Whipped Cream and Other Delights
by Annemarie Ahearn
June 30, 1982... my first birthday party. One celebratory candle centered atop an angel food cake, smothered in Cool Whip and decorated with sliced strawberries. June is a preferred month for naissance, leaving its babies with a sunnier disposition. Although my mother has traditionally prepared my birthday cake in the same exact fashion each year, in 2004, my sister performed the pastry duties. Sadly, it did not occur to her to wait for the mass of yellow cake to cool before splitting it and liberally spreading it with whipped cream, which of course, melts on contact. By the time the birthday song began, she had no choice but to present a wet and dripping birthday cake. Just as I blew out the candles, the top half slipped right off the bottom and landed square on the kitchen floor. Luckily darkness and whiskey distracted us from the mess and it was forgotten about until morning.
June Birthday Cake
1 cup all purpose flour
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 pints strawberries, sliced
1 cup cold whipping cream
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a round cake pan, about 9 inches across. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat the butter until creamy. Slowly add the sugar and continue to beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and then add the vanilla. Slowly sift the dry ingredients into the bowl, mixing at low speed. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and place in the oven for 40 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let cool. Meanwhile, whip the cream with the handheld mixer in a stainless steel bowl until soft peaks form. Once the cake has cooled completely, slice it in half horizontally. Liberally spread whipped cream around the sides and top of the first layer. Stick the berries to the cream, side by side. Place the second layer on top of the first and repeat. Stick a candle in the middle. Store in the fridge until ready to present.
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Serve with: Prosecco
Birthdays are a great time to break out the bubbly. Even though I’m turning 30 this month (a milestone I’m told), you won’t see me poppin’ Cristal to celebrate. Let’s just say it doesn’t mesh with my Depression-era values. I’m more into Prosecco, made in Italy’s Veneto region, north of Venice. This sparkling wine is just as nuanced as Champagne with its dainty acacia flower aromas and crisp pear flavors, but so much cheaper.
Prosecco is made in the Italian frizzante style and it isn’t aged as long as Champagne, so it tastes fresher. Try a Prosecco Brut (the driest version) with a slice of birthday cake. I’m fond of the Rionolo Prosecco ($8.99,) which still incorporates the traditional spago, or string, to fasten the cork.
- Brook Fischer
June Birthday Cake
1 cup all purpose flour
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 pints strawberries, sliced
1 cup cold whipping cream
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a round cake pan, about 9 inches across. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat the butter until creamy. Slowly add the sugar and continue to beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and then add the vanilla. Slowly sift the dry ingredients into the bowl, mixing at low speed. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and place in the oven for 40 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let cool. Meanwhile, whip the cream with the handheld mixer in a stainless steel bowl until soft peaks form. Once the cake has cooled completely, slice it in half horizontally. Liberally spread whipped cream around the sides and top of the first layer. Stick the berries to the cream, side by side. Place the second layer on top of the first and repeat. Stick a candle in the middle. Store in the fridge until ready to present.
****
Serve with: Prosecco
Birthdays are a great time to break out the bubbly. Even though I’m turning 30 this month (a milestone I’m told), you won’t see me poppin’ Cristal to celebrate. Let’s just say it doesn’t mesh with my Depression-era values. I’m more into Prosecco, made in Italy’s Veneto region, north of Venice. This sparkling wine is just as nuanced as Champagne with its dainty acacia flower aromas and crisp pear flavors, but so much cheaper.
Prosecco is made in the Italian frizzante style and it isn’t aged as long as Champagne, so it tastes fresher. Try a Prosecco Brut (the driest version) with a slice of birthday cake. I’m fond of the Rionolo Prosecco ($8.99,) which still incorporates the traditional spago, or string, to fasten the cork.
- Brook Fischer
