Summer Berry Shortcake
A lovely summer cake, flavoured with orange and lemon zest. Top it with luscious whipping cream and the berries of your choice. Note that the recipe produces 2 cakes. You have the option of making a giant layer cake or freezing one cake for future use. Prepare it several hours ahead, if possible, so the whipping cream can soften the cake and the tastes can blend. Taken almost exactly from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa, this is a cake you'll make over and over. Click here for more fabulous desserts.
Ingredients for Two Cakes
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Ingredients for the Filling for Each Cake:
1 cup whipping cream chilled
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pint berries of your choice. If using fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
lemon and/or orange zest (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans.
Cream the butter and sugar with a fork or in the bowl of an electric mixer at high speed.
On medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time, then the sour cream, zests, and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well.
Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and combine just until smooth.
Pour the batter evenly into the pans, smooth the tops with a spatula, and bake in the centre of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then remove to wire racks and let cool to room temperature. At this point one cake may be wrapped and frozen. Optionally, use both cakes for a tall layer cake.
To make the filling for one cake, whip the cream by hand or in a mixer until firm; add the sugar, vanilla and zests (if using). If desired, toss the berries with zest and sugar.
Using a serrated knife, slice off the rounded top of the cake. Slice the cake in half. Place the bottom slice of the cake on a serving platter,
Spread the bottom part with half of the whipped cream, and scatter with the berries of choice. Cover with the top half of the cake and spread with the remaining cream. Decorate with berries.
A lovely summer cake, flavoured with orange and lemon zest. Top it with luscious whipping cream and the berries of your choice. Note that the recipe produces 2 cakes. You have the option of making a giant layer cake or freezing one cake for future use. Prepare it several hours ahead, if possible, so the whipping cream can soften the cake and the tastes can blend. Taken almost exactly from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa, this is a cake you'll make over and over. Click here for more fabulous desserts.
Ingredients for Two Cakes
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Ingredients for the Filling for Each Cake:
1 cup whipping cream chilled
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pint berries of your choice. If using fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
lemon and/or orange zest (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans.
Cream the butter and sugar with a fork or in the bowl of an electric mixer at high speed.
On medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time, then the sour cream, zests, and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well.
Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and combine just until smooth.
Pour the batter evenly into the pans, smooth the tops with a spatula, and bake in the centre of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then remove to wire racks and let cool to room temperature. At this point one cake may be wrapped and frozen. Optionally, use both cakes for a tall layer cake.
To make the filling for one cake, whip the cream by hand or in a mixer until firm; add the sugar, vanilla and zests (if using). If desired, toss the berries with zest and sugar.
Using a serrated knife, slice off the rounded top of the cake. Slice the cake in half. Place the bottom slice of the cake on a serving platter,
Spread the bottom part with half of the whipped cream, and scatter with the berries of choice. Cover with the top half of the cake and spread with the remaining cream. Decorate with berries.
