Lemon White chocolate Strawberry Layer Cake

By tjgaray

It is best to prepare the lemon cream in advance. I made the white chocolate filling at the last minute but you can also make it ahead.

Ingredients

• CAKE:
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 egg whites
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup + 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• WHITE CHOCOLATE FILLING:
• 42 grams white chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• LEMON CREAM:
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Zest of 1 1/2 lemons, finely chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 3/8 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 10 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced and softened

Preparation

Step 1

CAKE:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a 5-inch round baking pan with parchment.

Whisk together milk, egg whites and extracts.

Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed. Add butter and continue beating on low speed until the mixture resembles moist crumbs.

Add all but about 3 tablespoons of milk mixture to the crumbs and beat on medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the remaining milk mixture and beat for 30 seconds more. Scrape down the sides and mix on medium speed for another 20 seconds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out mostly clean, with moist crumbs attached.

WHITE CHOCOLATE FILLING:
Melt the white chocolate and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream together. Set aside to cool completely.

Whip the remaining heavy cream until the beater forms streaks in the cream. Pour in the melted white chocolate mixture and beat until stiff peaks.

LEMON CREAM:
Place the sugar and zest in a large heatproof bowl and rub the two together until the sugar is moist, grainy and aromatic. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice.

Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a whisk constantly until the cream thickens and reaches 180°F.

Immediately remove from heat and strain into a blender or food processor. Let the cream cool to 140°F, stirring occasionally.

Beat the cream on high speed in the blender of food processor while adding the pieces of butter about 5 at a time. When all the butter has been incorporated, beat the cream for another 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the cream into a bowl and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours.

ASSEMBLY:
White cake, cooled
White chocolate filling
Lemon cream
Strawberries, halved or quartered

Slice the cake into 3 layers. Take one layer and spread half the white chocolate filling on it. Arrange the chopped strawberries on top, making sure that they are as close to the surface as possible. Top with the second layer of cake and spread the remaining white chocolate filling on top. Again, arrange the strawberries on top of the white chocolate filling. Finish with the last layer of cake and refrigerate it until the white chocolate filling is firm, about 2 hours. Frost with the lemon cream.