From private expertise, I’ve discovered that making a lovely dessert is barely half the battle in a spot like New York. The actual take a look at is getting it throughout town to its desired vacation spot in a single piece, and doing all the pieces attainable to keep away from the worst attainable situation: dropping it on the bottom. Truffles are particularly prone to unintended jostling from hurried subway passengers and sudden adjustments in motion, so I’m — to place it mildly — a nervous ball of power each time I’ve to move one throughout city (and earlier than you ask, Ubers are sometimes simply as anxiety-inducing; was Second Avenue at all times so bumpy?).
However lately, I carried a 13-by-9-inch slab cake on the 7 prepare, and as a substitute of sustaining a vigilant two-foot security radius between myself and one other human being always, I sat down proper subsequent to a different passenger, positioned the sturdy, rectangular pan on my lap, and zoned out for the 10-minute trip. To not be dramatic, however I felt fairly invincible.
Along with their sturdiness in transit, there’s rather a lot to like about slab truffles: They feed a crowd, are simple to slice and serve proper out of the pan, and have a enjoyable, playful really feel. Given all these perks, I’m shocked I haven’t made extra slab truffles so far. So I take into account this month’s strawberries and cream cake a promising begin. This single-layer, made-for-a-crowd cake is baked in a 13-by-9-inch pan, and every fruity, creamy chunk is a pleasant reminder that summer season is absolutely right here. Although it was initially impressed by American-style strawberry shortcake, it jogs my memory of a extra substantial model of the ethereal strawberry cream truffles generally present in Asian bakeries, and I’m not mad about it.
For the tenderest crumb, I like to recommend cake flour as a substitute of all-purpose, and taking care to not overbake the cake, particularly because it’ll absolutely cool within the pan. As an alternative of powdered or granulated sugar, the whipped cream topping is made with sweetened condensed milk as a nod to a nostalgic summer season deal with I cherished as a child — strawberries dunked within the sticky, milky stuff. The cooled cake is drizzled with a couple of further tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk earlier than it’s slathered with whipped cream and garnished with thinly sliced strawberries. Though you’ll be able to sprinkle them on prime and name it a day, I like to rearrange the slices in a sample (with alternating rows dealing with up and down) for a cake that appears nearly as good because it tastes.
Extremely-summery and extremely shareable, it is a cake that captures the sunny vibes of the season and proves that the only issues in life are sometimes probably the most scrumptious. No matter you’ve deliberate for the fantastic month of July, be it a picnic, party, or cookout, it’ll make a welcome addition — and a reliable, low-maintenance journey companion.
Strawberries and Cream Slab Cake Recipe
Makes one 13-by-9-inch cake
Components:
For the cake:
180 grams (1 ½ cups) cake flour (should you can’t discover cake flour, you’ll be able to substitute with a mix of all-purpose flour and cornstarch: swap 2 tablespoons of cornstarch for two tablespoons of flour per cup)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
2 giant eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅔ cup complete milk, at room temperature
For the whipped cream and topping:
1 ½ cups heavy cream, chilly
¼ cup sweetened condensed milk, plus 2 tablespoons for drizzling
Kosher salt
1 pound ripe strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced (begin with 12 ounces of strawberries and slice the remainder should you want them; you too can pile extra on should you’d like)
Directions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 levels. Evenly grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the underside with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the edges, and flippantly grease the parchment.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk collectively the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
Step 3: In a big bowl, beat the butter with an electrical hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment till clean. Add the sugar and cream the combination till gentle and fluffy, 2 to three minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Step 4: Add within the eggs one by one, beating after every addition till mixed. Scrape the bowl as soon as extra, then beat within the vanilla.
Step 5: Add half of the dry elements to the egg combination and beat simply till mixed. Fastidiously beat in half the milk, then add the remainder of the milk and beat to mix (to attenuate splattering liquid). Add the remainder of the dry elements and beat simply till the batter is clean.
Step 6: Pour the batter into the ready pan and clean the floor with a big offset spatula. Bake the cake for 23 to 25 minutes, till a toothpick inserted within the heart comes out clear. The cake might not be very golden in shade — that’s okay. Let the cake cool utterly within the pan.
Step 7: Make the condensed milk whipped cream: Add the heavy cream, condensed milk, and a pinch of salt to a big bowl. Utilizing an electrical mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (begin the mixer on sluggish velocity to stop splattering), whip the cream till it kinds stiff peaks.
Step 8: When the cake is totally cool, drizzle 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk on prime and gently unfold on the cake (it doesn’t must be good). Dollop the whipped cream on prime and unfold into a fair layer utilizing a big offset spatula.
Step 9: Prepare the sliced strawberries on prime to complete. For an aesthetic look, I wish to alternate rows of strawberries dealing with up and all the way down to create a shingle sample. Serve slices straight from the pan. Cake is greatest served the day it’s made.
Pleasure Cho is a contract author, recipe developer, and pastry chef primarily based in New York Metropolis.
Dina Ávila is a photographer in Portland, Oregon.
Recipe examined by Deena Prichep
