This month my Secret Recipe Club assignment was a blog called Koreafornian Cooking. Tammy had a ton of interesting recipes, but alas, I waited until the last minute for this assignment and did not have much time to shop for ingredients. I was very close to making her French toast recipe with yujacha syrup, but did not have time to get to my local Asian market before it was go time. So I decided to go with the Saeng Cream Cake. It worked out perfectly because we were headed to a friend’s house that evening for dinner, so I was able to share the cake instead of my husband and I eating it all ourselves! The cake turned out great. It was a light, moist cake, and the addition of fresh berries made it a perfect Spring dessert. As Tammy mentions, you could use any berries, but I decided on strawberries like her since there have been tons at the grocery store lately on sale.
Saeng Cream Cake, adapted from Koreafornian Cooking
There are three parts to this recipe: simple syrup, cake batter and a whipped cream frosting.
First, make the simple syrup:
Simple sugar syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 of a lemon
- 1 Tbsp of vanilla
extract (added separately)
- Combine the water, sugar, cinnamon stick, and lemon (remove the seeds) in a saucepan.
- Heat to boiling.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- Stir in vanilla extract and set aside.
Second, bake your sponge cake. (Or buy one at the store.) But if you want to bake your own, here’s the recipe Tammy suggested:
Butter sponge cake
- 1 cup sifted cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup milk, scalded
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- Sift together flour and baking powder.
- Add butter and vanilla to scalded milk and keep hot.
- Beat egg yolks till thick and lemon colored; gradually beat in sugar.
- Quickly add flour mixture; stir just till mixed.
- Gently stir in the hot milk mixture.
- Bake in a greased 9-inch-round, 2-inch-high cake pan at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or till done.
- Cool thoroughly. (Do not invert the pan.)
Third, make the frosting.
Whipped cream frosting
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
In a chilled metal bowl, whip the heavy cream on high speed with an electric mixer using a whisk attachment. When cream begins to thicken, add vanilla extract and the 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar if desired. Continue to beat on high speed until fully whipped
Fourth, assemble the cake.
Trim off any brown bits from the sponge cake.
Slice the cake into two layers with a serrated knife.
Remove the top layer and set aside.
Brush the surface of the bottom layer with the sugar syrup. This is for flavor and a little moisture. Do not make it sopping wet.
Frost the layer with some whipped topping and add a layer of berries.
Put the second layer on, and brush it with the syrup.
Then coat it with the frosting.
Frost around the edges of the cake to cover up those layers and any imperfections in baking or layer-cutting.
Top the cake with the remaining fruit.
What a beautiful cake, I have a ton of fresh picked strawberries that seem destined to top it.
This looks so good! I am excited we are getting into berry season, so I can make tasty treats like this one!
Oh strawberry cake… I love it. Your pictures come out great too, love the choice for SRC 🙂
Now you know why this is my most popular post! It’s really delicious. 🙂
Beautiful job! This cake looks so delicious! Perfect for spring and summer!
Your cake looks perfectly delicious! Spring screams for strawberries.
Few things beat a classic cake with fresh, fluffy whipped cream and sliced fruit. Perfection! Glad to have found you through SRC 🙂
Holy man does this cake look delicious! Perfect for all those strawberries that are now starting to be in season!
By the way – I love your blog catch line (or whatever you call it) and I totally agree! 😉
yum, this looks delicious! I love the fresh berries in pies, reminds me summertime is just right around the corner 🙂
Looks yummy! Like it’s just going to melt into our mouth!
Such a beautiful cake! It could almost be a strawberry shortcake cake the way you have added the strawberries….delightful!
wow, this looks lovely! i bet it would be great in the summer, once all the fresh strawberries are in season. glad to meet you through the SRC – i’m a fellow group D’er! =)
Ah I still have this one bookmarked to try – looks soooo good – I had Tamar last month and she has an AMAZING blog – lucky you for getting her! This cake looks delicious and I now am convinced I need to make this and soon.
This is beautiful! I so have to make this, thanks!
What a pretty cake, and I bet it taste as good as it looks. Pinned this one to try as soon as we get fresh berries in my area.
What a good looking cake! Strawberries have been on sale here lately too, so this would be a perfect recipe for me to make now.
beautiful looking cake. Sounds so good. I love the way you arranged the strawberries- so pretty
This looks so good. I just found your blog its great. Come check out my blog at http://www.thedailysmash101.blogspot.com
Have a Great Day 🙂