Happy Birthday Canada!
July 1st is Canada's birthday, and nothing says summer and Canada Day than a giant serving of mouth-watering Strawberry Shortcake!
My cake recipe is different from the traditional sponge normally used. I use my vanilla-almond flavoured white cake recipe, more like a pound cake, which I call "Siri's vanilla-almond cake" and slice it into thin pieces, drench it with macerated fresh local strawberries, and add a dollop of vanilla whipped cream. A dessert sent from the Goddess of Strawberries.
Ingredients:
My vanilla-almond white cake* Recipe follows
4 cups of the sweetest local strawberries you can find, plus 1/4 cup sugar, macerated
2 cups Whipping Cream or Heavy Cream
2 Teaspoons of vanilla
2 Tablespoons of sugar
Method:
Make vanilla-almond cake
Cool, then slice into half-inch slices.
The idea is to almost cover the base of a cake plate, or dessert plate. Then top with macerated strawberries and a dollop of vanilla whipped cream. Perhaps a small berry on top!
Vanilla-almond white cake
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
Ingredients:
2 and 1/2 Cups sugar 1 Cup butter 4 Eggs 1/2 Teaspoon baking soda 1 Tablespoon boiling water 3 Cups sifted flour 1 Cup buttermilk* 1 Teaspoon vanilla 11/2 Teaspoons almond extract
Method:
Grease and lightly flour an oblong cake tin, 9 x 13.
Line the bottom with parchment paper.
Cream sugar and butter together until light and creamy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Dissolve baking soda in boiling water and combine with creamed mixture.
Slowly add flour and buttermilk, alternately, and continue beating until well mixed.
Add vanilla and almond extract.
Pour into prepared cake tin.
Bake for about one hour. Test with sharp knife or toothpick.
Your whole house will smell like heaven.
Macerate Strawberries:
Rinse strawberries and pat dry. Remove buds.
Place strawberries in a medium mixing bowl.
Mash the berries with a potato masher until about half of the berries and mashed.
Add 1/4 cup sugar and stir until dissolved.
Cover bowl with Saran wrap and leave on counter top for an hour. If you need longer, place in the fridge until ready.
Vanilla Whipped Cream:
2 cups Whipping Cream or Heavy Cream
2 Teaspoons of vanilla
2 Tablespoons of sugar
Whip the cream into soft peaks, add sugar and vanilla and whip a little longer until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat or you might get vanilla butter.
Buttermilk
If you don't have buttermilk handy, add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to a cup of milk.
About Strawberry Shortcake - a short history
According to Wikipedia, shortcake involves something crispy or crumbly, by adding butter or lard, heaven forbid! The earliest mention of the term shortcake was in 1588, in (you will just love this) "The Good Huswifes Handmaid for Cookerie in her Kitchen", London, 1588. The recipe described a cookie or a biscuit made of flour, cream, sugar, egg yolk and spices. By 1860, cream was being poured onto the strawberries and shortcake.
Et voila!
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