Thank you, thank you, thank you to all the Tennessee farmers who grow strawberries for all of us non-farmers to enjoy every May. Year by year they are out in their fields early on chilly mornings checking on their fields while we are snug in our beds. They watch the weather reports, day in-day out, trying to judge how each years crop will turn out. Too much rain….not enough. Too many cloudy days or relentless heat.
This year’s Tennessee strawberry crop has been so sweet. It is a short season so do not delay. Boxes full of tender, ruby-red berries lined up at Farmer’s Market stands just for making recipes such as this, “Sugared (Tennessee) Strawberry Sponge Cake Stacks”.
I made wee sponge cakes in a muffin tin with just a few ingredients. These cakes are light and airy with just a hint of sweetness. I want to taste the berries first, then the berry juice soaked cake with a quick dusting of powdered sugar.
Warm sponge cakes……I sprayed the muffin tin with coconut spray which added a very nice hint of coconut to the cakes……
….berries rinsed, patted dry, cut in half and tossed with raw sugar.
It would not be May without sugared strawberries and little cakes!
The berries from Delvin Farms. The wee sponge cakes are based on a recipe by James Tanner from his amazing wonderful and simple cookbook “Take 5 Ingredients”.
Sugared Strawberry Sponge Cake Stacks
Ingredients:
- coconut oil spray (I just discovered this and adore the hint of coconut it imbues)
- 4 eggs, separated
- 3/4 cup superfine sugar (if you cannot find then pulse regular sugar in processor until fine)
- 1 1/4 cups self-rising flour sifted with 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 pints of fresh (local) seasonal Strawberries, rinsed & patted dry, tops cut off and halved
- 1/3 cups raw sugar
- powdered sugar for garnish
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 6 cup muffin tin with coconut spray. Set aside.
- Whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until pale & frothy.
- In another bowl whisk, or use a hand mixer, the egg whites until stiff. Whisk the egg whites into the egg yolks.
- Fold the flour-salt mixture in small batches until all the flour is blended in.
- Divide batter between greased muffin tin cups. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and set in the middle. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove sponge cakes from tin and continue to cool on rack while preparing berries.
- In a glass mixing bowl toss together the strawberries & raw sugar. Mash a few of the berries with the back of a fork to release juices. Toss again and leave to sit for about 30 minutes before serving.
- To serve use a serrated knife to gently cut each wee sponge cake into 3 slices. Layer cake and berries on a serving plate. Allow about 5 minutes before serving to let cake layers soak up berry juice. Dust cake with powdered sugar and serve.
This is a simple dessert that is not overly sweet. Easy to make. Can be prepped ahead of time and can be made using any seasonal berries, peaches or plums.
Teresa, I love you.
Harriet you are so very sweet. I appreciate your comments so much. T
Oh man, these look so beautiful! The perfect summer dessert. Well done 😀
What a beautiful photo session! Your cakes are so lovely and exude summer and all it’s gorgeous offerings.
Well I did have fun with this one. It was a pretty day and seemed appropriate to shoot this on my back porch looking into the trees. Thanks so much.
PA strawberries are just about to come out and your recipes featuring TN strawberries have kept me anticipating them even more than usual Teresa! I will go searching for coconut spray too. I love how you cut the cakes in thirds to get as many strawberries in this dessert as possible. Perfect spring celebration!
Thanks Johnanne. I am in love with using the coconut oil spray for certain cakes and cookies right now. A new discovery for me. I am sure your PA strawberries are every bit as sweet as my TN ones so enjoy them while you can as the season is short and there are so many to eat!!
…the berries have been especially delightful this year…
Yes Edward they have been most delightful and sweet.
Going to look for coconut oil spray and prepare these soon.
I discovered the “coconut oil spray” while working on a cook book photo shoot. The authors used it for everything they baked and it was so aromatic and wonderful. I know used it for cakes and cookies where just a hint of coconut is desirable. it is always nice to discover a something new. Thanks so much for stopping by.
looks amazing!
Teresa, so pretty, and yes thank you farmers. I have a friend with a strawberry field and I got to pick twice. It was such a treat. I love strawberry shortcake. I’m going to get some of that coconut oil spray.
Nothing says summer more than strawberry shortcake.. This looks so refreshing and delicious…
Loved it, and I’m very hungry now
What a towering beauty!
our strawberry season was short but sweet; we made drop-biscuit style shortcakes last night with the last of Drury Farm’s berries. Divine. I’ll be on the lookout for that coconut oil spray–fantastic!
Superb…..
Gorggeous!! I shared on my FB page! We raise duck eggs and I bet they would make for extra super stellar shortcake!!!
absolutely beautiful….our santa ynez valley strawberries can be so sweet…i’m hoping they’re still available & yummy….a few years ago you featured the Victoria Sponge Cake with Strawberries….I made that for a dinner party….I love your recipes, photos &
stories….xox
Looks amazing definitely going to be trying this !!!!
This is about the easiest recipe in the world and so delicious. Let me know how your version turns out. Thanks.