Strawberry Blitz Torte Betty Ford

1 cup sifted cake flour 1 tsp. Baking powder

1/4 tsp. Salt ½ cup shortening

½ cup sugar 4 egg yolks

3 Tbsp. Milk 1 tsp. Vanilla

Meringue/Filling & Topping (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 - 8" layer cake pans. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. In large bowl, with electric mixer set at medium speed, beat shortening until creamy. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat egg yolks in separate bowl and add to creamed mixture. Stir in milk and vanilla. Add dry ingredients at low speed and beat until batter is smooth. Pour batter into cake pans. Lightly pile half of the meringue mixture over the batter in each pan, spread evenly. Bake in 350 oven until cake tests done and meringue is pale gold, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven, loosen sides of torte from pans and remove them to wire racks, keeping the meringue side up. Add filling and topping.

Meringue

Beat egg whites, salt and cream of tartar until they stand in soft peaks. Add sugar, 2 Tablespoons at a time, beating very thoroughly after each addition. Then add vanilla.

Strawberry Filling

1 cup heavy cream, whipped 4 Tbsp. Powdered sugar

2 cups sliced strawberries 8 strawberries for garnish

Combine whipped cream and confectioners’ sugar. Fold in sliced strawberries. Spread half between layers of Blitz Torte (meringue side up) and use remaining as topping. Decorate with whole berries. Refrigerate if not serving immediately.