Chiffon Cake with Strawberries and Cream
This is one of my old favorite Martha Stewart’s recipes. This is a perfect summer cake that always wows people, and it’s not hard to make. My family and I like this cake because it’s very light and moist, and fresh strawberries add additional flavor and moisture.
I made couple changes to the original recipe and I think you will just love this one..
Ingredients
For the Cake
2 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup safflower oil
7 large egg yolks plus 9 large egg whites
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 whole vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Berries and Cream
2 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered (about 5 cups), plus more for serving
2 Tbl granulated sugar
2 Tbl fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
2 cups cold heavy cream
2 Tbl confectioners' sugar, plus more for sprinkling (I don’t like the cream to be too sweet, but you can add more sugar if you prefer )
8 oz. mascarpone cheese
Directions
Step 1
Make the cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, the baking powder, and salt. Whisk together oil, egg yolks, and milk in a large bowl. Whisk flour mixture into egg-yolk mixture.
Step 2
Beat egg whites with a mixer on high speed until frothy. Add cream of tartar and vanilla seeds or extract, and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes. Whisk one-third of the egg-white mixture into batter. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining egg-white mixture with a rubber spatula.
Step 3
Transfer batter to tube pan. Make sure you grease and flour your pan well. Bake until top of cake springs back when touched, 52 to 55 minutes. Let cool upside down (over a bottle or on tube-pan feet) 1 hour.
Step 4
Make the berries and cream:
While cake is baking and cooling, combine strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and salt, and let sit, stirring occasionally, 1 hour. Just before assembling, prepare cream. In a large chilled bowl, combine mascarpone cheese and sugar on a high speed of the electrical mixer until completely combined. Add heavy cream and mix on a low setting until it is mostly combined. Increase speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form- it may take a little while, so be patient!
Step 5
Slide a paring knife around edges of tube and side of pan; release cake. Cut cake horizontally into 3 layers with a serrated knife. Transfer bottom layer to a cake plate or platter. Spread with half the berries, and drizzle with juices. Spread half the whipped cream over berries, then top with middle cake layer. Spread with remaining berries and whipped cream. Top with remaining cake layer. Refrigerate cake 1 hour. Decorate the top with cream, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, and serve with berries.
Enjoy!
