STRAWBERRY BISCUIT SHEET CAKE

Strawberry Biscuit Sheet Cake image

In this strawberry shortcake that feeds a crowd, a tender biscuit cushions a cloud of lightly sweetened cream and a tumble of juiced-up berries. Peaches, plums, or nectarines can be swapped in for the strawberries if you prefer.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes

Time 55m

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), such as Swans Down, plus more for dusting
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Heavy cream, for brushing
Fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
4 cups sliced strawberries (from 2 quart containers)
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
Scraped seeds from 1 vanilla bean, or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Freeze-dried strawberries, finely ground, for serving (optional)

Steps:

Biscuit: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk; stir until just combined.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead once or twice to help it come together. Pat into a 10-by-7-inch rectangle, about 3/4 inch thick. Cut length‑wise into thirds, then crosswise into fourths to create 12 equal pieces. Using a spatula, transfer to a 9 1/2-by-12 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet or other pan, arranging pieces to roughly re-create original rectangle but leaving 1/2 inch between them.
Brush tops with cream; sprinkle generously with sanding sugar. Bake, rotating sheet once, until golden brown and cooked through, 25 to 28 minutes (gaps should be gone, so you have a single but easily separable biscuit). Let cool on sheet 10 minutes, then carefully lift with 2 large spatulas onto a wire rack. Let cool almost but not quite completely, about 1 hour.
Berries and cream: Meanwhile, combine strawberries, granulated sugar, salt, and lemon juice; let stand, stirring occasionally, until juicy, about 30 minutes. Beat cream with vanilla and confectioners' sugar on mediumhigh speed to stiff peaks.
Carefully slide biscuit onto a serving platter. Spoon 2 cups whipped cream over biscuit; top with 3 cups berry mixture, drizzling with some juices. Sprinkle with berry powder; serve immediately, with remaining whipped cream and berries on the side.