Cardamom Frasier Sheet Cake

Prep Time: 35 mins | Cook Time: 45 mins | Course: Dessert | Servings: 12-15

Unbelievably moist!!! The best vanilla sheet cake with a delicate “reverse creamed” crumb; poked, with cardamom custard poured in, topped with sliced strawberries and piped with cardamom whipped pastry cream. Vanilla Sheet Cake inspired by Sallys Baking Addiction https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/vanilla-sheet-cake/  Cardamom Custard inspired by James McNair in his Custards, Mousses and Puddings Cookbook.

Vanilla Sheet Cake:

3 cups cake flour

1 ½ cups sugar

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 Tbsp vanilla

3 eggs

1 cup milk, divided

⅓ cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350* and generously spray oil on a 9x13 sheet pan. In a stand mixer mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Mix together with the paddle attachment. This creates a layer of air as it would if you had sifted the ingredients. Add in the softened butter, vanilla, eggs and ½ cup of the milk. Turn the mixer on medium-low and cream together for about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl's edges to the bottom and add the last ½ of the milk and sour cream. Mix again for about 1 minute to aerate and develop the cakes structure. Pour batter into the prepared sheet pan and bake for 32-35 minutes. When a toothpick tester comes out clean, allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes. Poke holes all over with the stick end of a wooden spoon. Cook custard in the last 15 minutes of baking.

Cardamom Custard:

3 cups milk

1 cup cream

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

⅛ tsp salt

2 eggs

2 Tbsp butter

1 tsp cardamom

2 Tbsp vanilla

2 pints strawberries, sliced (reserve a few for garnish)

Cook the milk and cream over low heat in a saucepan. Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a mixing bowl.  Whisk eggs in the mixing bowl and a ladleful of hot milk to form a thin paste.  Whisk this mixture together well so your eggs will not curdle. Continue whisking in ladlefuls until the milk mixture is about half used. Pour egg & hot milk mixture back into the pot and cook stirring with a wooden spoon until thickened. Turn off heat and stir in butter, cardamom and vanilla. Let cool about 5 minutes before ladling into the warm poked cake (reserve ½ cup custard for the whipped cream). Let cool to room temperature before topping with the strawberries.

Whipped Pastry Cream:

2 cups whipping cream

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup reserved cardamom custard, cooled

Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla to soft peaks, add the custard and continue whipping until it's a medium-soft peak. Pipe with a large star tip (such as a 1M) on top of the strawberries.