I got a call last week to make nice desserts, with two days’ notice. I quickly brainstormed some ideas, two of which I’d made before (lime bars, using my friend’s wonderful lemon bar recipe, and mini black bottom cupcakes) and a third which became this dessert.
I’ve made these Seven Layer Cookies many times before, which look so elegant. I was thinking of something that would be similar but a little less fussy, with a nut free cake and alternating sandwich layers of white chocolate and strawberry, to make it more spring/summery.
Originally I was thinking a sturdy cake like pound cake, but I ended up looking at any recipe that had multiple, thin layers of cake. There were several sponge recipes and several enriched recipes. Partly out of convenience and simplicity, I opted for the recipe below. Three ingredients, no separating eggs… seemed perfect.
I similarly looked at recipes for a white chocolate filling, just to see what could work. As soon as I saw this one, I knew it was perfect. Again, simple and convenient. Just two ingredients and a little patience yields a perfect, silky filling that tastes perfectly of white chocolate without being overly sweet and has a consistency between buttercream and whipped cream.
Lastly, I used purchased strawberry jam for this. If I was making it at my house I would have used homemade, or if I had more time I might have made a fresh compote. Basically, this layer can be as simple or complex as you want it to be.
This is overall a fairly simple recipe, although there are multiple steps and there are some “keys to success”, so to speak.
First are the keys for the cake. This is a simple cake that relies on whipped eggs for the structure and the lift to the cake. Because of that, it is imperative to whip the eggs for at least as long as specified, until it reaches the correct stage. The whole eggs and sugar should be pretty pale, almost white, and at least tripled in volume. When some of the mixture falls back into the bowl, the outline of the drop should stay in the mixture briefly.
It is important to maintain all the air that was whipped in, which is why the flour is folded in a little bit at a time. It is best to sift it in not because it sifts the flour, but because it helps evenly distribute it across the surface of the batter. If you try to put too much flour in at once, the flour will literally sink through the batter (it’s too heavy) and it will be hard to mix it in without any lumps while maintaining the air bubbles.
Second, the white chocolate ganache is a pretty standard ganache which is then whipped. The original recipe says to whip it when the ganache is at room temperature, but we found that (at least in a warm room), it doesn’t work. After a brief trip to the refrigerator, the mixture was cold enough that it actually did whip up correctly.
It will look a lot like whipped cream when it is whipped, and you want to get it to stiff peaks, where it will hold it’s shape when the whip is removed from the mixture. Unlike whipped cream, though, you shouldn’t have to worry about over-whipping it due to the white chocolate.
When refrigerated after whipping, it does get pretty solid. To use, bring to room temperature and then whip it slightly. If it isn’t at room temperature, you will get a bit of a “broken” texture. Just let it sit out for five or ten minutes, and re-whip at high speed and it will come back together.
I also want to note that I made this recipe as a half-sheet because I was looking for enough for a crowd, but I have cut down the recipe to use 9×13″ pans, which is more likely what someone will make at home. You could also cut the recipe in half and bake it in 8″ or 9″ rounds.
This would also be perfect with any seasonal fruit. It is basically an elevated shortcake recipe, so whatever fruit you might want in shortcake form would be perfect here. What combination sounds good to you?
Strawberry White Chocolate Shortcake Cake
Ingredients
Sponge cake:
- 9 eggs, divided
- 1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
White chocolate ganache:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups white chocolate chips
Assembly:
- 8-12 ounces strawberry jam (see notes below)
Instructions
Sponge cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place parchment paper on the bottom of three 9x13" pans, and then spray the bottom and sides of each pan with nonstick spray. If you don't have multiple pans, you can use the same pan with brief rests between the layers.
- Place three whole eggs and 1/2 cup sugar in a stand mixer with the whip attachment, and begin to whip, increasing to medium speed (speed 4 on KitchenAid) for about 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, increase a little (speed 6 on KitchenAid) and beat for another 6 minutes, for at least ten minutes total. The mixture should be very light in color, thick, and have the volume multiplied. If you remove the bowl from the mixer, the batter should briefly leave a trail when falling off the whip.
- Place 1/2 cup all-purpose flour in a strainer, and gently tap a little bit of flour onto the surface of the whipped egg mixture. You can use the whip to stir in the flour for the first couple of times, and then you will want to switch to a rubber spatula. Cut down the middle of the mixture with the spatula, then gently curve along the side. This will gently fold the mixture, keeping as much air in as possible while still incorporating the flour. You want to only sprinkle a little flour at a time, roughly 2 to 3 tablespoons, as putting more will make it difficult to incorporate the flour without lumps.
- Holding the bowl as close to the bottom of the pan as possible, gently pour the mixture into the prepared pan. The less distance the batter has to fall, the more air will be retained, which is what you want.
- Bake the layer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the top is light to medium brown and the surface of the cake bounces back when it is gently pressed with a fingertip.
- If you have a second pan prepared, begin making the second layer while the first is baking. Follow the above directions.
- When the sponge cake is done, remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack. If you need to use the pan for another layer, wait until the pan is cool enough to handle, and use a knife to cut around the sides to loosen the cake and gently tip it out. Place the bottom of the cake (with parchment still attached if it is) back on the wire rack and wash the pan before lining with parchment paper and spraying all over with nonstick spray. If you don't need the pan, you can leave the cake in there until you're ready to stack the cake.
- These layers can be frozen by placing them on a baking sheet and wrapping them in plastic wrap. Because there is no fat in the cake, they will not freeze "solid" like a regular cake will. Make sure that nothing is placed on top of them in a freezer, or it will deflate the cakes.
- When all three layers are baked and cool, and you're ready to assemble the cake, start the white chocolate ganache.
White chocolate ganache:
- Measure the cream in a microwave-safe container, and microwave for about 45 seconds, until it is hot but not boiling - it should feel hot on the sides, and steam should be coming off the liquid. The white chocolate chips should be placed in a heat-safe container.
- Pour the cream over the white chocolate chips, and cover the container for five minutes, to let the cream gently heat the white chocolate.
- After five minutes, use a heat-safe spatula to gently stir the mixture until it is completely smooth. If it looks broken, keep stirring and it will come together.
- Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 15 minutes so that it will cool down.
- Remove from refrigerator and scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl fitted with a whip attachment. Beat on medium to high speed for three to five minutes, until it looks like thick whipped cream. If it looks a little broken, keep beating and it will come together. If the mixture doesn't seem to have thickened after several minutes, and it's a warm room, place the mixture back in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes.
Assembly:
- Place one layer of cake on the desired serving board. Place a 1/4" thick layer of white chocolate whipped ganache on top of the cake. Try to get it to the edge of the cake without going over the side. Spread a layer of the jam on top of the ganache.
- Place another layer of cake on top of the jam, and place a layer of white chocolate whipped ganache and then jam on top of the second cake layer. Place the third cake on top of the stack.
- For clean, pre-cut pieces, freeze the cake for at least an hour. Dip the knife in hot water, wipe the blade, and then cut the edges of the cake (about 1/2") to remove the rough sides. Cut the cake into pieces, and serve. Store cake in the refrigerator, or for longer shelf life, keep in the freezer.
- Notes: This cake could be made with any flavor of jam, either bought or homemade, or with freshly made sauce. This recipe can be cut in half to make an 8" or 9" cake, or doubled to make a half sheet cake.