Half Birthday Cake - Fresh Strawberries and Cream

Step 1

Line 2 round 8" cake pans with parchment paper.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Step 3

In a large mixing bowl, sift in cake flour, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Stir to combine.

Step 4

Create a well in the center. Inside it, add yolks, oil, vanilla extract and milk.

Step 5

Stir to combine until fully incorporated, do not over mix. Set this milk-flour mixture aside.

Step 6

In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar.

Step 7

Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have tightened up, add sugar a little bit at a time.

Step 8

Increase speed to med-high, whip until stiff peaks. You've now made a meringue. (Note 2)

Step 9

Gently fold 1/3 of the meringue into the milk-flour mixture to get it moving. Once incorporated, fold in the rest of the meringue. Do not stir. Use batter immediately.

Step 10

Dab a little bit of batter onto the parchment paper and stick it to the pan to prevent the parchment paper from sliding around in the pan.

Step 11

Pour equal amounts of batter into lined cake pans from one spot, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula.

Step 12

Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets.

Step 13

Bake for 14-16 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center.

Step 14

Let cool 5 min. in the pan before removing.

Step 15

Place cooling rack over cake pan.

Step 16

Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper.

Step 17

Let cool and cut each cake in half.

Step 18

Refrigerate mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes. This will help cream whip better.

Step 19

Clean and pat dry strawberries. Remove the husk and cut 10 of them into thin slices. Save the rest for decorating the top of the cake.

Step 20

Place water in heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes.

Step 21

Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.

Step 22

Immediately start beating the cream and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the chilled bowl. Whip on low speed and then increase to medium.

Step 23

Check on the gelatin. It should no longer be warm but still runny.

Step 24

Once the beaters leave tracks in the cream, pour the gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl.

Step 25

Stop beating once the cream turns stiff. Do not over whip.

Step 26

Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

Step 27

Add some whipped cream to the bottom of the first layer of the cake to act as a "glue" to help it stick onto the cake stand.

Step 28

Gently add a thin layer of cream and some strawberries on the first layer of cake. Then add the second layer of cake on top. Chill it in the fridge until it sets before adding the next layer. (Note 3)

Step 29

Once all the layers are assembled and chilled, add a thin layer of whipped cream to the whole cake with an angled spatula to hold all the crumbs in place. Chill.

Step 30

Use some more whipped cream to add another thin layer of frosting to the cake for a cleaner finish.

Step 31

Put remainder of whipped cream in a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip (e.g. Wilton 1M).

Step 32

Pipe 6 swirls on top of the cake along the edge. Top with half of a strawberry.

Step 33

Line half strawberries along the bottom edge of the cake on the open face side.

Step 34

Insert cake topper in the center. Keep entire cake chilled until serving.