Strawberry shortcake: It's summer time!

 I'm in UK now, ^^. Well last year I renovated my house and didn't have a chance to go anywhere.

But now it's time for travel, hehe. So I started by 2 Japan trips and this time UK. I came to stay with my sister, it's great to have a kitchen to play. It's Summer time and there are a lot of berries to choose (and to eat ^^). They are so sweet that I think I have to do something with them.

Strawberry shortcake is simple but it's the best choice when you get delicious strawberry, the soft and fluffy cake with rich and lightly sweet whipped cream become great background for sweet and tangy strawberry.

This time I use self-raising flour instead of cake flour and found out that adding a bit of baking powder makes the cake softer ^^. Be sure to beat the egg and sugar until ribbon stage, it will be thick enough to hold the flour. For the baking time, it depends on your oven but don't open the oven door before 3/4 of baking time or the top of the cake will sink.

Strawberry shortcake

Makes 20cm cake

Spong cake
4 ............................................ Large eggs
120g ...................................... Granulated sugar
120g ...................................... Self raising flour (or 120g cake flour + 1/2tsp baking powder)
............................................... Pinch of salt
26g ........................................ Unsalted butter
20g ........................................ Whipping cream 
1tsp ....................................... Vanilla extract

Cream
370g ...................................... Whipping cream
35g ........................................ Granulated sugar
1tsp ....................................... Vanilla extract

600g ...................................... Fresh strawberries


Preheat the oven to 170C
Line 20cm cake pan with baking paper.
If using baking powder sift it together with the flour.
Put whipping cream and butter into a microwavable bowl, heat in the microwave at low power until butter melt and the whipping cream hot (1-1.30 minutes).

 Put the eggs into a bowl with a pinch of salt and vanilla extract, beat until foamy, then gradually add the sugar.

 Beat until ribbon stage (you will be able to draw 8 with the batter).

 Spoon 1 cup of the batter into melted butter bowl, fold to combine.

 Sift the flour mixture into the bowl, divide into 3 additions, fold until combine.

 Pour the batter in melted butter bowl into the main bowl, fold to combine.

 Fold to combine.

 Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top of the cake spring back when touch lightly.
Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

 After the cake become cool, remove from the pan and slice into 2 layers.

Whip the whipping cream with sugar and vanilla extract, until firm peaks formed.
Spread the whipped cream over one layer of cake, top with strawberries.
Spoon thin layer of whipped cream over the strawberries and place another layer of cake over the cream.
Cover the cake with the rest of the whipped cream, decorate with strawberries.

Strawberry shortcake: It's summer time!