i love patriotic holidays. i love memorial day and a national chance to honor our military. maybe it's my military heritage. maybe after living abroad, i have learned to better appreciate our country. either way, i embrace days that celebrate our nation and those who fight and have fought for it. so, in honor of memorial day, try a strawberry shortcake...and throw in some blueberries to add a patriotic punch.
red, white & blue shortcake
pound cake (recipe following)
strawberries: washed, stems removed, sliced and sprinkled with sugar
blueberries: washed
whipped cream: don't skimp on this. buy real heavy whipping cream. for one quart of heavy whipping cream, add 3/4 cup of sugar. beat it on high until it is thick and forms peaks. refrigerate until ready to use.
slice the pound cake and place a slice on the plate, layer with whipped cream and strawberries. add a dollop of whipped cream on the top and top with blueberries. enjoy!
sour cream pound cake (if you don't want to buy one from the freezer section...no judgement...it's about 50/50 for me)
3 cups cake flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup butter (two sticks)
2 cups sugar
6 egg yolks
6 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
preheat oven to 325 degrees. grease and flour a 9 inch bread pan. mix flour, baking soda and salt. set aside. mix sour cream with vanilla. set aside. cream the butter. add and beat in two cups of sugar. add egg yolks one at a time and beat. add 1/3 of the flour mixture. add 1/2 of the sour cream mixture. continue with 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining sour cream mixture and the remaining flour mixture. in another bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on high until soft peaks form. gradually add 1/2 cup sugar until peaks are stiff. fold in the egg mixture. pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly. bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes until an inserted knife or toothpick comes out clean. let cool, slice and enjoy!
