Strawberry Meringue Layer Cake

I'm going to tell you straight up, this is not your Mama's strawberry shortcake.  It's better.  Like, 'he's going to ask you to marry him after eating this' kind of good.  And trust me, I will warn you, once you eat this cake, there is no going back with normal old shortcake ever again.

No, this cake is not low-fat, but it is a fantastic treat.  It is much, much easier than it's fancy meringue exterior let's on, and is a hit at family dinners and parties.  Make the cake, screw the extra calories that day, and enjoy!

Nigella Lawson's Strawberry Meringue Layer Cake

You'll need:

- 1 cup all-purpose flour

- 3Tb cornstarch

- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

- Scant 1/2 cup very soft unsalted butter

- 1 cup granulated sugar

- 4 eggs

- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

- 2Tb milk

- Scant 1/4 cup slivered almonds (I skipped the almonds bc Ky is not a fan)

- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

- 1/2 pint strawberries

Instructions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 450-degrees fahrenheit

2.  Line, butter and flour two 9-inch springform pans. (I used two 9" cake pans because our springform pans are in storage.  They worked out fine.)

3.  Combine the flour, cornstarch and baking powder in a bowl.

4.  Separate the eggs and beat the yolks into the butter and sugar, saving the whites to whisk later.  Gently fold in the measured-out dry ingredients, add the vanilla, and then stir in the milk to thin the batter.  Divide the mixture between the two prepared pans.

5.  Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add the remaining sugar.  Spread a layer of meringue on top of the cake batter in each pan, and sprinkle the almonds evenly over.

6.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, by which time the top of the almonds-scattered meringues will be a dark gold.  Let the cakes cool in their pants, then spring them open at the last minute when you are ready to assemble the cake.

7.  Whip the cream, and hull and slice the strawberries; that's to say, the bigger ones can be sliced lengthwise and the smaller ones halved.  Invert one of the cakes on to a plate or cake stand so that the cake crumb is uppermost.  Pile on the cream and stud with the strawberries, letting some of the berries subside into the whipped whiteness.  Place the second cake on top, meringue upward, and press down gently, just so secure it.

8.  If you've got any more strawberries in the house, hull and halve them, and serve them in a dish on a table to eat alongside.

Serves 8.

**You can also use other types of berries if you prefer.