Catholic Recipe: Strawberry Cake

This is a special cake, a glorified strawberry shortcake, a descendant of the French apricot rum cake. It is often used as the festive cake of France, and the Holy Spirit undoubtedly inspired the baker who first conceived it. Its frosting is as red as the tongues of fire that descended on the apostles, as red as the vestments at Mass on Pentecost. This can be made the night before. This is also a perfect dessert for a summer picnic or celebration for hot weather feast day.

DIRECTIONS

Mix yeast in warm milk with one-fourth cup flour. Cover and let rise until light. Cream shortening and sugar. Add lemon and salt. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add yeast mixture and the rest of the flour. Beat for 15 minutes. Pour the bubbling dough into a greased tube pan. Allow the dough to rise until double in bulk. Bake in a moderate oven (350°) for 45 minutes. When the cake is done, remove it from the oven. Turn the pan upside down and let the cake slide out. Stab the bottom of the cake with a long-tined fork. Place the cake in a dish containing the Baba au Rhum (Rum Sauce). Allow the cake to absorb the sweet rum flavor for an hour or more. Then set the cake on a serving plate and spread the top with the Strawberry Glaze. Use the whole strawberries to decorate the cake.