Monday, April 5, 2010

Strawberry Shortbread Cake

We were having Easter Dinner at my inlaws, I decided on baking a light dessert, because we are having a big dinner, Turkey a l’orange a specialty of my father in law, he cooks it low and slow with basting it in a special mix of orange juice, homemade maple syrup (still boiling the sap) and some spice blend, also were having homemade lasagne, I also baked a smoked orange roast ham, Mediterranean Salad, steamed asparagus. Lots of food and few mouths to taste. My brother in law and his family went out of town to open the cottage, my sister in law couldn’t travel from Mississauga which is four hours South of  North Bay, and she is the next day.

My dessert has to be light and fresh, so I choose strawberry shortbread with a meringue topping , the cake was divided into two 8 x 8 pans, and topped with a layer of meringue, baked in a preheated 350F oven.
The dessert came extremely good, fluffy; the meringue topping gave the texture of an Angle Food Cake…we truly enjoyed it.
All the food was delicious, but I think we need to do another Lent week to burn all the calories we consumed during the Holiday.


Strawberry shortbread

Serves 8-9 persons

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • *1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup 2% milk
  • 1-1/4 cup pastry flour
  • 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
  • 1 1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks
**If you use lots of fresh lemons like me, wash and dry the lemons, peel them with a lemon peeler, and add them to the food processor and ground finely, package them in small freezer bags, or small freezer containers, they freeze well.
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease and flour two 8-inch square cake pans. Beat vegetable oil, ½ cup sugar and egg yolks with electric beaters until fluffy. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla. Stir in milk. Sift together pastry flour, baking powder and salt and gently stir into egg yolk mixture until blended. Spread evenly into the 2 prepared pans. Whip egg whites with electric beaters until frothy, then gradually add the remaining ½ cup sugar and whip until whites hold a stiff peak. Spread meringue evenly over batter in pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cakes completely in the pan.
  2. To assemble, turn one cake out onto a plate, meringue-side down. Top cake with half the strawberries and cream. Place second cake layer on top, meringue-side up and top with remaining cream and fruit. Chill until ready to serve.

















14 comments:

Angie's Recipes said...

What a lovely spring sweet treat!

Trish said...

Oh my goodness, those photos are phenomenal. Scrumptious and I have not had a good strawberry shortcake in a long while! Hmmm.....wonder how easy it would be to transport one to work..grin. No one left at home to eat one if I make it I am afraid, unless I eat it all myself!

Kathleen said...

This looks soooo delicious. Yum. The perfect spring and summer dessert!

Arlette said...

Hello Angie, Trish and Kathleen:
Many thanks for yur sweet comments.
Trish this cake transfers very nicely. I had a plate and plastic cake cover and I put all the food on the back seat of the truck, and all arrived safely and untouched.
i think cupcakes will be nice too.

Lorraine @NotQuiteNigella said...

Oooh strawberries and cream-one of my favourite combinations! I wanted to try this dessert for so long when I was young and when I finally did I absolutely loved it! :D

Lisa said...

That is the best looking strawberry shortcake I've ever seen, Arlette. I wish I could move in with you! Also..I would love that recipe for your burger! Oh..I know the hotel you're talking about..but I've never tried that monster sammie. Sounds almost dangerous..lol

Anonymous said...

Yum! Strawberry shortbread cake sounds just wonderful!

Mary Bergfeld said...

This looks and sounds wonderful A perfect way to end the feast that was your Easter supper. I can imagine how good this must have been. Your photos of it are gorgeous. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary

Dewi said...

Hmmm perfect post Arlette, I see that my grocery store has plenty of strawberry. Btw, I found the name of the cheese for making kunafe, it is either Naboulsi or akkawi cheese. I am also happy to know that I can order it online as well. Have you ever order it online?

Cheers,
elra

Adele @ WillworkforBiltong said...

Looks delicious! We went camping, and the cold means you have to eat to stay warm. That's our excuse anyway and we're sticking to it!

tasteofbeirut said...

Give me a cake with cream and strawberry any time! Looks fabulous and the strawberries so juicy! do they come from your area?
You asked about the okra, I buy it at the Palestinian grocer near my house, they come frozen imported from Egypt, they come in different sizes so I picked the smallest one of course!

Arlette said...

The strawberries are from California, they were picked before time so they can travel well, I had to give them some TLC, if you notice i soak them we do in Lebanon in some powder sugar and Vanilla,and some brandy. If you rememmber the salad de fruits we used to make.

Mimi said...

This looks like a fabulous spring time dessert. I actually saw a few ripe berries in my garden today.
Mimi

Patricia- said...

Bonsoir Arlette,
Superbe ce mille-feuilles de fraises avec cette belle crème chantilly.
J'adore. Chez nous, c'est le début de la saison des fraises.....
Bonne soirée depuis la France,
A bientôt,
Patricia - La Table de Pénélope