Chiffon Cake with Strawberries and Cream

By susan_snell

Ingredients

• CAKE
• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup safflower oil
• 7 large egg yolks plus 9 large egg whites
• 3/4 c milk
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• BERRIES AND CREAM
• 2 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered (about 5 cups), plus more for serving
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 1 T lemon juice
• 2 c cold heavy cream
• 1/4 c powdered sugar, plus more for sprinkling

Preparation

Step 1

1. Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, the baking powder and salt. Whisk together oil, egg yolks, and milk in large bowl. Whisk flour mixture int egg yolk mixture.
Beat egg whites with a mixer on high speed until frothy. Add cream of tartar and vanilla and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 3/4 c granulated sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes. Whisk one-third of the egg-white mixture into the batter. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining egg white mixture with a rubber spatula. Transfer batter to tube pan. Bake until top of cake springs back when touched, 52 to 55 minutes. Let cool upside down (over a bottle or on tube-pan feet) 1 hour.

2. Berries and cream: While cake is baking and cooling, combine strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice and salt, and let sit; stirring occasionally, 1 hour. Just before assembling, beat cream and powdered sugar until medium peaks form.

3. Assembly. Slide a paring knife around edges of tube and side of pan; release cake. Cut cake horizontally into 3 layers with a serrated knife. Transfer bottom layer to a cake plate or platter. Spread with half the berries, and drizzle with juices. Spread half the whipped cream over the berries, then top with middle cake layer. Spread with remaining berries and whipped cream. Top with remaining cake layer. Refrigerate cake 1 hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with berries.