STRAWBERRY-MARSALA CAKE

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Strawberry-Marsala Cake image

Joe Trivelli, the head chef of the River Café in London, has a recipe for an apple cake in his 2018 cookbook, "The Modern Italian Cook." It's simple to prepare but complex in flavor, because its batter includes vin santo and brown butter. Both the fruit and fortified wine are ingredients associated with Northern Italy. In Sicily, Marsala would be the spirit of choice; it has more depth than its counterpart thanks to a subtle savory quality, and is often used for macerating strawberries. It's a perfect pairing, improved upon when baked into this cake, especially when berries are in season.

Provided by Charlotte Druckman

Categories     cakes, dessert

Time 1h

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

9 tablespoons/125 grams unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1 1/4 pounds/565 grams fresh strawberries
3/4 cup/150 grams superfine sugar, plus more as needed
4 extra-large eggs, whites and yolks separated
3/4 cup/180 milliliters sweet Marsala
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons/150 grams all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Heaping 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving

Steps:

  • Brown the butter: Melt the 9 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling it occasionally. As it melts, the butter will sizzle and foam. Continue cooking until the foam dissolves and the solids turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. (If the butter is spattering too much, reduce the heat a bit, and watch carefully to make sure it doesn't burn.) Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.
  • Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square cake pan with butter, line it with parchment, then grease the parchment.
  • Hull the strawberries and slice them lengthwise, 1/4-inch thick. Toss them in a bowl with 2 tablespoons superfine sugar and set aside while you prepare the batter. (If strawberries aren't in season and yours are underripe or less sweet than they should be, you may want to add 1 to 2 additional teaspoons superfine sugar.)
  • In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 5 tablespoons superfine sugar together until pale. Whisk in the browned butter (scraping to include the solids, if you like), then whisk in the Marsala until incorporated. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Sift over the batter and gently whisk to combine, smoothing out the lumps as best as you can.
  • Using a stand mixer fitted with the wire whip on medium speed, or an electric beater, or simply a whisk and a bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Slowly add the remaining 5 tablespoons superfine sugar while beating to form a shiny meringue with stiff peaks, 5 to 7 minutes. Gently fold 1/3 of the meringue mixture into the batter, followed by the rest, then fold in the strawberries, using a slotted spoon to add the berries to the batter, leaving any strawberry juices behind.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the top is golden and the cake is springy to the touch, 30 to 33 minutes.
  • Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve right away with some freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 407, UnsaturatedFat 6 grams, Carbohydrate 53 grams, Fat 16 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 8 grams, SaturatedFat 9 grams, Sodium 93 milligrams, Sugar 23 grams, TransFat 1 gram

Grace Roblox
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This cake is a keeper! I'll definitely be making it again and again.


Md Rafa hossin
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I'm not sure what went wrong, but my cake didn't turn out as well as I hoped. It was a bit dry and the frosting was too runny.


Joy Smith
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This cake was a bit too sweet for my taste, but my husband loved it. He said it was the perfect dessert after a heavy meal.


Sara Williams
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I made this cake for my daughter's birthday and she loved it! She said it was the best cake she's ever had.


shiva lal
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This cake is perfect for a summer party. It's light and refreshing, and the strawberries add a pop of color.


murtaza jamali
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I'm not a big fan of frosting, but the frosting on this cake is amazing. It's light and fluffy, and it doesn't overpower the cake.


lonlongnon jeannine Kouassi
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This cake is so moist and flavorful. I love the way the strawberries and marsala wine complement each other.


James Shields
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I've made this cake several times now and it's always a hit. It's the perfect cake for any occasion.


Sonia Torres
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This cake is a little time-consuming to make, but it's worth it. The end result is a delicious and impressive cake that's sure to wow your guests.


Koushik Roy
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I made this cake for my husband's birthday and he loved it! He said it was the best cake he's ever had.


Sk Ismai
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I had some trouble finding marsala wine, but it was worth the effort. The cake turned out great!


Samantha Phenix
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This cake was a bit too sweet for my taste, but it was still good.


Asad Miah
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I love the combination of strawberries and marsala wine in this cake.


Tayyab Hussain
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This cake is perfect for a special occasion.


Roman Ram Roman Ram
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I'm definitely going to make this cake for my next potluck.


Joseph Devlin
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This cake looks amazing! I can't wait to try it.


Lester Alexander
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This cake is so easy to make, even for a beginner baker like me. I was worried about the marsala wine, but it didn't overpower the other flavors at all.


giyanu shinchuri
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I'm not usually a fan of fruit cakes, but this one changed my mind. The strawberries and marsala wine add a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness.


Muvimi Kids
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This cake was a hit at my dinner party! Everyone raved about the moist texture and the delicious strawberry-marsala flavor. I'll definitely be making it again.