posted by SueFreeman 06-19-101 8:11 AM
Susanna's Strawberry Short Cake
Cake:
1 cup sugar
1 cup cake flour, sifted 4 times (I measured one cup THEN sifted four times.)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 eggs, separated
Filling:
1 cup strawberry preserves, divided
8 ounces cream cheese or mascarpone -- softened
1/3 cup confectioner's sugar -- plus 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
6 oz orange juice
2 tsp orange zest
1 cup cool whip
1 quart strawberries, capped and sliced
Cool Whip
Cake:
In a mixing bowl, you want to whip the egg yolks adding half cup sugar gradually (one tablespoon at a time). Next, add the lemon juice and zest. You want to beat until the mixture is thick and has lemon yellow color. The next step is to fold the cake flour into mixture.
In a separate small mixing bowl beat egg whites and add salt until stiff. Again, you want to add the remaining half cup sugar (again one tablespoon at a time). Now, you will fold the egg whites into the flour mixture.
Put the batter in two greased and floured round layer cake pans (I used a bundt pan and split it later and it worked great). Bake the cakes for 25 to 30 minutes. You want the cake to spring back when you touch the center. Remove from pan and invert cake onto wire racks to allow cooling. You can make this the day before and just wrap well til next day.
Make Filling:
Beat well in mixing bowl Cream cheese or Mascarpone Cheese, softened. Add confectioners sugar and orange juice and zest. When mixed well, fold in 1/2 cup strawberry preserves and Cool Whip.
Assembly:
If made in a bundt cake, carefully slice cake in half with a knife. Remove top half. If using layers... take bottom layer and thinly spread the other 1/2 cup strawberry preserves on top. It will be thinly spread. It is to keep the cake from getting soggy. Spread all of Filling on top of preserves on bottom layer and top off with sliced strawberries. Put top layer on and frost with cool whip letting top of cool whip layer cascade down sides and not frosting sides.
Using strawberries for Garnish, make fan garnishes and put on top and around bottom of cake on plate around sides.
Refrigerate for about 2 hours before serving.