Charlotte Russe
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon plus pinch salt
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1/4 cup cream sherry, such as Harvey's or Dry Sack
- 1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
- Pinch cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup raspberry jam or preserves
- 2 tablespoons apple juice or water
- 1 recipe Whipped Cream, recipe follows
- 12 strawberries
- In a chilled bowl, whip the cream until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Add the sugar and vanilla.
- Whip to soft, fluffy peaks, about 2 minutes.
- FOR THE CAKE: Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
- Line a 12-slot muffin tin with large paper or foil cupcakes liners.
- Into a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 cup of the sugar together--three times.
- Form a well in the center and add the oil, egg yolks, sherry, and apple juice concentrate.
- On low speed, mix together, just until blended.
- In a clean, dry mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites with the pinches of salt and cream of tartar until creamy, foamy, and barely able to hold peaks, about 2 minutes.
- While sprinkling in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, whisk until the egg whites have the consistency of shaving cream.
- Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture.
- Fold in the remainder of the whites.
- Fill the cups of the muffin tin no more than 2/3 full with the batter.
- Bake for 16 minutes, or until the center springs back when lightly pressed and a cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool the cupcakes on a rack.
- Cut 12 (2 1/4-inch) circles and 12 (2 by 8 1/2-inch) bands out of glossy card stock.
- Wrap the bands around the circles to form cups and secure with tape or decorative ribbon.
- Do not tape any part of the circle.
- It must remain free to move.
- FOR THE FILLING: Mix the preserves and apple juice until smooth.
- Split the cakes into 2 layers.
- Spread 1 teaspoon of the preserves in between layers.
- Place the cakes in the paper holders so that the cake top is even with the paper rim.
- Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a star tip, with whipped cream.
- Pipe it to rise 1-inch above the paper rims.
- Top each with a strawberry.
heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, cake flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, cream sherry, apple juice concentrate, cream of tartar, raspberry, apple juice, cream, strawberries
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/charlotte-russe-recipe.html (may not work)