ELIS TOOMPUU
Author

Brita’s cake with strawberries

Base:

  • 150 g butter, at room temperature
  • 100 g (about 1.2 dl) sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 110 g (about 2 dl) flour
  • 1 dl milk
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • A pinch of salt

Icing:

  • 3 egg whites
  • 125 g (about 1.5 dl)
  • sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla sugar
  • 25 g almond flakes

Filling:

  • 4–5 dl whipping cream (35%) or a mixture of whipping cream and curds*
  • 3 tbsp lemon spread (if desired)
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla sugar
  • 500 g strawberries, raspberries or other berries
Pre-heat the oven to 175 °C. To prepare the base, beat the butter (at room temperature) with the sugar. Continue to beat, adding the egg yolks one by one. Then alternately add the mixture of dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) and milk to the batter and stir until smooth. Cover a baking tray with parchment paper and spread the batter into it using a spatula.
Whisk the egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks form. When you are done whisking, turn the bowl upside down – if the whipped egg whites stay put in the bowl, they have been sufficiently whisked. Spread the whisked egg whites in an even layer onto the base and sprinkle almond flakes on top. Bake at 175 °C for about 25 minutes or until the meringue is lightly golden. Take the base out of the oven and set aside to cool. When the base is cool, cut it in half sidewise and lit one half carefully onto a serving stand.
If you are just using whipped cream for the filling, then spread a thin layer of the lemon spread (if you wish to use it) onto the base. Whisk the cream with the sugars and spread a thin layer of it over the lemon cream. If you are using 50% of whipping cream and 50% of curds, mix the lemon cream with the curds until smooth, whisk the whipping cream with the sugars and stir carefully into the curd mixture. Spread the cream onto the base in an even layer.
Hull the strawberries and cut into sectors. Spread in an even layer on the cream. Finally place the second half of the base on top of everything and put the cake in a cool place for a few hours. If desired, decorate the cake with berries before serving and carefully cut it in pieces.
The cake tastes the best on the day it is made.
* I have used Saida Farm’s sweet curds that have a wonderful texture – thick and creamy. If you are using regular curds, you may add a few spoonfuls of sugar into the filling. Curds with a texture resembling cottage cheese are not a good choice in such a combination of creams.
Idea: the Nami-nami recipe collection