Strawberry Gingercake Recipes

STRAWBERRY GINGERSNAP ICEBOX CAKE

Steps:

• Set aside half the strawberries, choosing the smallest, prettiest ones. They'll be used for serving. Hull the remaining berries.
• Using a blender or food processor, purée the hulled strawberries, then strain through a fine mesh strainer. You should have about 2/3 cup of purée.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer set on low speed, whisk together strawberry purée, mascarpone, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, 3/4 teaspoon lime zest and the lime juice. Once the cream mixture is combined, but not fully whipped, taste and add more confectioners' sugar if necessary (this will depend on how sweet your strawberries are). Whip to medium-stiff peaks.
• On a serving platter, lay 2 rows of 4 cookies (for a total of 8) in a rectangle. Spread 1/2 cup cream mixture over the cookies, spreading it to the edges. Top with another 8 cookies, and spread with another 1/2 cup cream. Repeat 2 more times, so you have 4 layers of cookies. Top with remaining cream, spreading it along the sides like frosting. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours, and preferably overnight.
• Half an hour before serving, hull and quarter remaining strawberries (cut them in eighths, if they're large). Toss berries in a medium bowl with granulated sugar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon lime zest and the ginger. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, and up to 1 hour; they should release their juices, which will turn syrupy from the sugar. Taste and add more lime zest, ginger and a squeeze of lime juice, if you like.
• Just before serving, arrange strawberries on top of the cake and drizzle with accumulated syrupy juices. Serve at once, cutting cake into slices.

GINGER CRUNCH CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 8- by 2-inch cake pans.
• For crunch topping:
• In a small bowl combine crunch topping ingredients, stirring until combined. Divide topping among pans and press evenly onto bottom.
• For ginger cake:
• In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Add remaining ginger cake ingredients and with an electric mixer beat on high speed 2 minutes. Carefully spread batter over crunch topping in pans and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans in oven halfway through baking, 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted in center of each layer comes out clean.
• Immediately invert cake layers onto racks lined with wax paper and cool completely. Cake layers may be made 2 weeks ahead and frozen, wrapped separately in plastic wrap. Thaw layers in refrigerator before proceeding with recipe.
• In a chilled bowl with chilled beaters of an electric mixer beat 2 cups cream with vanilla and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar until it just holds stiff peaks.
• Cake Assembly:
• Arrange 1 cake layer, crunch side up, on a cake plate and spread with a heaping cup whipped cream. Repeat with another cake layer and another heaping cup whipped cream and top with third cake layer, crunch side up. Leaving top plain, spread remaining whipped cream on side of cake to coat (a final coating will be added later). Chill cake, covered loosely with plastic wrap, at least 4 hours (to facilitate slicing) and up to 24.
• Hull strawberries and slice half of them. In a bowl with a potato masher mash sliced berries with lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. In a food processor purée remaining berries and strain through a fine sieve into bowl with mashed berry mixture. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• In a chilled bowl with chilled beaters of an electric mixer, beat remaining cup cream until it just holds stiff peaks and spread decoratively on side of cake. Arrange some whole strawberries on top of cake and garnish plate with additional whole strawberries.
• Serve cake with strawberry sauce.

DOUBLE-GINGER SOUR CREAM AND BUNDT CAKE WITH GINGER-INFUSED STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• For cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Brush softened butter generously all over inside of 12-cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle raw sugar over butter in pan, tilting pan to coat completely.
• Whisk flour, ground ginger, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter in large bowl until smooth. Add 2 cups sugar; beat on medium-high speed until blended, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 egg yolk and vanilla, stopping to scrape down bowl as needed. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with sour cream in 2 additions, beating on low speed just until blended after each addition. Mix in crystallized ginger. Spread batter in pan, being careful not to dislodge raw sugar.
• Bake cake until top is light brown and tester inserted near center comes out with a few small crumbs attached, about 55 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool in pan 15 minutes. Gently tap bottom edge of pan on work surface while rotating pan until cake loosens. Place rack atop pan and invert cake onto rack; remove pan. Cool completely.
• For ginger-infused strawberries:
• Combine first 4 ingredients in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil until mixture is reduced to scant 1 cup, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; cool ginger syrup to room temperature (do not strain). DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
• Place berries in medium bowl. Strain ginger syrup. Pour over berries and toss. Cover; chill at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Keep chilled. Cut cake into slices and place on plates. Spoon berries with syrup alongside. Sprinkle with mint, if desired, and serve.
• Also called turbinado or demerara sugar; available at most supermarkets and at natural foods stores.

STRAWBERRY GINGERCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Grease and flour 8-inch round cake pan. Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar; beating until well blended.
• Add ginger and eggs; beat well.
• Beat in combined dry ingredients alternately with water.
• Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
• Prepare Gingercream by beating whipping cream, sugar and ginger in medium bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form.
• To assemble, slice cake in half horizontally. Place one layer on serving plate, cut side up. Spread with half of Gingercream; top with one fourth of the strawberries. Top with second cake layer, cut side down. Spoon remaining Gingercream over top; garnish with one fourth of the strawberries. Dust with additional ground ginger. Cut cake into wedges; serve with remaining strawberries.