PATRIOTIC POKE CAKE
Servings: 10-11 Start to finish: 5 hours (plus 2 hours for cooling cake layers) 1 cup (5 ounces) blueberries 1 1/4 cups water 1/4 cup (1-3/4 ounces) sugar 2 tablespoons berry-flavored gelatin 7-1/2 ounces 1-1/2 cups strawberries, hulled 1 tablespoon strawberry-flavored gelatin 2 (9-inch) White Cake Layers, cooled completely and still in pans 4 cups whipped cream White Cake Layers Makes two 9-inch or three 8-inch cake layers (If making a three-layer cake, start checking doneness a few minutes early) 1 cup whole milk, room temperature 6 large egg whites, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2-1/4 cups (9 ounces) cake flour 1-3/4 cups (12-1/4 ounces) sugar 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 F. Grease two 9-inch or three 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Whisk milk, egg whites, and vanilla together in bowl.
Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, until only pea-size pieces remain, about 1 minute. Add all but ½ cup milk mixture, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, add remaining ½ cup milk mixture, and mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds (batter may look curdled). Give batter final stir by hand.
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula. Gently tap pans on counter to settle batter. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with few crumbs attached, 23 to 25 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking.
Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, about 2 hours. (Cake layers can be stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours or frozen for up to 1 month; defrost cakes at room temperature.) For the Patriotic Poke Cake Cook blueberries, 3/4 cup water, and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium saucepan over medium-low heat, covered, until blueberries are softened, about 8 minutes. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer into bowl; discard solids. Whisk berry-flavored gelatin into juices and let cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Repeat cooking and straining using strawberries, remaining 1/2 cup water, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Whisk strawberry-flavored gelatin into juices and let cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
Using skewer, poke 25 holes in top of each cake, twisting gently to form slightly larger holes. Pour cooled blueberry syrup over 1 cake layer. Repeat with cooled strawberry syrup and remaining cake layer. Cover cake pans with plastic wrap and refrigerate until gelatin is set, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
Run thin knife around edge of pans. Invert blueberry cake, discarding parchment, onto wire rack, then reinvert onto platter. Spread 1 cup whipped cream evenly over top. Invert strawberry cake onto rack, discarding parchment, and place, right side up, on whipped cream, pressing lightly to adhere. Spread remaining whipped cream over top and sides of cake. Serve.