Fourth of July

            I can’t believe another Fourth of July has come and gone! It always hits me after the fireworks end…

            I spent the day celebrating America by watching old musicals and gorging myself on homemade cornbread and chili. Also CAKE.

There is always cake.

The first time I had a cake like this, it came from the bakery section of my grocery store. Fluffy, fine-crumbed white cake with a three-inch layer of mousse-like cream floating on top and perfectly flush against the sides of the cake. A glistening variety of fruits in rainbow colors were arranged prettily above the cream, and it was all held together by a clear plastic sleeve.

I immediately tried to make it myself. It seemed simple—white cake, cream, fruit. But I soon found that when a dessert is made of such humble components, each element has to be as close to flawless as can be. It has taken a few tries, but I think I’ve gotten pretty close.

The white cake, adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Perfect Party Cake, is probably the best white cake I’ve ever made. Unlike other recipes I’ve tried, it is super moist and the crumb isn’t too fine, which makes it satisfyingly substantial compared to the cake from the grocery store. Additionally, the recipe doesn’t consist of an odd number of eggs or a ridiculous amount of egg whites, which is, somehow, very emotionally satisfying to me.

The whipped cream is stabilized with a small amount of gelatin. When I’ve experimented with this recipe in the past, I’ve simply eyeballed the gelatin, but the cream either came out too soft or too solid. This recipe from Baked Bree provided the perfect ratio of gelatin to cream. I think stabilizing the cream is necessary so that it can support the weight of the fruit, especially if the cake will be sitting at room temperature for a while.

Another thing I love about this cake is that it allows you a certain amount of artistic freedom. Use whatever fruits you love or that are in season and have fun arranging them. They could be placed into a pattern or simply piled haphazardly atop the fluffy cloud of just-sweet-enough whipped cream. Because the raspberries and blueberries I found looked so perfect, I didn’t bother glazing them. Instead, I coated the cake in a fine dusting of powdered sugar. Simplicity at its best.

Fresh Fruit and Cream Cake (Yield: one 8” cake)

1 c. + 2 tbsp. cake flour

1/2 tbsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. + 2 tbsp. whole milk

2 egg whites

1/2 tbsp. vanilla

3/4 c. sugar

4 tbsp. butter, at room temperature

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F and butter and flour an 8” round cake pan.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set it aside.
3. Whisk the milk, egg whites, and vanilla together in a measuring cup until thoroughly combined.
4. In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter with a fork until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
5. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the butter and sugar. Pour in half of the milk, stirring until the batter just combines. Fold in the second third of the flour, then the last of the milk, and finally the last third of the dry ingredients. Be careful not to over mix the batter.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, give the pan a few gentle taps on the counter to release any air bubbles, and bake the cake for about 25 minutes. Allow the cake to cool completely and then whip the cream.

Stabilized Whipped Cream (Yield: about 2 cups)

1 tsp. gelatin

1 tbsp. water

1 c. heavy cream

2 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1. Stir together the gelatin and water in a small bowl and allow it to set as you whip the cream. (It will thicken and solidify.)
2. Whip the heavy cream until it holds a soft peak, and then add the sugar and vanilla.
3. Microwave the bloomed gelatin for about 15 seconds, or until it liquefies. Pour it into the thickened cream.
4. Continue whipping the cream until it holds stiff peaks.

To assemble the cake, loosen the cake from its pan and place it on a serving platter or cake stand. Dollop the cream on top of the cake, smoothing it out to the edges with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes, in order to allow the stabilized cream to set and solidify slightly. Arrange the fruits (berries, kiwis, mandarin oranges, grapes, or any stone fruit would all be delightful) on top of the whipped cream, and then allow the cake to come to room temperature. Dust the fruit with powdered sugar before serving.

Also…

I am happy to announce that I’ll be participating in A Fanciful Twist’s Mad Tea Party for the second year in a row! This is such a fun event, and I am super excited!

Something delicious is in store…