How to Make My Fresh Strawberries Not Soak the Cake
Like chefs, bakers are always happy to take advantage of whatever ingredients happen to be in season. That's especially true in the spring, when early favorites like strawberries provide tangible evidence that winter has finally gone for another year. For the baker or pastry chef, strawberries represent a special challenge. They are too good not to use, but have the unfortunate habit of releasing their juices into cakes and pastries. Cake bakers have a number of strategies for dealing with this difficulty. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Fresh strawberries
- Colander
- Paper towel
- Paring knife or strawberry corer
- Baked cake rounds or sheets, as desired
- Simple syrup (see Tips)
- Brandy or liqueur (optional)
- Whipped cream
- Buttercream icing
- Strawberry jam
Instructions
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Advance Preparation
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1
Select the freshest strawberries available. Fresh strawberries will release less juice than older berries. Rinse the berries a few at a time in the colander and gently pat dry with paper towels. Remove the stems and leaves with a paring knife or berry corer.
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2
Cut the berries as directed in your recipe. Usually they are sliced lengthwise, but some recipes call for other cuts or even whole berries.
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3
Have your remaining ingredients and utensils ready to use as soon as the berries are cut. The berries will lose less juice if they are used immediately.
Methods of Cake Assembly
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4
Sprinkle the cake layers liberally with simple syrup before assembly. This guarantees a moist cake and limits the layers' ability to absorb more liquid from the berries. If desired, a couple of tablespoons of brandy or liqueur may be added to the syrup for extra flavor. Allow the layers to rest for 15 minutes after the syrup is applied, then assemble the cake as directed in your recipe.
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5
Spread the bottom layer of the cake with buttercream, then use a piping bag to pipe a "dam" of buttercream around the edge of the bottom layer. Fill the top of the layer with berries. Spread more buttercream on the underside of the top layer of cake and invert it to cover the berries. Finish and decorate the cake as desired.
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6
Spread whipped cream on the bottom layer of cake. Pipe a dam around the layer with buttercream. Fill the layer with berries and cover with more whipped cream. Cover with the top layer, then finish and decorate the cake as desired.
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7
Spread strawberry jam over the bottom layer of cake. Pipe a dam around the layer with buttercream and fill it with berries. Whipped cream may be added at this stage to add moisture and flavor to the filling. Spread jam on the underside of the top cake layer and invert it to cover the bottom layer. Finish and decorate the cake as desired.
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1
Tips & Warnings
To make simple syrup, bring 2 cups each of water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Boil for 5 to 10 minutes, then cool and store in an airtight jar. Simple syrup has many uses in baking and is also the best way to sweeten lemonade.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
