lemon juice,  2 tablespoons of water, and the lemon peel, beating just to combine for 1 minute. With a wire whisk,  with an under-and-over motion, gently fold the egg-yolk mixture into egg whites just to blend. Pour batter into an ungreased 10-by-4-inch tube pan: bake for 40 minutes or until the top springs back when gently pressed with a fingertip. Invert the pan, and let the cake cool for about 1 hour.

Place the mixing bowl and beaters in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour or a half-hour in the freezer. Whipped cream is best when the bowl and beaters are chilled.

With a spatula, carefully loosen the cake from the pan; remove the cake. Divide the cake into thirds with toothpicks. With these as a guide, split the cake into three layers using a long-bladed serrated knife. Place the bottom layer, cut side up, on a cake dish. Slice 1 pint of strawberries. 

In a medium bowl, beat cream with confectioners’ sugar; add vanilla.

Spread the bottom layer with 3/4 cup cream and half of the sliced strawberries. Repeat with the second layer. Top with the last layer, cut side down. Frost top and side with the rest of the whipped cream; toss 1-pint strawberries with jelly. Arrange on the cake.

Refrigerate for 1 hour. Serves 12

Enjoy!