Vanilla Cake Strawberry Shortcake

Ingredients

Macerated Strawberries

• � punnet of summer strawberries, cut into quarters
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Vanilla Cake
• 1 � cups sifted cake flour
• 1 cup sugar
• � tsp fine salt
• 2 � tsp baking powder
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• � cup whole milk (separated)
• 3 egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Whipped Cream
• � cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp sugar
• � tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Strawberries

1. 1. Add strawberries to a bowl, sprinkle with sugar and cover with cling wrap. Let sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. Vanilla Cake
3. 1. Heat oven to 350�F. Butter and flour a 9″ by 9″ baking pan. Slowly and carefully (I have had mini flour explosions in my kitchen before), mix cake flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a mixer bowl. Add butter and 6 tablespoons of milk to the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
4. 2. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs whites, remaining milk (2 tablespoons) and vanilla extract until combined. Add the mixture to the mixer bowl ingredients in 3 separate additions. Beating for 20 seconds and scraping the bowl down after each one. Pour into prepared cake pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Whipped Cream and Assembly

1. 1. Whisk cream until it begins to hold soft peaks. Sprinkle sugar on top and add vanilla, continue to whisk until cream hold stiff peaks. Cover and refrigerate until cake is cooled and ready
2. .
3. 2. Cut the vanilla cake into 12-16 2″ to 2 �� squares. Carefully cut the squares in half horizontally. Place lower half on a plate, add a dollop of cream and a big spoonful of strawberries and drizzle some of the juices over. Add the second half to the plate and serve.