Strawberry and Cream Cake with Cardamon Syrup

Cake

8 large egg yolks 1 ½ c sugar

1 ½ c sugar

¼ c milk

1 t vanilla

½ t lemon zest

1 c flour

½ t salt

4 large egg whites

Syrup

1 ½ c orange juice

¼ c sugar

¾ t ground cardamom

Filling

2 c heavy cream

½ c sour cream

2 T sugar

1 t vanilla

1 ½ lb strawberries, five left whole, the remainder trimmed and cut lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices

Instructions for cake:

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350. Butter cake pans. Line bottom each with a round of parchment paper, then butter parchment paper and dust cake pans with flour, knocking out excess.

Whisk together yolks, 1 cup sugar, milk, vanilla and zest in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in flour and salt until combined (batter will be thick.)

Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl using an electric mixer at medium high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add remaining ½ cup sugar, a little at a time, beating at medium speed, and continue to beat until whites hold stiff and glossy peaks, about 2 minutes more.

Fold about 1/3 of whites into batter to lighten, then flod in remaining whites gently but thoroughly

Divide batter among cake pans and bake, switching position of cake pans

halfway through baking, until cakes are springy to the touch and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in the center of each comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes, then invert onto racks. Carefully peel off parchment , then cool cakes completely.

Instructions for Syrup

Bring juice, sugar, and cardamom to a boil in a heavy sauce pan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil until reduced to 1 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Strain syrup through a fine mesh sieve and cool completely.

Instructions for filling

Beat together cream, sugar, and vanilla until cream just holds stiff peaks.

Assemble Cake

Prick cake layers all over with wooden skewer, then brush or pour syrup, little by little, evenly over each layer, letting syrup be absorbed before adding more.

Transfer one layer, flat side up, to a cake stand, then spread with a rounded cup of cream. Arrange some sliced strawberries in 1 layer over cream. Turn second layer over and spread a thin layer of cream on top, then place it, with the aid of a spatula, cream side down, over layer of strawberries. Continue making layers with cream, strawberries and cake in same manner. Spread top with remaining cream and decorate with remaining strawberries.