By Deirdre Imus, The Imus Ranch Cooking For Kids And Cowboys
This cake is a little bit of light, delicious heaven with the pleasant surprise of strawberries tucked between the layers. You can also use ½ cup cleaned and hulled strawberries mixed with ½ cup of strawberry spread for the filling.
Preparation Time: 25 Minutes
Olive Oil, For Oiling Pans
1 Cup Safflower Oil
2 Cups Raw Unrefined Sugar
4 Egg Yolks (Reserve Whites for Batter)
2 1/4 Cups Unbleached White Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
4 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/4 Cup Rice Milk or Organic Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Egg Whites (About 8 Large Eggs,
Including Reserved Whites)
1 Cup Whipped Tofu Topping
1 Cup Fresh Grated Coconut, for Garnish
Cooking Time: 30 to 35 Minutes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Oil two 9-inch cake pans with olive oil.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the safflower oil and sugar together on high speed until fluffy.
Beat in the egg yolks one at a time. In another bowl, sift the flour, salt, and baking powder together; add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, and stir in the milk. Mix well on medium speed, about 3 to 4 minutes; stir in the vanilla. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites into soft peaks and gently fold them into the batter. Pour into the pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Remove and slice each cake horizontally to make 4 layers total.
Meanwhile, put the strawberries in a blender and blend about 1 minute to make a puree. Lay one cake layer on a cake dish, and spread a third of the strawberry puree on top; repeat with two other layers and the rest of the puree. Add the final layer to the top, and cover with the whipped tofu topping. Garnish with grated coconut. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Serves 12
Reprinted with permission from the National Bestseller, The Imus Ranch: Cooking for Kids and Cowboys by Deirdre Imus. Published by Rodale, Inc.