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Strawberry Shortcake, Stars and Stripes (D, TNT)
Source: Unknown
Yield: 10 to 12

Cake:
7 eggs, separated
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cognac or other brandy
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. creme of tartar

Whipped Cream Frosting:
2 cups whipping cream
1 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 tsp. vanilla
Confectioners' sugar to taste (start with 1/4 cup)

Garnish:
4 pints strawberries (you will use almost all of them)
1 pint blueberries

Make Cake>:
Prepare a lasagna-type pan (9"x13") by lining it with parchment paper so you will be able to overturn the finished cake onto a flat serving tray.

Beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer until thick and lemon colored. Add 1 cup of the sugar and beat for 5 minutes. Add the orange juice and combine well.

Sift the flour and baking powder, sprinkle on top of the yolk mixture and fold in gently by hand or on the lowest speed of the mixer. Add the vanilla and the cognac.

Beat the egg whites a little until foamy; add the salt and beat until almost stiffened. Add the creme of tartar and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiffened. Add a little of the egg whites to the yolk mixture to lighten the yolk batter, then fold in the rest of the whites until no longer streaky.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake at 325°F for 55 minutes until the cake is golden and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Let cool completely, then run a knife along the sides of the pan to release the cake and turn over onto a serving tray. Now cut the cake carefully in two horizontal layers.

Make Frosting and Assembly:
Sprinkle the gelatin over a little of the liquid cream in a small saucepan, let soften about 5 minutes, then heat until dissolved. Let cool a little.

Beat the cream until almost stiffened, then beat in the dissolved gelatin and beat until well combined. Add the vanilla and confectioners' sugar and continue beating until completely stiffened.

Spread the cream on the bottom layer of the cake and cover with strawberries cut in halves or quartered if large and placed close to each other. Top with the second cake layer. Frost the cake completely.

Poster's Notes:
If you want to make the USA flag, place the blueberries in the left upper quadrant of the cake, then make the red stripes with the strawberries leaving about 1/2" between the stripes. If you wish to make the Star of David, I think you could do that nicely with just the blueberries. Or to enjoy the rest of the summer, just use lots of strawberries on both layers.

This is an excellent strawberry short cake. Somehow the combination of this cake and frosting and the strawberries is a fabulous, unexpected taste.

Posted by Elena Eder

Nutritional Info Per Serving: N/A