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Potluck recipe: Strawberry Icebox Cake

    Published 

For the cake:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

12 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, or a combination

1 1/2  teaspoons cream of tartar

For the filling and icing:

3 pints fresh strawberries (2 pints sliced thin, 1 pint halved)

4 tablespoons sugar

3 cups whipping cream

1/3 cup superfine sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and ¾ cup of the sugar. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg whites, salt, and extract. Beat until the mixture is just frothy, then sprinkle the cream of tartar on top and continue beating until it forms stiff, glossy peaks.

4. Add the remaining sugar, ? cup at a time, then gradually fold in the dry ingredients. Spoon the batter into an ungreased angel food pan, and bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until it's golden brown and the top springs back when lightly touched.

5. Remove the cake from the oven, and place it upside down on a bottle or metal funnel to keep from crushing the top.

6. Let the cake cool for 1½ hours. This cooling period sets the structure, and keeps the cake from collapsing. Loosen the edges of the cake with a knife, and remove it from the pan.

For the filling and icing:

7. In a large bowl sprinkle thinly sliced strawberries with sugar, allow berries to stand 1-2 hours. Strain, and reserve the liquid.

8. In another large bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks using a hand beater. Gently fold in ? cup sugar to sweeten cream. Gently fold thinly sliced strawberries with whipped cream. Set aside. (This yields more than is needed.)

9. Cut cake horizontally ¼ from the top. Tunnel out a deep section in the base of the cake. Crumble tunneled-out cake into strawberry and whipped cream mixture. Stir gently to combine. Fill in tunnel with whipped cream mixture, and spread a thin layer between the top and bottom of the cake. Place the top back on the cake. Use remaining whipped cream mixture to ice all over cake. Garnish sides and top with strawberry halves. Refrigerate 8-12 hours, loosely covered in plastic wrap. Serve with reserved strawberry-juice drizzle.

Courtesy of Ann-Michelle Albertson

Per serving (based on 12): 274 calories, 6 grams protein, 43 grams carbohydrates, 31 grams sugar, 10 grams fat, 33 milligrams cholesterol, 163 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber