Strawberry Torte

Baking Babes Commentary: This recipe was one that we tried from the Food Network - Anna Olsen. It's fairly easy to make about 45 minutes in total and tastes quite good. What we didn't get is why the meringue for one cake gets flipped onto the plate, the meringue gets crushed and sticks to the plate.

Our funny discovery: the dessert looks like the one on the Cool Whip tub!


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar (less is a bit better)
• 3 x large eggs
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup 2% milk
• 1-1/4 cup pastry flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease and flour two 8-inch square cake pans.
   
2. Beat vegetable oil, ½ cup sugar and egg yolks with electric beaters until fluffy. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla. Stir in milk.
   
3. Sift together pastry flour, baking powder and salt and gently stir into egg yolk mixture until blended. Spread evenly into the 2 prepared pans.
   
4. Whip egg whites with electric beaters until frothy, then gradually add the remaining ½ cup sugar and whip until whites hold a stiff peak. Spread meringue evenly over batter in pans.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cakes completely in the pan.
6. To assemble, turn one cake out onto a plate, meringue-side down (We suggest not). Top cake with half the strawberries and cream (Place cream on the bottom layer, add strawberries and then coat with one more layer of cream or else torte doesn't hold). Place second cake layer on top, meringue-side up and top with remaining cream and fruit. Chill until ready to serve.
7. Garnish with whip cream.
   

Whisk Rating: (out of 5)