This cake is a celebration of perfectly ripe, summertime strawberries served on a soft and fluffy, biscuit base. The shell is baked in a German-style tart pan. If you don’t have one, you can find it for example here.
Swap the homemade vanilla pudding and glaze for a shop-bought if you are short on time.
Fresh Strawberry Cake
Course: DessertCuisine: GermanDifficulty: Medium8
servings2
hours12
minutesThis cake is a celebration of perfectly ripe, summertime strawberries.
Ingredients
- For the biscuit base
75 g / 2.6 oz all-purpose flour
25 g / 0.9 oz almond flour
a pinch of cinnamon
3 eggs
75 g / 2.6 oz sugar
a pinch of salt
- For the vanilla pudding (alternatively, use store-bought vanilla pudding mix)
500 ml / 16.9 fl oz milk
1 vanilla bean
3 egg yolks
70 g / 2.5 oz confectioners’ sugar
30 g / 1.1 oz corn or potato starch
- For the strawberry topping and glaze (alternatively, use store-bought clear glaze)
2 lbs strawberries, hulled and sliced vertically 1/4 inch thick
3 – 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
60 ml (1/4 cup or 2 fl oz) cold water
- Equipment
German-style tart pan
Method
- Prepare the strawberries: Toss strawberries with sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside for at least 1 1/2 hours or up to 3 hours.
- Prepare the biscuit base: Preheat the oven to 355F/180C. Butter the tart pan. In a mixing bowl stir together flour, almond flour, and cinnamon. In a second mixing bowl beat the eggs with sugar and a pinch of salt until thick and creamy, about 5 – 8 minutes. Using a whisk, gently fold the flour-almond mixture into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out the surface. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes until golden brown. Allow the biscuit base to cool down before removing it from the baking pan.
- Prepare the pudding: Slith the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the pulp, and add it to the milk. Bring the milk to a boil then turn off the heat. Meanwhile beat the egg yolks with confectioners’ sugar for at least 3 minutes, until pale, thick, and creamy. Stir in corn or potato starch. Pour the mixture into the hot milk while stirring constantly and bring to a boil again. Spread the pudding immediately over the biscuit base and allow it to cool down and set.
Alternatively, use a store-bought vanilla pudding mix and follow the instructions on the packet to prepare. - Arrange the strawberries: Drain berries in a fine-mesh strainer placed over a bowl and reserve the liquid. Arrange the fruit in an attractive pattern and evenly layer to cover the vanilla pudding filling.
- Prepare the glaze: Place potato starch in a small cup and add 1/4 cup (60 ml) water; stir with a teaspoon until the starch is dissolved. Pour the reserved strawberry juice into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir in the starch mixture and bring it to a boil while constantly stirring with a hand whisk or a spoon. Once boiled, remove the glaze from the heat and let it cool down slightly. Stir every 3-5 minutes to prevent a film from forming on the surface of the glaze. With a silicone brush, gently apply the glaze on top of the fruit. Refrigerate the pastry for at least 1 hour before serving.
Alternatively, prepare store-bought glaze following the instructions on the packet and using the reserved strawberry juice.
Notes
- The biscuit base can be frozen for 1 to 3 months. To do this, place the base on a large plate or platter and let it freeze slightly in the freezer, then carefully wrap it in foil and freeze it completely. This way, the biscuit won’t break.
