Strawberry Meringue Cake

Strawberries and meringues – everyone’s favorite dessert combination. Start with a layer of cake, use any berries or stone fruit you love and this will be your most requested dessert all summer long. Pavlova just got a makeover…

Recipe for the cake:

•  2/3 cup unsalted butter (5 1/3  ounces), softened 

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided 

• 4 large eggs, 1 3/4 cups cake flour (such as Swans Down) (about 6 5/8 ounces) 

• 2 teaspoons baking powder 

• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 

• 1/2 cup sour cream 

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• 1/2 ounce freeze-dried strawberries (about 2/3 cup),coarsely crushed (about 1/3 cup) 

Recipe for the meringue:

• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature 

• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

• 1 cup sugar

Recipe for the topping:

• 1 pound strawberries 

• 1/4 cup strawberry jam

• 11/2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons sumac

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• 1/2 sour cream

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• 1 tablespoon sugar

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on both long sides; lightly grease with cooking spray. 

2. Beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar with a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add whole eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 additions alternately with sour cream (2 additions of 1/4 cup each), beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating on low speed until just combined after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Fold in freeze-dried strawberries. Spread mixture in prepared pan, and set aside.

3. Beat egg whites with stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Add cream of tartar. With mixer running on medium speed, gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until all sugar is incorporated and mixture is glossy and forms stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. 

4. Spread meringue in an even layer on top of cake batter, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edges of pan.

5. Bake cake in preheated oven until meringue is dry and a wooden skewer inserted through meringue and cake comes out clean, 22 to 26 minutes. Let cake cool in pan 10 minutes. Using parchment as handles, carefully transfer cake to a wire rack. (Meringue will crack.) Let cool completely, about 1 hour.

Steps for topping:

1. Meanwhile, place strawberry jam in a medium-size saucepan and heat on medium low heat. Add berries, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons sumac, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

2. Combine heavy cream, sour cream, vanilla, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. With mixer running on medium speed, gradually add sugar, beating until medium peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Transfer cake to a serving board, and remove parchment paper. Top with cream mixture. Just before serving, top with strawberry mixture. Sprinkle with powdered dehydrated strawberries.