You can just never have too many strawberries! Pick too many and turn excess into opulence with this luscious strawberry whipped cream cake.
I hope there are strawberry fields forever because the strawberries that you harvest from their growing green vines are the reddest, ripest, juiciest, sweetest, most flavorful berries you are ever going to eat.
Add the wonder of youngsters plucking for the first time, and you have a moment to remember…forever.
When you get to the farmer and he weighs your overfilling baskets and you find out you have collected eighteen pounds of strawberries, the wonderment retreats just a bit.
Until the lightbulb goes off and you’re able to prolong the day by making EVERYTHING strawberry.
Strawberry Whipped Cream Cake
The cake is simple. I start with a box of white cake.
The recipe calls for 3 egg whites. If you have the time, you can beat these and fold them into the batter for a fluffier cake. Pour into 2 round (or square cake pans).
Chop about 4 cups of strawberries and sprinkle them with just a bit of granulated sugar. Let these sit while you bake the cake. When the cakes are cooled, use your electric mixer to whisk together a block (8 ounces) of cream cheese with 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar.
When blended, add 1 tablespoon of vanilla and 1 ½ heavy whipping cream. Continue mixing on high speed until the frosting comes together to form stiff peaks. Assemble the cake by placing one cake onto a platter. Spread a layer of frosting on the cake.
Use a slotted spoon to sprinkle chopped strawberries on the frosting. Cover the strawberries with another layer of frosting. Place the second cake on top and slather the remaining frosting all over the top and sides.
Spoon the remaining strawberries over the top. Chill the cake in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
Here’s the recipe for some really FUN ice cream!
Strawberry Ice Cream
Serves:
4 to 6
Ready In:
30 minutes ‘til it’s ready to go into the ice cream machine
Ingredients
1 ½ cups half and half
1 cup granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chopped strawberries
Directions
Stir together the half and half, sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Whisk the eggs in a bowl until pale and frothy. Continue whisking while you slowly pour about ½ cup of the hot half and half mixture into the eggs. This “tempering” of the eggs will prevent them from scrambling. Pour the egg liquid from the bowl back into the pan and place it on the heat. Continue stirring until the liquid thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 to 7 minutes more.
Place a bowl into a larger bowl that is filled with ice cubes. Pour the thickened custard from the pan through a fine-mesh strainer (or colander) and into the bowl. This will catch any solid pieces. Whisk in the heavy whipping cream and continue whisking until the mixture is cool.
Pour the custard into an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions, adding the chopped strawberries at the end of the cycle. Serve soft, right from the machine, or transfer to an air-tight container and place into the freezer.
