Easy Strawberry Cake With Swiss Meringue Buttercream Food

FRESH STRAWBERRY CAKE WITH LEMON SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Slice the strawberries. You'll need 2 ½ cups roughly chopped for the sauce and the remaining to be diced for the cake.
• In a medium-sized saucepan, combine 2 ¼ cups sliced strawberries, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until reduced and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans. I suggest lining the bottom with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and remaining sugar (2 ¼ cups). Beat on medium speed using the paddle attachment until the butter it is light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed. This should take about 5 minutes.
• Add the egg whites, one at a time, ensuring that each one is well mixed before adding the next. Add the vanilla extract together with the last egg white.
• Use a food processor to grind the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder.
• In a medium-sized bowl, combine the powdered strawberries with the flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently whisk the ingredients together to combine.
• Next, slowly alternate adding the dry ingredients with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed until all of the ingredients are just combined.
• In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 ½ cups of strawberries with the remaining lemon juice (½ tablespoon). Stir to combine and then stir the strawberries into cake batter. At this time, you should also add the cooked strawberries as well. Turn the batter from the bottom to the top to ensure all of the ingredients are well combined.
• Bake at 350°F for 28-35 minutes. Test your cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, you cake is done. After 15-20 minutes, run a knife around the outside edge of the cake and gently remove from the pan. Allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Combine the sugar and egg whites in your stainless steel mixer bowl (or any heat proof bowl). Attached your candy thermometer to the side of the bowl.
• Set your bowl over top of a pot with water, just enough to cover the bottom of the pot. You do not want the water to boil and touch the bottom of your mixing bowl. Heat the water on medium to medium-low heat.
• Combine the sugar and egg whites and stir (using your greaseproof spatula) constantly until the mixture reaches 140° F. This is the most important part; you do not want to egg whites to cook. I have read that you can have it be anywhere between 120° F - 160° F. When it reaches 140° F, the sugar should be dissolved in the egg whites. You can test this by placing a drop on your fingertips and rubbing them together. The mixture should be completely smooth.
• Place the mixing bowl on your stand mixer. Using the wire whisk attachment, beat the egg whites. Start on low and increase the speed to medium after 2 minutes.
• Beat for another 3 minutes on medium. At this point, your frosting should have turned white as the egg whites are whipped and the body of the meringue starts to form.
• After 5 minutes, increase the speed to high. You will notice that as you increase the speed, the body of your meringue will also increase. It will start to look glossy as the peaks begin to form. Beat for another 5 minutes.
• After you have beat the meringue for a total of about 10 minutes, the bottom of your mixing bowl should be cooled completely. Your SMB should look kind of like whipped cream. Scrape down all sides and bottom of the bowl.
• Turn your mixer down to medium-low. Slowly add your butter, about 1 tablespoon at a time, ensuring it is mixed well after each addition. Once you have added all your butter. Mix for another minute and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Switch to the paddle attachment and continue beating on medium to allow all the air bubbles to escape. In about 2-3 minutes the frosting is smooth. Lastly, fold in the lemon zest.

VANILLA SPONGE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY-MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat an 8-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Line sides with a 5-inch-high strip of parchment; coat parchment with cooking spray.
• Whisk together flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined, 30 seconds. In a large bowl, whisk together butter, egg yolks, and milk to combine. Whisk flour mixture into butter mixture until smooth.
• Beat egg whites on medium-low speed until frothy, about 2 minutes. Add cream of tartar and vanilla and beat on medium-high until soft peaks form, 2 minutes more. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes. Whisk one-third of egg-white mixture into batter. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining egg-white mixture with a rubber spatula. Transfer batter to pan; gently smooth top with spatula.
• Bake until risen and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Reduce oven to 300 degrees and continue to bake until top springs back when lightly touched, about 35 minutes more. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool 10 minutes. Unlock pan and carefully lift to remove. Remove parchment and turn cake out onto rack, running a sharp knife between cake and pan bottom to release. Remove bottom and turn cake top-side up; let cool completely.
• Frosting: In a food processor, puree 1 pound strawberries with 1/2 cup granulated sugar until smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until darkened, thick, and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on solids to remove as much liquid as possible (you should have 1 cup). Refrigerate, covered, until room temperature, about 1 hour (or transfer to a bowl set in an ice-water bath and stir occasionally until cool to the touch, about 10 minutes).
• Combine egg whites, remaining 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, and salt in a heatproof standmixer bowl set over (not in) a pot of simmering water, whisking constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm. (It should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips.) Transfer bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high, beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Continue beating until bottom of bowl is cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium-low and beat in butter, a few tablespoons at a time, until combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Slowly add strawberry puree and vanilla, beating until combined. (If buttercream appears curdled, increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth.)
• Slice 1 pound strawberries lengthwise, 1/4 inch thick (you should have about 2 1/2 cups). Cut cake horizontally into 3 even layers with a serrated knife. Transfer bottom layer, cut-side up, to a cake plate or stand lined with parchment strips. Spread top evenly with 3/4 cup buttercream and half of sliced strawberries, overlapping berries to fit. Spread another 3/4 cup buttercream onto one side of center cake layer and place over first cake layer, frosted-side down. Press gently to adhere, being careful not to allow strawberries to slide out. Spread top with another 3/4 cup buttercream; top evenly with remaining sliced strawberries. Spread another 3/4 cup buttercream onto cut side of top cake layer; place on center cake, frosted-side down, pressing gently to adhere.
• Using a small offset metal spatula, spread remaining buttercream evenly over top and sides of cake. To create decorative sides, hold spatula vertically against cake and press one long side gently into frosting (do not go deeper than 1/4 inch, so you don't get down to cake), then pull spatula directly upward in one motion. Repeat around entire cake, then remove parchment strips. Top cake with remaining 1 pound strawberries, cutting some in half, if desired. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar; serve. This cake is best assembled, kept at room temperature, and served the same day, but it can be refrigerated, uncovered, up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before serving.

STRAWBERRY MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch (about 160 degrees).
• Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg-white mixture on high speed until it holds stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until the mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 6 minutes.
• Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low speed, add butter several tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. (If frosting appears to separate after all the butter has been added, beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, 3 to 5 minutes more.) Beat in vanilla. Beat on lowest speed to eliminate any air bubbles, about 2 minutes. Stir in strawberry jam with a rubber spatula until frosting is smooth.