Strawberry Cream Cake

Cake, cream and berries combine in a treat that's twice as delectable as the sum of its parts. The buttery cake soaks up the strawberry juices, while the whipped cream adds an airy richness.

½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1½ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached, spooned and leveled
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. sea salt
1 cup Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Granular)
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
½ cup whole milk
1 lb strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
1 tsp. unflavoured gelatin (from a ¼ oz envelope)
1½ cups heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Butter bottom of an 8” round cake pan, and line with parchment paper. Butter and flour paper and sides.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and ½ cup sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture in 3 parts and milk in 2, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined. Spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Using a serrated knife, split cake in half horizontally; place bottom half, cut side up, on a serving plate.

Make the Topping:  
In a large bowl, combine strawberries and ¼ cup sugar; set aside. Place 2 Tbsp. cold water in a small saucepan and sprinkle with gelatin; let soften 5 minutes. Place saucepan over very low heat, and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat; let cool.

Using an electric mixer, beat cream and remaining ¼ cup sugar in a large bowl until very soft peaks form. Continue to beat and gradually add gelatin mixture; beat until soft peaks form.

Arrange half of strawberries over bottom cake layer; top with half of whipped cream, leaving a 1” border. Cover with top half of cake, cut side down. Top cake with remaining whipped cream, leaving a 1” border. Refrigerate cake and remaining strawberries separately, at least 1 hour (or up to 1 day). Just before serving, spoon strawberries over cake.

Makes 12 servings.

Cook's Note: Nothing says summer quite like this easy but remarkably grand strawberry dessert. Even better, it can wait patiently in the refrigerator for up to a day.