What does sour cream do in cake?

Sour cream is a superstar ingredient in this cake. With its thick texture and high fat content, it provides richness, moisture, and tang to yield a tender cake with a fine crumb — an ideal partner for cloud-like whipped cream and sweet strawberry slices.

What is the key to whipping cream?

Perfectly whipped cream starts with cold cream, so don't remove it from the fridge until you're ready to whip. It's also helpful to chill your bowl (metal or glass is best) and beaters for at least 15 minutes beforehand. Once the cream is whipping, keep a close watch so that you don't overdo it, which can cause graininess or, worse yet, turn your cream into butter.

Country Cake with Strawberries and Whipped Cream

Active Time:

50 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 30 mins

Yield:

1 (8-inch) cake

Flavored with citrus zest and made extra moist with sour cream, this strawberry whipped cream cake is an easy go-to dessert for all occasions when strawberries are in season.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does sour cream do in cake?

Sour cream is a superstar ingredient in this cake. With its thick texture and high fat content, it provides richness, moisture, and tang to yield a tender cake with a fine crumb — an ideal partner for cloud-like whipped cream and sweet strawberry slices.
What is the key to whipping cream?

Perfectly whipped cream starts with cold cream, so don't remove it from the fridge until you're ready to whip. It's also helpful to chill your bowl (metal or glass is best) and beaters for at least 15 minutes beforehand. Once the cream is whipping, keep a close watch so that you don't overdo it, which can cause graininess or, worse yet, turn your cream into butter.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

You'll have plenty of downtime while the cake bakes and then cools — a perfect opportunity to wash, hull, and slice your strawberries so they're ready for cake assembly. Pop the slices in the fridge until you've whipped the cream.

Make ahead

The baked cake layer can be frozen for up to one month. Let it cool completely before wrapping in plastic and then foil. The assembled cake can be prepared up to two hours ahead.

Suggested pairing

A delicate and elegant Brut sparkling wine is wonderful with this citrus-spiked, light, and not-too-sweet cake.

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Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, divided
1 cup heavy cream
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan. In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the 3/4 cup of sugar and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the sour cream, orange and lemon zests, and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla and beat until blended. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until smooth.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool for 15 minutes before turning it out onto the rack to cool completely.
Beat the cream with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla until soft peaks form.
Slice the cake in half horizontally. Spread most of the whipped cream over the cut side of the bottom cake half. Layer most of the sliced strawberries on top. Replace the top half of the cake and garnish with the remaining whipped cream and strawberries.