While I was at my friend Hannah’s wedding, I happened to befriend a couple sitting next to us, who also lived near the South Bay area(of Los Angeles, not San Francisco). It’s not every day that you meet people who live in that part of LA county, especially because it is a much more residential area. Usually people my age tend to prefer living in more up and coming areas like Silver Lake or Echo Park, which are more LA-property instead of the suburbs. So anyways, after some talking about what we do for work and whatnot, they actually wanted to order a cake from me! They specifically requested a berries and cream cake with a custard filling. So that was exactly what I whipped up with them. I envisioned this super soft vanilla chiffon cake with custard, macerated strawberries, and a light vanilla pastry cream. Since this was a cake order, I was unfortunately able to take a cross section picture of it, but I was able to at least decorate the exterior of the cake to fully communicate that it is indeed a strawberries and cream cake! I knew I was going to pipe the cream on top, and decorate the top with strawberry wedges, but I also wanted to garnish the side with more strawberry slices, just to really add that dramatic color contrast between the two.

From a technical standpoint, this sponge can be tricky. Chiffon cake requires a lot of whisking, specifically on your egg whites, to form a stiff meringue that will result in a light, aerated sponge. When baking a chiffon cake, it can take a lot of time to bake it if you are pouring that kind of batter into a deep baking tin. My workaround to that is simply pouring the batter into a sheet tray, spreading it in an even layer, and baking it that way to ensure a lot less baking time, and by extension of that, less cooling time. The custard cream is made with leftover egg yolks, whisked with milk, sugar, and cornstarch. This, along with the heavy cream, are probably the two portions of the recipe that require the most precision, because if the custard is overcooked, you have sweet scrambled eggs, while if you overwhip the cream, you have sweet butter. I would just warn you, if you have never made either component before, to just keep an eye on each while following the recipe to ensure that they do not go pear shaped. Overall, this is a light, airy cake, perfect for the summer, and perfect to celebrate strawberries!

Makes a 6-inch cake, roughly 6-8 servings:
For the chiffon cake:
4 egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
1oz canola oil
2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

In a bowl, whisk the egg whites, sugar, salt, and vanilla together until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and canola oil. Sift into the egg yolks your flour and baking powder, then fold into that your egg whites to form your batter.

Pour the batter into a lined half sheet tray and spread it in an even layer. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Cut two 6-inch rounds and form a third out of the scraps.

For the custard cream:
1 cup whole milk
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a pot, start by heating up the whole milk on medium. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Pour half of the warmed milk over the egg yolks and whisk that together. Then pour the egg yolks into the pot with the milk, and whisk on medium heat until the custard begins to thicken and cling to the sides of your whisk. Take the custard off heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla until incorporated. Then pass the custard through a sieve to remove any lumps.

For the macerated strawberries:
8oz fresh strawberries, sliced
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
a pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Stir everything together until the strawberries are coated in the other ingredients.

For the cake soak:
3/4 cups whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

For initial assembly:
Line a 6-inch cake round with acetate and place onto a sheet tray that can fit in your freezer. Place down the scrappy cake layer first, then apply onto that 1/3 of your soak. Then spread onto that half of your custard, and half of your strawberries. Repeat these steps with your next round of cake. Then place down the last round of cake and add the soak to it as well. Freeze the cake for at least 2 hours before attempting to unmold it – you want it frozen solid for ease of assembly.

For the chantilly cream:
8oz heavy cream
2oz confectioner’s sugar
a pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract or bean paste
1/4 tsp xanthan gum

Whisk everything together until stiff peaks form. Keep the cream refrigerated until time to use.

For final assembly:
3 strawberries, sliced into thin disks
3 strawberries, cut ito wedges
1 tsp olive oil
a pinch of salt

Brush the strawberry pieces with olive oil and salt.

For the cake, start by spreading the cream around it in a thin, even layer. Then with any remaining cream, pipe that on top of the cake and on the sides of the cake. Use an offset spatula to gently apply pressure on any side pipings of cream, just to create swipes of cream o the sides. Garnish the sides of the cake with strawberry slices, and the top with strawberry wedges to finish.