Japanese Strawberry Shortcake いちごのショートケーキ

• Gather all the ingredients.
  

Before we start

• Make sure the eggs and butter are at room temperature. Sift the cake flour at least twice.
  
  
• Place the cake pan on top of parchment paper, trace around the pan and cut out the circle. Grease one side of the parchment paper and also both the bottom and sides of the cake pan with butter. Then fit the parchment paper in the cake pan. (I avoid parchment paper on the side because sometimes it pulls the batter and affects the final result of the cake).
  
• Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). For a convection oven, reduce cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC). It’s always better to preheat longer, preferably 15-20 minutes extra. Tip: You preheat the oven so that all the surfaces inside your oven (walls, floor, door, racks) are the desired cooking temperature, which makes for more even temperatures throughout the oven and you won’t lose as much heat when you open the door for a few seconds. Depending on your oven, regular preheating might take 10 to 20 minutes.
  
• Prepare a double boiler. If you have never done this before, please see Notes section below. Turn on the stove’s heat to high and bring the water in the saucepan (Pot A) to a rapid boil. When boiling, reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer. Put the 40g (3 Tbsp) of butter in the small bowl (Bowl #1) and set over the saucepan. Let the butter melt gently.
  
  
• Once the butter is melted, remove the bowl from the saucepan. Then add 30 ml (2 Tbsp) whole milk and whisk to combine. Set aside to keep it around 104ºF (40ºC).
  

For the sponge cake

• In the stand mixer bowl (Bowl #2), add 4 eggs and break the egg yolks and whites.
  
  
• Add 120 g (½ cup + 2 Tbsp) sugar and whisk to combine.
  
• In the large pot (Pot B), bring about 2 inches of water to 140ºF or 60ºC and maintain the temperature. Then set the stand mixer bowl (Bowl #2) directly in the pot and whisk constantly so the eggs don’t become scrambled eggs. This method is called bain marie (or water bath), where the bowl of food is set directly in a larger container of hot or simmering water. You can also use the double boiler method, where you set the egg mixture bowl (Bowl #2) over the Pot B. The bowl doesn’t touch the simmering water of the pot. In both cases, the water tempers the heat to permit gentle, even cooking.
  
• Whisk until the temperature of the egg mixture reaches 104ºF (40ºC). Remove Bowl #2 from Pot B and set it up on the stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
  
• Whisk on high speed (level 10) until the mixture is fluffy, for about 2 minutes. The batter should be loose yet thick and glossy.
  
  
• When the batter is pale and fluffy and tripled in volume, slow down to low speed (level 4) for several seconds. Stop and lift up some of the mixture and fold it in, and if the batter stays on top of the mixture, that’s “ribbon stage” (see Notes). Remove from the stand mixer. 
  
  
• Add half of the flour. Using the whisk, fold gently but thoroughly. Do this by rotating your bowl slowly, and simultaneously moving your whisk in a downward-then-over motion.
  
  
• Add the rest of the flour and fold gently to make sure all the flour is incorporated quickly so your mixture doesn’t deflate.
  
  
• Take out 1 (spatula) scoop of the batter from the bowl and add to the butter & milk mixture.
  
  
• Mix very well. We incorporate butter into batter first because fat in butter will deflate the batter if we add the butter directly.
  
  
• Add the mixture back to the batter by pouring over the silicon spatula. This prevents the mixture from deflating the batter and helps disperse the mixture. Gently fold in. When you lift the spatula, the batter should fold down like ribbon.
  
  
• Pour the batter into the center of the cake pan, from right above the cake pan. You want to avoid introducing extra air into the batter at this point. Collect the leftover batter in the bowl and pour around the edges of the cake pan, not the center.
  
  
• Drop the cake pan on the counter to release air bubbles in the batter.
  
• In the preheated oven, bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 20-25 minutes. Check if the sponge cake is done by inserting a skewer in the middle and comes out clean. Meanwhile, move on to the cake assemble prepping stage.
  
• As soon as you take out the cake pan from the oven, drop it on the counter to give shock to the cake (so it stops shrinking). Separate the cake from the pan by running a sharp knife or offset spatula around the pan.
  
  
• Take the cake out of the pan by placing the wire rack on top and flipping it over. 
  
  
• Immediately remove the parchment paper.
  
  
• Place another wire rack on top and flip it back. The top of the cake is now facing up.
  
  
• Cover the cake with a damp towel until cooled (to keep moisture in the cake). Make sure the towel is thin (not heavy) and squeeze the water out VERY tightly so that it’s damp, not wet. I use IKEA’s thin dish towel. If you keep the sponge cake for later use, wrap with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge (See Notes).
  
  

Preparation for cake assembly (while the cake is baking)

• Divide the strawberries into 2 groups, for decoration and for filling. Keep the beautiful, same-sized strawberries for the decoration. Remove the husk and clean the strawberries with damp paper towel (do not wash, as we don’t want strawberries to have moisture and become moldy). Slice off the core for all the strawberries.
  
  
• For the strawberries that we use for topping, cut in half. For the strawberries that we use for filling, slice them into ¼ inch (5 mm) slices.
  
  
• To make syrup, in a small bowl (Bowl #3), combine 30 ml (2 Tbsp) water, 38 g (3 Tbsp) sugar, 1 Tbsp. liquor, and microwave for 1 minute to dissolve the sugar.
  
  

For whipping cream (while cake is cooling)

• Prepare ice bath by placing ice cubes and water in a large bowl (Bowl #4). Place a clean and dry mixing bowl (Bowl #2) over and add 473 ml (1 Pint) heavy cream and 38 g (3 Tbsp) sugar to keep cool.
  
  
• Once cooled, transfer the mixing bowl to the stand mixer and whisk on high speed. The cream will become thicker and smooth. When you lift the whisk out of the cream while it’s still liquid, but holds it shape as it drops, then it’s ready. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and put it back in the ice bath.
  
  

The cake assembly

• With a serrated knife, slice the middle of the cake horizontally into half. Now you have 2 layers (top and bottom).
  
  
• Place the bottom of the cake on the cake circle. Brush the syrup on top and the sides of the bottom layer. This will keep the sponge cake stay moist.
  
  
• Start to whisk the cream at one location by the edge of the bowl instead of whisking the entire cream. We will be making the whipped cream as we need. With this approach, we can also control the hardness of the cream.
  
  
• When the cream reaches “soft peaks”, take out the cream and transfer to the bottom of the cake. Soft peaks means when you lift the whisk, the cream will hold its line but the top peaks will be soft and after a second or two will fall back on itself.
  
  
• Spread the whipped cream evenly. If the whipped cream is not enough, whip more and add onto the cake.
  
  
• Place the strawberries on top of the whipped cream as you see in the pictures. Keep the center area open by not covering with strawberries. This will be easier to cut the cake into slices.
  
  
• Whip the cream again at the edge of the bowl.
  
  
• Transfer the whipped cream to the top of the strawberry layer. Spread just enough cream to cover the strawberries, do not put too much.
  
  
• Place the top layer of the sponge cake. Brush the syrup on the top and sides of the sponge cake.
  
  
• Whip more cream and place on the top.
  
  
• Place the tip of the offset spatula in the center at 30 degree angle, turn cake turntable toward you to create a smooth top. Lightly cover the sides of the cake with thin layer of the cream.
  
  
• Now add more cream to the side little by little. Place the offset spatula at 90 degree angle and push the turning table away from you.
  
  
• Remove the excess cream from the cake and put back into the bowl.
  
  

For cake decoration

• For a basic decoration, I use Wilton 2A decoration tip. Put the tip in the piping bag and cut off the tip so the metal will show from the bag. Fold the top half of the bag outward as you see in the picture (over the hands).
  
  
• Whip the cream to “stiff peaks”. When you lift the whisk, the peaks will hold firm. Put the cream into the piping bag. Once you fill out the bag half way, lift the bag and push the cream down to the tip.
  
  
• Squeeze the pipe to test to make sure the cream comes out smoothly. When you’re ready, hold the piping bag at 90 degree angle and squeeze about 1 inch diameter of whipped cream around the edge of the cake. This will be the base for the strawberries.
  
  
• Decorate and place the strawberries sideways on top of the whipped cream. Then squeeze more whipped cream in between strawberries, dropping small whipped cream all around. Place blueberries between the whipped cream dollops. Place the small mint leaves in some area to add colors.
  
  

To Store

• I recommend putting the cake in a cake stand with dome or a cake box to keep the cake shape while preventing it from drying. Keep the cake in the refrigerator and enjoy it in 2 days.