Strawberry Cream Cake

(for cake)

1 1/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t table salt
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
6 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 T water
2 t vanilla extract

(for strawberry filling)

2 lbs fresh strawberries, washed, dried, and stemmed
4~6 T sugar
2 T Kirsch
pinch table salt

(for whippped cream)

8 oz cream chees, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1/8 t table salt
2 cups heavy cream

>how to make<

(for cake)
*Heat oven to 325 degrees.
*Grease and flour round 9" x 2" cake pan or 9" springform pan and line with parchment paper.
*Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and all but 3 T sugar in mixing bowl.
*Whisk in 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks, butter, water, and vanilla; whisk until smooth.
*In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat remaining 3 egg whites at medium-low speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes.
*With machine running, gradually add remaining 3 T sugar, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form, 60 to 90 seconds.
*Stir one-third of whites into batter to lighten; batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or wooen skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.
*Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert cake completely, about 2 hours.

(for strawberry filling)
*Halve 25 of best-looking berries and reserve.
*Quarter remaining berries; toss with 4 to 6 T sugar in medium bowl and let sit 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
*Strain juices from berries and reserve.
*In workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, give macerated berries five 1-second pulses.
*In small saucepan over medium high heat, simmer reserved juices and Kirsch until syrupy and reduced to about 3 T, 3 to 5 minutes.
*Pour reduvce syrup over macerated berries, add pinch of salt, and toss to combine.
*Set aside until cake is cooled.

(for whipped cream)
*When cake has cooled, place cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment.
*Whisk at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed.
*Reduce speed to low and add heavy cream in slow, steady stream; when almost fully combined, increase speed to medium high and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks 2 to 2 1/2 minutes more, scraping bowl as needed.

(for assembling)
*Using large serrated knife, slice cake into three even layers.
*Place bottom layer on cardboard round or cake plate and arrange ring of 20 strawberry halves, cut sides down and stem ends facing out, around perimeter of cake layer.
*Pour one half of pureed berry mixture in center, then spread to cover any exposed cake.
*Gently spread about one theid of whipped cream over berry layer, leaving 1/2" border from edge.
*Place middle cake layer on top and press down gently.
*Repeat with 20 additional strawberry halves, remaining berry mixture, and half of remaining whipped cream; gently press last cake layer on top.
*Spread remaining whipped cream over top; decorate with remaining cut strawberries.
*Serve, or chill for up to 4 hours.

-makes 10-

Note: I found this recipe in "Cooks Illustrated".