Strawberry Vanilla Cake

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to my hubby, Happy Birthday to you!"  Specially sang this birthday song to my hubby. This was his 1st birthday that I did not manage to celebrate beside him this year.  Hence, I decided to make an birthday cake specially for him, blow for him and eat for him as he is too far to reach this cake. What I can do was only send the photo to him, and until I go back to KL one day, make another real one for him. Apart from the cake, luckily my birthday gift already delivered to him beforehand.

Speaking of this birthday cake, I was in a layer-cake kind of mood recently, both making and eating, of course. One of my favourite layer cakes is Hokkaido Vanilla Cake: layers of  soft and spongy Hokkaido vanilla cake, and fresh strawberry, layered with fresh whipped cream. The flavours really work so well together, and I personally find it really unique and quite appealing, clean and clear, once sliced. What’s interesting, is that most people intrigued by the fresh strawberries as the cake toppings.

I love when a cake looks pretty traditional, simple and clean on the outside, but has an unexpected layered appearance on the inside. No matter how many cakes I make, I’m always secretly excited and eager to slice it and see what it looks like inside–particularly when it’s a multi-layerd cake, like this one even are 3 layers only. Such anticipation! 

Hankerie's special birthday cake for my hubby - Strawberry Vanilla Cake (Hokkaido)

I love to see the contrast of layers, but most importantly (always), it is really, truly a delight to eat. For each of your bite, the fresh cream blends so well with the freshness of strawberries and makes the cake even more moist and yummy.

Hankerie's Strawberry Vanilla Cake recipe:

Ingredients:
8cm round vanilla Hokkaido cakes (see recipe below)
1 cup fresh whipping cream
1TBSP caster sugar
1 cup fresh strawberries to decorate

Instructions:

Simple Hokkaido 8cm Sponge Cake:

Ingredients:

- 2 large eggs, at room temperature

- 50g granulated sugar

- 50g cake flour

- 20g unsalted butter, melted

- 20g whole milk, at room temperature

- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8cm round cake pan with parchment paper.

2. Prepare Ingredients: Bring eggs and milk to room temperature. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly.

3. Whisk Eggs and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. This may take a few minutes.

4. Add Vanilla Extract: Gently fold in the vanilla extract into the egg and sugar mixture.

5. Sift in Flour: Sift the cake flour into the bowl in small batches. Gently fold after each addition, ensuring the flour is well incorporated without overmixing.

6. Incorporate Butter and Milk: Add the melted butter and milk to the batter. Gently fold until everything is well combined.

7. Pour into Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared 8cm cake pan. Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

8. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

9. Cooling: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. At the same time, start preparing the whipped cream, see instructions below.

*Note: Due to the small size of the cake, keep a close eye on the baking time to prevent overcooking. Adjust the time as needed based on your oven's characteristics.

For Whipped Cream & Garnish

Whip the cream and sugar in a freestanding electric mixer with a whisk attachment and beat until firm but not stiff.  Spread half of the whipped cream on one of the cake layers, spreading around. Place the other cake layer on top and top with the remaining whipped cream.  Garnish with fresh strawberries as desired.

Enjoy your delightful Strawberries Hokkaido Vanilla sponge cake!