Strawberry shortcake is summer at its best
Here’s a favourite family recipe for fluffy strawberry shortcake
Nothing says summer like cake topped with juicy strawberries and oodles of whipped cream. It’s a simple dessert with a humble reputation as casual food, homebaked for backyard parties.
But these days, strawberry shortcake is going fancy. Jacqueline Berman and Tamera Clark, co-owners of Rustique Pie Kitchen, a popular bakery and caterer in Montreal, say shortcake is one of their customers’ favourite desserts (along with strawberry-rhubarb pie and strawberry cheesecake). It’s even sought out as a wedding cake among brides and grooms looking for a less formal alternative to the traditional multi-tiered, flower-topped fondant-frosted wedding cake.
“For weddings, what’s popular now is the ‘naked cake,’ which allows the cake layers to show through,” Berman said. “It’s part of the trend toward outdoor weddings and events that are more laid-back and rustic.”
Clark shares her favourite family recipe for strawberry shortcake, Rustique style. Though the original shortcake was English, made with scone-like biscuits, a fluffier version became popular in North America in the early 1900s. Rustique’s version sticks to this tradition, with strawberries and Chantilly cream piled onto angel food cake.
In the winter, Rustique uses the same angel cake, but replaces the fresh berries with homemade raspberry jam.
Here’s the recipe for Rustique’s famous strawberry shortcake. It’s the shortcake Clark grew up with in Vancouver, the recipe passed down from her grandmother to her mother to her.
STRAWBERRY SHORT CAKE, RUSTIQUE STYLE
Serves 8 1-1/4 cup (310 mL) cake flour 1-1/3 cup (330 mL) sugar, divided into 1/3 cup (80 mL) and 1 cup (250 mL) 12 egg whites 1 tbsp (15 mL) vanilla extract 1 tsp (5 mL) cream of
tartar 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt To assemble: 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) sliced strawberries 1 cup (250 mL) heavy cream 1 tsp (5 mL) icing sugar (plus extra for garnish) 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract Fresh whole strawberries, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Use a Teflon-coated 8-inch (20-cm) springform baking pan or tube pan. Make sure the pan is clean of any grease.
Sift flour and 1/3 cup (80 mL) of sugar together in a medium bowl and set aside.
Using a standing mixer at high speed, whisk egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks form, three to five minutes. Slowly add remaining 1 cup (250 mL) of sugar while continuing to whisk.
Continue for another 4 to 5 minutes, until stiff peaks form.
Using a spatula, gently fold flour-sugar mixture into the egg white mixture. Gently transfer to pan and bake the angel food cake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan easily.
Let the cake cool upside down, placed on a cup, to allow for air to circulate under the cake.
This prevents the cake from collapsing into itself.
Once cool, remove the cake from the pan, using a paring knife to loosen the edges.
To assemble the strawberry shortcake, cut the angel food cake in half crosswise.
In a medium sized bowl, make the Chantilly cream by whipping the heavy cream with sugar and vanilla, until thick, about 1 to 2 minutes (but don’t walk away — the cream goes quickly from thick to over-whipped). Spread the Chantilly cream onto the cake layer and then scatter the sliced strawberries on top.
Top with the other layer of cake, cut side down. Using a small sieve, sift icing sugar over the cake and then garnish with fresh whole strawberries.