Cake with meringue and strawberries
It's strawberry season again. Although strawberries are available almost all year round nowadays, they are at their best now. In this recipe, the strawberries are marinated in crema di balsamico for a while. It might sound strange, but it's oh so delicious! And when combined with meringue foam and cake, it's simply delightful.
Ingredients
Springform or round cake tin with a detachable bottom, 20 cm in diameter
Cake
80 grams of vegetable or regular butter at room temperature
80 grams of fine granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
75 grams of Lisa's Choice rice flour
30 grams of cornstarch
1.5 tsp of baking powder
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or zest of half a lemon
a pinch of salt
50 ml of (plant-based) milk
Meringue Foam
3 egg whites
100 grams of fine granulated sugar
25 grams of sliced almonds
Marinated Strawberries
250 grams of strawberries
1 tablespoon of crema di balsamico (available at the supermarket)
optional: powdered sugar to taste
Optional powdered sugar for decoration
Preparation
Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius and grease the baking tin. You can also line the bottom with a round piece of parchment paper.
2. Place the dry ingredients (rice flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt) in a bowl, whisk together, and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the butter and sugar and mix until light and pale in color.
4. Add the vanilla extract (or lemon zest) and then add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
5. Gradually add the dry flour mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Finally, add the milk and mix until you have a smooth and homogeneous batter.
6. Evenly distribute the batter over the bottom of the baking tin and set aside.
Meringue
1. In a clean, grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites until they increase in volume and start to foam. Gradually add the sugar, spoon by spoon, while continuing to whisk. Mix at high speed until the sugar is completely dissolved, and the foam is glossy and stiff.
2. Spread this meringue foam over the cake batter. You can create decorative patterns in the foam using a spatula.
3. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the meringue foam.
Place the baking tin in the oven and bake the cake for about 30-35 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool slightly in the tin. Remove the sides of the tin and let it cool further. The meringue will sink and crack slightly.
Marinated Strawberries
1. While the cake is in the oven, cut the strawberries into large pieces. Leave a few small strawberries whole. Place the strawberries in a bowl and add a tablespoon of crema di balsamico and optionally some powdered sugar to taste. Cover the strawberries and let them marinate for at least an hour.
You can dust the cooled meringue cake with some powdered sugar if desired. Then spoon the marinated strawberries on top. The cake is best enjoyed on the same day but can also be enjoyed the next day.
Tip: Incorporate some diced strawberries into the cake batter for added moisture and freshness.
Enjoy!