Bløtkake - Norwegian - Strawberry Cream Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cake flour or 3/4 cup pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 eggs, separated
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed (quartered or sliced)
• 1/2 cup strawberry jam (warmed and strained) or 1/2 cup apricot jam (warmed and strained)
• 1/4 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed (quartered or sliced)
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed (quartered or sliced)

Recipe

• 1 to make the cake:.
• 2 blend the flour with the baking powder and set aside. in a large bowl, whip the separated egg whites until fluffy; add in the sugar to the whipped egg whites gradually. beat the mixture until it gets to a stiff meringue like consistency. in a seperate small bowl, beat the egg yolks until frothy. gently fold the egg yolks and flour mixture into the egg whites and mix gently until well combined.
• 3 preheat your oven to 350°f.
• 4 butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. divide the batter between the two pans. bake the 9-inch layers until the centers spring back when touched with finger, approximately 30 minutes. set on a rack to cool, leaving the cake layers in the pans. when cooled the centers of the layters may sink slightly.
• 5 for the custard filling:.
• 6 in a small saucepan mix the egg yolks, butter, cornstarch, half-and-half and sugar. cook the mixture, stirring constantly over medium heat until it attains a smooth, thick and creamy texture. remove from the heat, cover and cool. once cool stir in the vanilla.
• 7 assembling the cake:.
• 8 cut the 2 9-inch layers in half horizontally. place one of the layers on a cake plate or serving plate and spread with some of the custard and place some of the berries into the custard.
• 9 add an additional layer of cake and spread with the strawberry or apricot jam adding more of the fruit.
• 10 add the third layer and spread again with custard adding berries.
• 11 top with the remaining layer of cake.
• 12 an hour before serving whip the cream and flavor with the powdered sugar and vanilla, spread the whipped cream on top of the cake and garnish with some of the strawberries.
• 13 enjoy!