Sponge Cake Shortcakes Food

SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, warm the milk and 2 teaspoons of the butter together over medium-low heat. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whip, beat the eggs and 1 cup of the sugar on medium-high speed in a large mixing bowl until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and tripled in volume, about 8 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the warm milk mixture. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a small mixing bowl. Add half the flour mixture to the egg mixture and blend thoroughly until smooth. Repeat with the other half. Add the vanilla and mix gently. Grease a 17 by 12-inch baking pan or jelly-roll pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Pour the cake batter into the pan, spreading it evenly. Bake until the cake springs back when touched, about 15 minutes. Cool for about 2 minutes, then gently flip it out onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Let cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, warm the milk and 2 teaspoons of the butter together over medium-low heat. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whip, beat the eggs and 1 cup of the sugar on medium-high speed in a large mixing bowl until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and tripled in volume, about 8 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the warm milk mixture. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a small mixing bowl. Add half the flour mixture to the egg mixture and blend thoroughly until smooth. Repeat with the other half. Add the vanilla and mix gently. Grease a 17 by 12-inch baking pan or jelly-roll pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Pour the cake batter into the pan, spreading it evenly. Bake until the cake springs back when touched, about 15 minutes. Cool for about 2 minutes, then gently flip it out onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Let cool completely.

SPONGE CAKE (PAN DI SPAGNA)

Steps:

• Butter and line with parchment paper a 9-or 10-inch round cake pan that is 2 inches deep.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the yolks with the vanilla. Whisk in half the sugar and continue to beat until very light and frothy, about 5 minutes, either by hand, with a hand mixer set at medium speed, or in a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the whip.
• Combine the flour and cornstarch and sift once to aerate.
• In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until they hold a very soft peak, either by hand, with a hand mixer set at medium speed, or in a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the whip. Beating faster, add the remaining sugar in a very slow stream, beating until the egg whites hold a firm peak.
• Fold the yolk mixture into the whites with a rubber spatula. Sift the flour and cornstarch over the eggs in 3 additions, folding them in gradually. Do not overmix the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, until it is well risen and feels firm when pressed gently with the palm of your hand.
• Immediately loosen the layer from the side of the pan with a small knife or spatula. Invert the layer onto a rack and leave the paper stuck to it. Turn the layer right side up and cool it on a rack.
• Unless you are going to use the layer within a few hours, double-wrap tightly in plastic and keep in the refrigerator up to 5 days, or freeze.

CREAMY STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Mix reduced-fat cream cheese and preserves.
• Spoon into cake shells.
• Top with berries and COOLWHIP.

KITTENCAL'S STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Wash and remove the stems from each berry then slice.
• Place the sliced berries into a glass bowl, add in 3/4 - 1 cup cup sugar (the more sugar the better) toss with a spoon until well coated (the sugar will dissolve when chilled).
• Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 6 hours.
• Generously grease two 8-inch round cake pans.
• In a large bowl using an electric mixer at medium speed cream together the butter and sugar until well blended (about 3 minutes).
• Add in eggs and extracts beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes or until no sugar granules remain in the mixture.
• Add in milk; mix until combined.
• In a small bowl mix the flour with baking powder and add to the creamed mixture; beat until combined.
• Divide and spread the batter between the two prepared baking pans (batter will be thick!).
• Set oven to 350°F (set oven rack to second-lowest position).
• Bake for about 22 minutes or until cakes test done (do not overbake cakes).
• Cool the cakes slightly in pan then invert each cake onto a plate to cool completely.
• Place HALF of the strawberries with a little juice over the top of one cake, then dollop HALF of the whipped cream.
• Top with the other cake, then strawberries and top with remaining whipped cream.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• To sour milk, stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice with a cup of milk and let stand a minute.
• Preheat to 350°F Butter a 12-cup Bundt pan and set aside.
• Prepare the strawberries and set aside. In a food processor, cream the sugar and flour with the cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Set aside.
• Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Fold in the vanilla, then blend in eggs, and process to blend batter well. Fold in the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder together and add to the mixture, alternating with the buttermilk to make a smooth batter.
• Spoon half of batter into prepared pan. Make sure the pan is big enough. I did this once and it ended up spilling out all over my oven. Spread reserved cream cheese filling all around top of batter (being careful not to touch edges). Sprinkle strawberries evenly over this. Top with remaining batter. Bake 60-75 minutes until cakes tests done. Let cool 15-20 minutes in pan before inverting onto a serving plate. Dust with confectioner's sugar or fondant.
• For the Soaking Syrup, heat the sugar and water to a gentle boil in a small saucepan. Simmer 3 minutes and then cool to room temperature. Using a pastry brush, soak cake thoroughly, at least twice with this syrup.
• For the Vanilla Glaze, whisk all ingredients in a small bowl adding hot water as required to make a pourable glaze. Drizzle over cake (that has syrup or not - up to you - the syrup makes the cake far more moist).
• More often than not I just heat up a can of vanilla icing in the microwave for several seconds and spoon that over. It's still delicious.
• This cake freezes well.

SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Beat egg yolks until lemon colored; add sugar slowly a tablespoon at a time.
• Add vanilla and gradually, the flour.
• Fold in egg whites which have been beaten until stiff.
• Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 35 minutes in greased pan.
• Let cool 10 minutes; remove from pan.

CHINESE STEAMED SPONGE CAKE (PERFECT FOR STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE)

Steps:

• SPONGE CAKE: Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda together.
• Melt the shortening in a double boiler. Stir in oil and allow to cool.
• Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is thick and foamy Stir in the milk and oil. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts. Gently stir flour mixture into the egg mixture. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Pour into a greased 9 inch round cake tin, and spread evenly across tin with back of spoon.
• Place cake tin into a steamer and cover. If you do not have a steamer, you can place the cake tin on top of a vegetable steaming rack, a cookie cooling rack, or criss cross several large spoons in the bottom of a large pot. I place my cake tin on top of a cookie cooling rack in the bottom of a large pot filled with a half inch of water, and this works fine.
• Cover with a lid and steam for 25 minutes. When removing the lid, do not allow the condensation from the lid to drip on the cake. The top of the cake may be moist in the center from the condensation dripping from the lid while cooking. This is fine and the center of the cake will air dry once you remove the cake from the steamer.
• Carefully remove cake tin from steamer. Remove the cake from the tin while it is still hot to a plate. Cut into 6 to 8 wedges and serve hot or cold. Can be eaten by itself or topped with Strawberry Topping and Sweetened Whipped Cream.
• STRAWBERRY TOPPING: To make Strawberry Topping, drain strawberries, reserving 3/4 cup strawberry juice.
• In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in reserved strawberry juice.
• Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, boil for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Stir in strawberries. Cool completely. Makes 3 cups.
• SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM: To make Sweetened Whipped Cream, beat heavy whipping cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in chilled bowl with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Makes 4 cups.