Recipe: Swedish Strawberry Cake

A Swedish Midsommar tradition, Strawberry Cake is not to be missed.

It's like a more composed strawberry shortcake.  It's delicious.  And, it's beautiful.


Swedish Strawberry Cake


Cake:
4 eggs
1 2/3 c sugar
3/4 c hot water
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
1 2/3 c all-purpose flour

Filling & Topping:
~2 lbs strawberries
1/4 c sugar
1 8-oz tub cool whip (I used fat free)
1 package cream cheese (I used neufchatel 1/3 fat)
2 Tbsp confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

Beat together eggs and sugar until fluffy.  Add the hot water to the egg & sugar mixture along with the vanilla.  Combine the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl.  Fold into the wet ingredients.

Cooling

Pour into your prepared pan.  Bake for 35-45 minutes (a skewer inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean). Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, and then remove the sides of the springform pan.  Let cool on a wire rack completely before assembling the cake.

Slice the cake horizontally into three layers using a sharp bread knife.

Slice most of the strawberries into thin slices and sprinkle with sugar.  Allow to sit for about 5 minutes.

Arrange strawberry slices between the layers of the cakes.  If possible, let sit for several hours in the refrigerator to give the strawberry juices time to soak into the cake.

For the topping, whip together cool whip and softened cream cheese.  Fold in the confectioner's sugar.

Cover the cake with the cream, and top with additional halved strawberries.  Enjoy!