WHIPPED CREAM CAKE

Whipped Cream Cake image

At first glance, this cake seems to contain no butter or oil. But on closer analysis, I discovered that the butterfat contained in the cream was more than equal to the usual amount of butter added.

Provided by Rose Levy Beranbaum

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups cake flour or 2 cups all purpose flour, sifted (measured by sifting into the cup and leveling it off)
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, cold
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
Special Equipment: 1 (10-cup) fluted metal tube pan, coated with baking spray with flour

Steps:

Preheat the Oven:
Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F (350°F if using a dark pan).
Mix the Dry Ingredients:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt and then sift them together to make the mixture easier to incorporate.
Mix the Liquid Ingredients:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk beater, whip the cream, starting on low speed, gradually raising the speed to medium-high as it thickens, until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla just until lightly combined.
On medium-high speed, gradually beat the egg mixture into the whipped cream. The mixture will thicken into mayonnaise consistency (unless high-butterfat cream is used). Gradually beat in the sugar. It should take about 30 seconds to incorporate it.
Make the Batter:
Detach the bowl and whisk beater from the stand. Add half the flour mixture to the cream mixture and, with the whisk attachment stir and fold in the flour until most of it disappears. Add the rest of the flour mixture and continue folding and mixing until all traces of flour have disappeared. Using a silicone spatula or spoon, scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Run a small metal spatula or dull knife blade through the batter to prevent large air bubbles, avoiding the bottom of the pan. Smooth the surface evenly with a small metal spatula.
Bake the Cake:
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted between the tube and the side comes out completely clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center. The cake should start to shrink from the sides of the pan only after removal from the oven.
Cool and Unmold the Cake:
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. With a small metal spatula, loosen the top edges of the cake and invert the cake onto a wire rack that has been coated lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Cool completely. The cake requires no adornment, but I love to serve it with a light dusting of powdered sugar or a large dollop of lightly sweetened Whipped Cream.