Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 2 1/2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and halved (I used frozen berries, and when I froze them back in June, it was 10 cups of fresh berries)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (I put in a whole cup... why not)
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
(I added a Tbsp. corn starch just in case)
5 cups all purpose unbleached baking flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (I think I used more like 1/4)
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter
4 ounces cream cheese
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
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Directions: |
Directions:
"Unable to spare the eggs and butter needed for tender layer cakes, Depression-era Appalachian cooks created something just as good: stack cake. Spiced molasses rounds were sandwiched with stewed dried apples and left to soften, yielding a fruity cake. Could I update the recipe?" (In this case the "I" is obviously NOT me, but Cali Rich, of Cook's Country magazine.)
1. FILLING
Bring the strawberries, lemon juice and sugar (and corn starch if you're worried about it making the cake too soggy, like me) to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Mash the berries and cook until thick and jam-like, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a shallow dish and refrigerate until cool.
2. CAKE
Preheat to 350. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Combine buttermilk and vanilla. Beat the butter, cream cheese and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Then beat in the buttermilk/vanilla mixture. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in the flour until combined into a sticky dough.
Divide dough into 6 equal pieces and flatten on wax paper pieces to 5 inch rounds. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cut out six 9" rounds of parchment paper. When the dough has been chilled, press each one with your hands onto the parchment paper in an 8" round cake pan. You only need one cake pan; after you press the circle, put it and the parchment paper on a cookie sheet. You can bake two at a time. Bake them for about 16 minutes, until golden.
After the cakes cool, just layer then up with the jam in the middle. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. When it's time to serve, you can sprinkle the top with confectioner's sugar and serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, fresh berries, etc.
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This recipe for Strawberry Stack Cake is from