There's Cake and there's Cake with a whole lotta focus!!...a project...albeit a challenge but nonetheless exciting and soooo inspiring!!
April is birthday month in the family which automatically gives way to cake baking, and since its peak Summer here what could be better than light, fruity sponge cakes esp. with beautiful fresh strawberries in season. I baked this cake for sister's birthday and everybody loved it.
Now let me warn you first that this Cake is not for a new baker as it is a bit complicated and requires some expertise, no wonder it was a Daring baker project but it's sooooo pretty and so worth it!!!..and I have had my eyes on this pretty piece of Cake poetry ever since!!!
recipe from
Culinary Concotions by Peabody.
Strawberry Mirror Cake
for the fatless sponge-
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp powdered sugar
2/3 cup sifted cake flour
+
½ cup water
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp kirsch or strawberry liqueur
Strawberry Bavarian Cream
2 ½ tbsp unflavored gelatin
1 ½ cups strained strawberry puree(1 ½ baskets)
5 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1 ½ cups milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
several drops of red food coloring
1 ¾ cups whipping cream
Strawberry Mirror
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp kirsch
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp unflavored gelatin
Few drops of red food coloring
Strawberry Juice
1 ½ pints of strawberries(18 oz)
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup water
1.Preheat oven to 450F. Butter and flour the sides of an 11-by-17
inch jelly roll pan(rimmed baking sheet). Line bottom of pan with a
sheet of parchment paper cut to fit bottom pan exactly.
2.Beat eggs, egg yolks and ¾ cup sugar together in a medium bowl until thick and light. Beat in the vanilla.
3.In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy, ad cream of
tartar and beat until whites begin to form peaks. Add the 2 TBSP sugar
and beat until the whites hold stiff, glossy peaks(do not over beat).
4.Sift flour over the egg yolk mixture and fold in . Stir in one fourth
of the whites. Then carefully fold in the remaining whites.
5.Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake until light brown and springy to
touch(7 to 10 minutes). Cool in pan 5 minutes. Run a knife along edge to
loosen. Invert cake tin to cut out 8 ¼ inch circles of cake. Wrap the
cake layers, separated with waxed paper, and set aside. Cake may be
frozen at this point.
6.To make soaking syrup: Combine water and the 1/3 cup sugar in
saucepan; bring to a boil to dissolve sugar. Cool to room temperature;
flavor with liqueur. Set aside or refrigerate in glass jar until ready
to use.
7.To assemble cake: Brush sides of 10-inch springform pan lightly with
flavorless salad oil or almond oil. Cut out a cardboard circle that is
exactly the same size as the bottom inside of the pan; cover cardboard
with aluminum foil and fit into bottom of pan. Center one layer of the
cake bottom of pan. Brush the cake with some of the soaking syrup to
just moisten(not drench) the cake; set aside.
8.Prepare Strawberry Bavarian Cream. Immediately pour about half of the
Bavarian Cream over the first layer of cake in the pan. Set the next
layer of cake on top of the cream. Pour remaining Bavarian Cream over
cake and smooth top of the cream with spatula. Refrigerate until the
cream sets(1 to 2 hours).
9.Prepare the Strawberry Mirror.
10.To serve: Wrap a hot towel around the outside of springform pan for a
few minutes. Run a small sharp knife tip around the edge of the
Strawberry Mirror to separate it form the sides of pan. Mirror will tear
when sides are unlatched if it is stuck at ANY point. Slowly unlatch
the pan and slide it off the cake. Slice cake in wedges and serve in
upright slices.
Prep Work
Strawberry Bavarian Cream
1.Sprinkle the gelatin over the strawberry puree in a small bowl and set aside until spongy.
2.Combine egg yolks and sugar in a bowl’ beat until light. Bring milk to
a boil in sauce pan. Pour hot milk into yolk mixture ans stir with a
wooden spoon(it doesn’t say so but I would temper the egg mixture first
to be safe). Return this mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium
heat, stirring constantly, until your finger leaves a clear trail in
sauce when drawn across the back of the spoon.(Do not boil or mixture
will curdle.) Immediately remove from heat and stir in softened gelatin
mixture. Pour into a stainless steel bowl places over a bowl of ice
water. Stir in lemon juice and a few drops of red food coloring. Cool
over ice water, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens to the
consistency of softly whipped cream.
3.White gelatin mixture is cooling, whip the whipping cream until it
holds soft peaks. When the gelatin mixture resembles softly whipped
cream, fold the whipped cream into the gelatin mixture.
Strawberry Mirror
1.Prepare strawberry juice.
2.Place lemon juice, kirsch, and water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over this mixture; set aside until spongy and soft.
3.Measure 1 ½ cups Strawberry juice into a small saucepan and bring to a
simmer; pour over gelatin mixture and stir to dissolve gelatin. Tint to
desired color with red food coloring. Place bowl over bowl of ice water
and stir occasionally until the mixture is syrupy and just beings to
thicken(do not let jell);this is really the tricky part, remove from ice water.
4.When mixture is syrupy, pour a 1/16-inch layer over the top of cake. Refrigerate until set.
Strawberry Juice
Wash and hull strawberries; coarsely chop. Place strawberries in
saucepan; crush to start juices flowing. Place over low heat; add sugar
and water; simmer slowly 10 minutes. Pour juice and pulp through damp
jelly bag or cheesecloth-lined colander and drain into a bowl for 15
minutes(Do not press down on fruit).
Adapted from Cakes and Pastries At The Academy by the California Culinary Academy 1993
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