LEMONY SPONGE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM

Betty Osburn, Buckhannon WV

First Place- Cakes

WV STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

4 large eggs, at room temp

2/3 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup plus 3 tbsp sugar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup strawberry jam

3 cups sliced strawberries

Shortbread hearts (recipe follows)

Strawberries whole

Heat oven 350.

Grease 2 (8″) round cake layer pans

line bottoms with waxed paper. grease paper.

Beat eggs and 2/3  cups sugar in large bowl with electric mixer 8-10 minutes until very thick and tripled in volume. Beat in vanilla. Put flour in medium sized strainer and sift over batter

Gently stir (fold) with rubber spatula just until thoroughly blended. Pour into prepared pans bake at 16-20 minutes until golden around edges and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool cakes on wire rack.

loosen edges from pans, invert on rack and let cool completely. When cool carefully slice each layer in half using long serrated knife.

Heat 1/3 cup sugar and lemon juice until boiling. Stir until all sugar dissolves.

Brush hot syrup over cut surfaces of cake layers until all syrup is absorbed  Cool COMPLETELY

Beat cream and remaining 3 tbsp. of sugar with electric mixer until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. (makes 4 cups)

Spoon off 1 cup and reserve.

Stir strawberry jam, then stir jam into remaining whipped cream.

To assemble.

Place 1 cake layer, cut side up on serving plate. Top with 1 cup sliced strawberries. then 1 cup whipped cream mixture. repeat with remaining layers. Putting last layer cut side down. Spread with reserved whipped cream.  Decorate with shortbread hearts and strawberries.

SHORTBREAD HEARTS RECIPE

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter or margarine.

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1 1/2 tsp lemon extract

Beat butter confectioners sugar and extract in large bowl with electric mixer till pale and fluffy. With mixer on low speed beat in flour just until blended. Shape dough into 1inch thick disk. Wrap and chill at least 4 hours or until firm enough to roll.

Heat oven to 325 and have ungreased cookie sheet ready.

On lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll dough into 3/8 inch thickness Cut with 1 1/2 heart shaped cookie cutter Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet Sprinkle with granulated sugar

Bake 11-13 minutes until set but not brown.