Strawberry Tall Cake

This weekend I received my monthly issue of Southern Living. I usually browse through it quickly then toss it onto the coffee to remain untouched for about two weeks, until I finally muster up the strength to toss it in the recycling bin. However, this month had a article about the best southern bakeries, this peaked my interest, so I sat down and read about the different bakeries below the Mason-Dixon line.

One cake that I saw looked amazing. It was a vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream and piled with strawberries. Now maybe it's because we've been having unusually good whether, or maybe I just needed a break from chocolate (crazy, i know) but I decided immediately that I would make this cake. So I went to the store and picked up some strawberries and started baking.


I used my coconut cake recipe and replaced the coconut milk with heavy cream. It make a lovely cake that is able to stand up to the amount of strawberries, but is still light with a little bit of sweetness. I've coined the name Strawberry Tall Cake because you definitely have the same flavors as it's vertically challenged friend, but has so much more elegance because of it's height. This is a perfect cake to enjoy with your special someone on Valentine's Day.

Strawberry Tall Cake (adapted from Sky High Cakes)

5 egg whites
1/2 cup milk
3 cups cake flour
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, room temp
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla bean paste

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 3 8" cake pans and line the bottom with parchment.

2. Combine the egg whites and milk in small bowl. Beat shortly to help separate the egg whites. In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients. Beat the butter into the mix (I cut it up before putting it in to help it incorporate) until it resembles wet sand. Add the heavy cream and beat. Add the egg white mixture in 3 additions, beating after each. Beat until fully combined.

3. Divide into the 3 pans and bake for 25-30 or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan.

Vanilla Swiss Buttercream (from Sweetapolita)

5 egg whites
1 cup sugar
pinch salt
l lb butter (4 sticks), softened
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Heat the whites and sugar over a double boiler until the sugar is melted. Whip in the stand mixer until the bottom of the bowl is no longer warm. Add the butter a Tbsp at a time beating continuously. Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated.

Assembly

1 pint strawberries, washed and sliced

Place the first layer of cake on your cake board. Frost a thin layer onto the layer and then with a pastry bag, pipe a border around the cake so you can fill in the middle with strawberries. Make sure its an even layer of strawberries. Take your next layer and place on top of the first. Repeat with 2nd layer. Place third layer on the top and frost the entire cake. Then pipe a border on the top and pile strawberries on the top.

Enjoy!