Ballerina Strawberry Shortcake
Ballerina Strawberry Shortcake
Prep Time: 1 Hr
Yields: 48 servings
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp butter
2 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
2 large all butter pound cakes, thawed
1 Qt strawberries, rinsed and patted dry
1 can Betty Crocker® Sunset Orange Cupcake Icing
1 can Betty Crocker® Pink Decorating Cake Icing
1 can Betty Crocker® Red Decorating Cake Icing
Instructions:
Heat 2 cups milk in a 2 qt heavy bottom sauce pot over medium heat until steam rises from the surface and it almost begins to boil. While you are waiting, mix the remaining 1/4 cup milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl. Once the milk is ready, whisk in the cornstarch mixture just until smooth. Use a wooden spoon or heat proof spatula to stir the mixture over the medium heat until it thickens and just begins to boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and butter. Pour mixture into a large shallow bowl so that it will cool quickly. To speed up the cooling, place the bowl of custard on a large bowl of ice and place the whole thing in the refrigerator, covered.
Place the heavy cream and confectioner’s sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer (a handheld mixer or large whisk will also work nicely) and whip until soft peak form.
Meanwhile, slice both pound cakes in half lengthwise. Reserve 6 beautiful strawberries for the top of the cake. Hull and thinly slice the remaining berries. Place the two bottom pieces of pound cake next to each other lengthwise on a serving platter spoon the cooled custard over the surface, leaving about ½ inch border on the cake. Sprinkle with the sliced strawberries. Add the remaining layers to the top, pressing down gently.
Spread the top and sides of the cake with whipped cream. Slice the remaining strawberries and set aside. Pipe a trapezoid outline for the skirt on the top third of the cake with Red Decorating Icing. Pipe a border on the bottom edge of the cake in the same manner. Use the Sunset Orange Cupcake Icing to pipe legs and Pink Decorating Icing to pipe the shoes. Fill in the skirt area by fanning out the slices strawberries and use the strawberry ends to create a pattern in the skirt.
