Japanese Strawberry Shortcake

Husband was craving Japanese shortcake, so tried making it. The frosting turned out well. But still need to work on the cake! It turned out a little dry. It wasn't as fluffy as I would have liked. I doubled the cake recipe because I baked the cake in a 9 inch springform pan.  Perhaps next time, I need to triple the recipe and bake less? The whipped topping was very good though!

Here's what I did:

1. Made the sponge cake recipe below (doubling the ingredients, and baking in a 9 inch springform pan)
2. Baked the cake 1 day ahead
3. Next day, cut the cake in half and brushed with simple syrup (1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar, heated together; just microwaved it together)
4. Sliced strawberries for filling. Did not use peaches.
5. Made stabilized whipped cream using recipe below. Used stabilized whipped cream so that it would last longer and be easier to spread.
6. Assembled strawberry shortcake

Sponge Cake Recipe  (~from Japanese Cooking 101)

There are 3 points to success: exact measurements of ingredients, whipping the eggs until very thick, and not mixing too much and deflating the bubbles from the eggs.  Getting sponge cake to turn out the way you want can be a little tricky, but if you prepare and keep these 3 things in mind, your cake will come out beautifully.  So read the recipe and watch our video a few times, get all the ingredients measured and ready ahead of time (yes, seriously), and you’ll have a beautiful cake at home!

To make for 9 inch spring form pan, double.

Ingredients

§  20 g butter  (40 g butter)

§  1 Tbsp milk  (2 tBspn milk)

§  90 g cake flour (180 g cake flour)

§  3 eggs (6 eggs)

§  90 g sugar (180 g sugar)

§  1 tsp vanilla extract (2 tspn vanilla)

Instructions

1.     Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) at least 20 minutes before. Line a 7" cake pan with parchment paper (bottom and side). Put butter and milk In a small bowl and microwave until the butter melts. In another bowl, sift the cake flour 2 times. Set aside.

2.     In a bowl of a stand mixer, add eggs and sugar. Over a double boiler (placing the bowl over a pot with simmering water on low heat), whisk the egg mixture until it becomes lukewarm (until the sugar dissolves). Then set the bowl on the stand mixer, and whip the egg mixture until very thick (watch video to see the texture). Add vanilla and mix.

3.     Add sifted cake flour in 3 parts. Fold in the first one-third of the flour by hand with a spatula (not with the mixer). After the flour is incorporated, add the next part of flour and again fold in with the spatula. Repeat. Next, add the mixture of melted butter and milk and fold in with the spatula.

4.     Put the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

5.     Take the cake out from the oven and leave for 15 minutes. Finally, remove the cake from the cake pan.

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe ((~from Japanese Cooking 101))

There are several tips for better shortcake.  It is easier to build the cake if the whipped cream is very cold.  Sponge cake should be baked a day ahead to be able to be sliced easily.  Before frosting the whole cake, we recommend to first coat the cake with a very very thin layer of whipped cream, and then refrigerate well.  This is called “crumb coating,” and helps to avoid getting cake crumbs in the finishing cream. You must have a cake board underneath the cake.  It is not a big cake, but can get surprisingly heavy with fillings and frosting. It will be hard to transfer the cake to a plate without the cake board.  If you are a first time cake maker, don’t expect to do everything perfectly.  You may need to practice a couple of times.  But I know you’ll still enjoy making it and the taste of it no matter how it looks.  Good luck!

Ingredients

Syrup

·       1/4 C (60ml) water

·       1/4 C (50g) sugar

·       1 Tbsp Grand Marnier

Filling

·       1 lb strawberries

·       1 C canned peaches, drained

Whipped Cream

·       2 C (480ml) heavy cream

·       1/4 C (50g) sugar

·       1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cake

·       1 7" Sponge Cake

·       1 7" cake board

Instructions

1.     To make syrup, put water and sugar in a pot and let it boil for a minute until the sugar completely dissolves. Let it cool and add liquor. Set aside.

2.     Cut 4 strawberries into halves for decoration, and cut the rest into small pieces. Cut peaches into the same size as strawberry pieces.

3.     In a bowl of a stand mixer, add heavy cream. Set it in the mixer, and start whipping at medium speed, adding sugar in 2-3 parts until medium peaks form. Mix in vanilla.

4.     After getting all the components ready, assemble the cake. Slice the Sponge Cake horizontally into 3 layers. Set the bottom layer on a cake board on a turning cake table. Brush the syrup on the cake well, spread on about 1/5 of the whipped cream, and put 1/2 of the fruit fillings on the cream. Add another layer of cake, push down lightly, brush the syrup, spread more whipped cream (another 1/5) and the remainder of the fruit filling. Add the last layer of the cake, push down lightly, and brush the syrup on. Coat cake with a very small amount of cream, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Put another 1/5 of the whipped cream in a piping bag with a piping tip (any kinds) and set aside. Frost the whole cake with the rest of the whipped cream. Pipe 8 rosettes with the piping bag and top with the strawberry halves.

Used recipes below for stabilized whipped cream and simple syrup

Japanese Strawberry Shortcake (~from La Fuji Mama)

Makes one 7 or 8-inch layered cake

For Noriko’s sponge cake:
4 large eggs, white and yolks separated
4.2 ounces (120 grams, 9.5 tablespoons) granulated sugar, sifted once
3 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4.2 ounces (120 grams, 14 tablespoons) cake flour, sifted 3 times
1.2 ounces (22 grams, 2.3 tablespoons) butter, melted

For the stabilized whipped cream frosting:
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
4 teaspoons cold water
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the simple syrup:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water

8 – 10 ounces fresh strawberries

To make Noriko’s Sponge Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (170 to 180 degrees Celsius).  Line a 7 (18cm) or 8-inch circular cake pan with parchment paper, or grease the cake pan with butter, then lightly coat the pan with flour.

2. Add the sugar to the egg whites, and beat the egg whites until they are stiff and glossy.

3. Add the egg yolks to the egg white mixture, and gently whisk until the yolks are incorporated.

4. Add the milk, vanilla extract, and flour (in that order) to the batter and gently fold them into the batter with a spatula.  Fold in the melted butter until it is well combined.

5. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan, and get rid of any air bubbles in the batter by dropping the pan on a counter once or twice.  Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes.  The cake is done when it is golden brown and springs back when pressed lightly.  Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack. Run a blade around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake, and remove.

To make the Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting:

1. Put the cold water in a small saucepan.  Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the water and let stand for 5 minutes (do not stir).  Place the saucepan over low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon just until the gelatin dissolves.  Remove the saucepan from the heat and cool to room temperature.

2.In a mixing bowl, combine the whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla and beat until slightly thickened.  Then, while beating slowly, gradually pour the gelatin into the whipped cream mixture.  Then whip the mixture at high speed until stiff.

To make the Simple Syrup:

1. In a medium saucepan combine the sugar and water.  Bring the water to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

To assemble the cake:

1. Reserve 6 to 1o strawberries for decorating the cake.  Slice the remaining strawberries into thin slices (about 4 slices per strawberry).

2. Slice the sponge cake horizontally into 2 layers.

3. Place one sponge layer cut-side up on a cake board or serving plate and lightly crush the surface with the simple syrup.  Spread a thin layer of whipped cream over the cake layer and arrange the strawberry slices over the surface.  Spread an additional layer of whipped cream over the strawberries.  Brush the cut-side of the second layer with the simple syrup and place it over the first layer.  Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining whipped cream.  Decorate as desired and garnish with the reserved strawberries.