Strawberry Sundae Cake from ‘Grandbaby Cakes’
Every week, Yahoo Food spotlights a cookbook that stands out from all the rest. This week’s cookbook is Grandbaby Cakes by Jocelyn Delk Adams. Read more about Yahoo Food’s Cookbook of the Week here.
Photograph by Jocelyn Delk Adams
Strawberry Sundae Cake
Serves 18–22
My love of strawberry ice cream is well documented at this point. Nothing could keep me from being a hard-core frozen-strawberry groupie. Because I wasn’t too adventurous with my eating, once I loved something, I latched on and never let go. Can you blame me, though? I could not get enough of the pretty, pink, luscious sweet cream with bits of fresh berries sprinkled throughout. The fixation began when my daddy started taking our family to an epic ice cream parlor called The Plush Horse after my summer golf lessons at a premier golf course. While my daddy was trying to groom the next Tiger Woods, he instead groomed a frozen-strawberry groupie. I was so hooked that every single ice cream parlor visit until the age of 14 resulted in my walking away with strawberry ice cream.
This cake reminds me of those countless visits. Silky fresh-churned strawberry ice cream is sandwiched between moist vanilla cake layers, then the entire thing is frosted with a dreamy whipped cream. Because it’s ice cream, it can melt quickly—but that’s fine, because this cake won’t stick around for long once it’s done.
Grandbaby Notes:
This ice cream recipe makes about two quarts. If you have an ice cream maker with a lower capacity, just make it in two batches.
For the cake, if you can’t find malt powder, no worries. Just omit and increase your flour to three cups.
Ice Cream
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1½ cups granulated sugar
Pinch salt
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups half-and-half
1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled, puréed with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4 drops red food coloring (optional)
Cake
2 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 large egg white, room temperature
2 ½ cups sifted cake flour
⅔ cup malt powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Whipped Cream
3 cups heavy cream, cold
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Ice Cream
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks. Add the granulated sugar and salt and whisk to incorporate.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the heavy cream and half-and-half to a boil. Once the mixture starts to boil, remove from the heat.
Slowly whisk 3 tablespoons of the hot heavy cream mixture into the egg mixture. Whisk constantly to make sure the eggs don’t scramble and slowly add the rest of the heavy cream mixture. Add the strawberry purée, vanilla extract, and food coloring, if using, and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
Remove from the refrigerator. Make ice cream according to your ice cream maker instructions.
While the ice cream churns, line two 9-inch round cake pans with plastic wrap.
Once the ice cream is at the soft-serve stage, spoon it evenly into the prepared pans and cover the tops with more plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight.
For the Cake
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Liberally prepare three 9-inch round cake pans with the nonstick method of your choice.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the granulated sugar and oil for 6 minutes on high speed. Add the eggs 1 at a time and the egg white, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed and slowly add the flour and malt powder in 2 batches. Add the salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Be careful not to overbeat. Add the buttermilk and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix until just combined. The finished batter should be pale yellow and have a silky texture.
Evenly pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a layer comes out just barely clean. It is crucial not to overbake this cake. The cake layers should have a rich golden color and a spongy texture with tiny bubbles.
Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks. Let cool for 1 hour. Wrap each layer in plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer to chill for at least 2 hours.
For the Whipped Cream
Clean your stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment. Place them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to get them nice and cold.
Remove the bowl and whisk attachment from the refrigerator. Add the heavy cream and whip on medium-high until soft peaks form.
Turn your mixer down to medium-low speed and add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract. Once the sugar is fully incorporated, turn your mixer speed back to high and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
To Assemble
Warning: This process must move quickly.
Remove the cake layers from the freezer and unwrap them. Place one layer of cake in the center of your serving plate.
Remove 1 pan of ice cream from the freezer, unwrap it, and place the ice cream layer directly on top of the cake layer. Top the ice cream with the second cake layer.
Remove the second pan of ice cream from the freezer and top the second cake layer with the remaining ice cream. Top this with the final cake layer, bottom-side up.
Using an offset spatula, quickly spread the whipped cream on the outside of the cake. Smooth the whipped cream out with the spatula. Freeze until ready to serve. Use a warm knife to cut when serving. Store the cake in the freezer.
Reprinted with permission from Grandbaby Cakes by Jocelyn Delk Adams (Agate Surrey, 2015).
More recipes from Grandbaby Cakes:
Gluten-Free Chocolate Orange Cookies
Brown Butter Honey Child Cornbread
