Strawberry Shortcake

I am of the camp that does NOT like a biscuit-y shortcake. I know, I know, how very unSouthern of me. When I think of it, my mouth just gets dry, like most shortcakes I've had.

Growing up, we always had those little sponge cakes that had indentations in the top with our strawberries. I guess we always want what we are comfortable with.

I was very pleased to find this recipe for an almost sponge cake baked in a tube pan like an angel food cake. I appreciate that it does NOT need 12 egg whites like angel food cake. I never find anything to do with all those leftover egg yolks.

Sponge cake for strawberry shortcake

4 eggs at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup milk

Note - it says cake flour, not all purpose flour. I usually use Swans Down brand. Cake flour has a low protein content, unlike bread flour, and therefore should not be used to make bread. You want a cake that is light and fluffy, and does not develop gluten like bread. Softasilk is another popular brand. If you do not have cake flour, you CAN use 7/8 cup all purpose flour and 2 tablespoons cornstarch per cup of cake flour, but I would try and use cake flour if you can.

Preheat oven to 325 deg F.

Separate eggs, placing yolks in large mixing bowl and setting whites aside. Beat yolks with sugar until very light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.

Sift cake flour with baking powder onto waxed or parchment paper.

Fold dry ingredients alternately with milk into egg mixture, beginning and ending with dry. In a separate bowl beat reserved egg whites until stiff and then fold into batter.

Pour into an ungreased 9 inch tube pan and bake in preheated oven 45-50 minutes. Invert pan to cool. Remove from pan when cake is completely cool.

It's best cut with a serrated knife.

This would be very easy to modify with different extracts and things such as lemon/lime/orange zest.

I served with macerated strawberries and whipped cream. yum!