Cake of the Day: Strawberry Shortcut Cake with Basil Whipped Cream

Every day, Yahoo Food features delectable cakes. They taste good, they look good, and they’re made by good people — talented bakers from around the world. Today, Judith Fertig shares a recipe from her new book Bake Happy, 100 playful desserts with rainbow layers, hidden fillings, billowy frostings, and more.

Photo: Judith Fertig

I have never been a big fan of biscuit-like shortcake, which either gets dry or soggy way too easily. When my sister Julie Fox sent me this shortcut cake recipe, adapted from one by Paul and Gina Neely, I was eager to try it. My sister was particularly pleased by how easy the spongy yellow cake was to cut in half and how delicious the strawberries were with it. A little hint of fresh basil in the whipped cream makes it all come together.

Strawberry Shortcut Cake with Basil Whipped Cream
Makes one 8?inch cake

Basil Whipped Cream
¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Shortcut Cake
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
1 large egg, beaten
½ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Rosy Strawberry Filling
1 pound fresh strawberries (reserve 5 berries for garnish)
1 recipe Rosy Strawberry Syrup (recipe at bottom) or Fresh Herb Syrup (recipe at bottom), prepared

Garnish
Fresh basil or other herb leaves

For the basil whipped cream, combine the basil leaves and cream in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat the cream until bubbles form around the perimeter of the pan, then remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and let the cream infuse for 30 minutes. Strain out the basil leaves and refrigerate the flavored cream until you are ready to assemble the cake.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan. Line it with a parchment paper circle, butter the paper, and dust the pan with flour. Tap out the excess flour.

For the shortcut cake, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, then whisk in the butter, egg, milk, and vanilla until almost smooth (there can be small lumps). Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the cake from the sides of the pan and invert it directly onto the wire rack to cool completely.

For the rosy strawberry rilling, set aside five strawberries for the garnish. Hull and finely chop the remaining strawberries. Heat the rosy strawberry syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble at the edges. Add the strawberries to the pan and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until the berries are slightly warm and glistening. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool for 10 minutes.

To assemble the cake, cut the cake in half horizontally, using a serrated knife. Begin to cut the cake in half until you reach the center of the cake, then turn it a quarter turn and keep cutting and turning until you reach your original cut mark. Use the knife to help separate the layers. Place the bottom layer, cut-side up, on a cake plate. Spread the layer with the strawberry mixture. Top with the remaining layer, cut-side down. Arrange the five reserved strawberries on top of the cake.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the flavored cream with the confectioners’ sugar until soft peaks form. Dollop the whipped cream on each slice of cake and garnish with fresh basil or other herb leaves.

Rosy Strawberry Syrup
Makes 11/2 cups

8 ounces strawberries, hulled and sliced
½ cup granulated or raw sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon rosewater
½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Combine the strawberries, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rosewater. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl; discard the solids. Stir in the lemon juice. Let the syrup cool, then use it right away or store it in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Fresh Herb Syrup
Makes about 1 cup

1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup water
½ cup packed fresh aromatic herb leaves, such as basil, orange mint, spearmint, or lemon balm, coarsely chopped

In a large, microwave-safe glass measuring cup, combine the sugar, water, and herbs. Microwave on high until the sugar dissolves, about 3 to 4 minutes. Let the mixture steep for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature, then strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl; discard the solids. Let the syrup cool and use it right away or store it in a covered glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Reprinted with permission from Bake Happy by Judith Fertig (Running Press).

More strawberry desserts:

Strawberry Icebox Pie

Springy Strawberry Yogurt Tarts

Buttermilk Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting