Overhead view of summer strawberry cake

I am so excited to present to you a family collaboration today! Lizzie, of the blog Food and Thrift, and Lora, of Cake Duchess are creators of two of my favorite blogs…and also mother and daughter. When I realized I may not have Internet access for a couple weeks, I asked this blogging duo if they’d like to cook up something together for my first series of guest posts…and they kindly accepted (whew). Both started blogging about the same time I did…Lizzie, a former caterer, focuses on family and good food, was my one of my first Foodbuzz friends…and is always there to lend support and guidance. Lora, her talented baker daughter, has many fabulous Italian cakes and breads reflective of her heritage and has recently delved into the world of vegan baking. And she is just as sweet and marvelous as her mama.

You can find Elisabeth (Lizzie) on Twitter and Pinterest. Lora can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, too. Please welcome two of the nicest gals I know to my blog as they share a marvelous recipe with us:
Hello! I am Elisabeth from Food and Thrift. We are so happy and honored to guest post for our friend Lizzy. It’s a joy to be here guest posting with my daughter Lora from Cake Duchess. We have known Lizzy for nearly two years and she has always been such a great friend to the both of us. She is always ready to help in any way possible. Lizzy really needs no introductions since she has so many followers and friends who frequent her amazing and delicious baking blog. I’ve often mentioned about her having little elves that help her in the kitchen baking in her little baking factory. Thank you, Lizzy, for asking Lora and I to team up for a guest post. You are a sweet friend.

 

A big “hello” to all of your lovely readers! Iam Lora from Cake Duchess. I couldn’tagree more with what my mom has to say. It’s a joy to be guest posting with mymom Elisabeth from Food and Thrift. I’m blessed to have a mom that is sotalented and taught me so much about baking. It’s always an adventure when webake together. My daughter wants to videotape us because it can get a littleloud and silly.;) I’ve known Lizzy since the first months I started blogging.She’s always been a supportive friend and has a heart of gold. My mom and Ichose to make a cake together that is light and reminds us of the beginning ofwarm summer days. Pan di Spagna (sponge cake) is fluffy and light. It’s arecipe I learned from my mother-in-law in Italy. My mom is the queen ofdecorating and making amazing frostings. We chose a whipped cream filling for the cake. The result is a delightfully light cake filled with juicy strawberriesand soft as cloud whipped cream. We hope you enjoy our Summer Strawberry Cake. Thank you for having us guest post here today, Lizzy. It has been a pleasure sharing our cake with you.:)

Summer strawberry cake with a slice removed
 
 
Summer Strawberry Cake


Pan di Spagna ingredients:
5 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 

 

Directions to make Pan di Spagna
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour (or usebaking spray) two 9-inch round cake pans. Beat the eggs all at one time withthe sugar on high speed until it is nice and frothy. Beat in the vanilla.
Sift the flour and baking powder.
Beat in the sifted flour on medium speed in small doses.
Bake the Pandi Spagna for 30 to 40 minutes, until it is well risen and feels firm whenpressed gently with the palm of the hand. Check the cake after the first 20minutes to make sure it isn’t getting too brown. Every oven is different. Ifneeded, lower the temperature to 325 for the rest of the baking time.
 
Set on wirerack to cool.
 
 
Strawberry Filling with StabilizedWhipped Cream

 

To make the stabilized whipped cream:
 
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 Tablespoon cold water
1 cup cold heavy or whipping cream
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
 
Directions:
In a small bowl, add gelatin to cold water. Let it dissolve.
In the bowl of a mixer, beat the cream for about 1 minute.Add the gelatin and the confectioner’s sugar. Beat until it gets thick andstarts to form peaks.
 
To prepare the strawberries:
2-lbs offresh strawberries (1 ½ box for filling. Other ½ is for decorating)
1 cupgranulated sugar
Juiceand zest of one lemon
Hulland slice 1 ½ box (reserve the other ½for decoration) of strawberries. In amedium saucepan, add the sugar, strawberries, juice and zest of one lemon.
Cookuntil strawberries get soft and macerated over medium heat. As soon as they getthickened, add the slices from the additional ½ box of strawberries. Fold and incorporate with the maceratedstrawberries in the thickened sauce.
 
To assemble the cake:
Letthe strawberries cool down for a few minutes and spread on one portion of cake.Spread on top of the strawberries with a spatula the stabilized whipped cream,ending with the second layer of cake. With the spatula, spread the remainingwhipped cream on the sides and decorate with the additional strawberriesleaving stems on and cut into half. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy theSummer Strawberry Cake.:)
 

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Aren’t we all lucky these two teamed up???? Such an amazing cake…perfect for summer! Please make sure you pop over to both of their wonderful blogs to say hello. Thank you, both! xo
 
Summer strawberry cake with a slice removed