Wednesday, June 20, 2012

TWD: French Strawberry Cake


Hello again! Apologies for my tardiness in updating the blog. My only excuse is that, as many of you know, I am moving. Again.
My first post back in February was right after we had moved to Brooklyn. The apartment was in shambles and I had kitchen stuff in piles all over the place. It was a mess. It is going to be better and worse this time, because this time the move is to London, England.
For the past month or so, as my job and visa were being finalized, I have had the heartbreaking task of going through all of my belongings and asking “is this worth moving across the ocean?” While we are hiring movers, we can’t take everything (and by that, I mean that pretty much all of my cookbooks and baking supplies are going, the question is only being asked about everything else I own).
And as I was baking this cake today, my last cake (almost) to be baked in this apartment, I found myself really worried about being without my baking utensils for the next 3 months (when everything will arrive in the UK). How can I live without my cake pans? Tart pans? Rolling pin? Scale? Favorite cookbooks? I’m going to end up with socks, underwear, and sheet pans in my checked luggage!
But for right now, baking is helping keep me sane and this cake has helped me this week remember one of the great things about New York – the farmer’s market. While running around the city doing errands and trying to get in as much possible in this last week before I leave, I ended up in Union Square, right in the middle of the farmer’s market. The site of the beautiful strawberries made me so happy that this was the (almost) last cake I will be making before I start a new adventure.
The cake itself was really easy to make. The genoise came together fast and the vanilla in the recipe gives is a sweeter smell than the traditional recipes we used in school.  I used AP flour as I was not going to go buy a box a cake flour when I am leaving for another country in under a week and I don’t think the cake was any less tender for it. Overall, this is a nice staple cake that I can see being paired with a lot of different fillings
To the strawberries, I added a little orange blossom water (just under a ½ tsp, it is powerful stuff!) to give a floral hint to the filling. Then, for the cream, I mixed in lemon curd instead of sour cream in an effort to use up what I have in the fridge. It still provides a nice tartness to compliment the sweetness of the strawberries.
Given that I am doing A LOT of stress baking lately, the last thing my boyfriend I need around the apartment is more sweets (we have three – THREE – flavors of fruit jellies right now. It’s a little ridiculous), I’ll be dropping off the cake with a gentleman that has recently been really nice to my mom and I. He has provided both of us with some exceptionally nice glasses. And come on, who wouldn’t like French Strawberry Cake?
Even though I haven’t posted about the other recipes, I have actually made them all, so I will be catching up and writing about them. However, the next new post will be made in a different kitchen, in a different country, so that should be very interesting indeed.
For the full recipe for the French Strawberry Cake, please head over to Sophia's Sweets and Sleep Love Think Dine. Until next time, wish me luck!!!

6 comments:

  1. Wow! Your cake turned out great. Maybe we all should have used ap flour. My cookbooks would be the first to be packed! Have a safe trip and enjoy your new home!

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  2. What a "huge - lovely - delicious" cake! The gentlemen that received it must have been delighted.
    Best wishes in your new home.

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    1. Thank you! He told me that he and his coworkers really enjoyed it. I love sharing desserts with people that don't expect it - it is like they are getting an unexpected christmas present! =)

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  3. Your cake came out beautifully.
    I am on vacation this week and made sure I had at least one cookbook downloaded to my Kindle in case I didn't have wireless access (and I made sure the condo had enough supplies)
    Best wishes on all your moves - it sounds like some great adventures are ahead of you!

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    1. Thanks Cher! I ended up with a toolkit, some sheet pans, a tart pan (for the upcoming TWD pie) and only 2 cookbooks. My boyfriend had to take one home because my suitcase was overweight!

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  4. Ooh, I love your idea of adding the orange blossom water. I keep forgetting that I have some of that! Your cake looks lovely. And good luck with the packing. =)

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