Strawberry Sponge Shortcake
My fiance’s baking request this weekend was strawberry shortcake! But specifically a “dense sponge”. He likes the biscuit-y strawberry shortcake, then last night had a dream about a field of sponge cake since we were talking about Victoria sponges, so this hybrid was the perfect treat. Fresh whipped cream and macerated strawberries with lemon juice…it’s like spring came early.
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, unsalted
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup flour, scant
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tbsp milk
Whipped Cream
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Macerated Strawberries
1 cup chopped strawberries
lemon juice
granulated sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch pan with parchment paper
Make the macerated strawberries. In a bowl, sprinkle the sugar over the chopped strawberries. Squeeze lemon juice over and roughly mix with a fork, where some of the strawberries get squashed and juicy. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Make the sponge cake. In a stand mixer, beat the 1/2 cup caster sugar and 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter until creamed. Mix in the 2 eggs until smooth and fluffy. Add the 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 tbsp milk. Stir in the 3/4 cup flour until just combined. Spread the mixture into the pan. Bake for 20 minutes until the sides are brown and the cake springs back.
Make the whipped cream. In a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment to beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until fluffy and airy. I like to beat it at 6-8 / 10 speed for a few minutes until the consistency is like soft clouds.
Assemble when ready to eat! I like to keep the cake separate from the strawberries and whipped cream so it keeps well.
