Strawberry Charlotte

Strawberry Charlotte Cake.

I ran across this recipe and thought it would be the perfect dessert for Mother's Day.  And I was right.  It was perfect!

Bake an eight inch sponge cake, and while the cake is baking make a strawberry sauce (strawberries and sugar blended).

Sponge cake out of oven.

Blend strawberries and sugar to make a sauce.

Place the cooled cake layer on the bottom of an 8 inch springform pan and spread 1/4 cup of strawberry sauce on top of the sponge cake.

Place cake in springform pan and spread top of cake with strawberry sauce.

Halve strawberries and fit them on top of sponge cake. 

Arrange strawberry halves on top of cake with cut sides out.

Make strawberry whipped cream.  Whip cream, add strawberry sauce and gelatin and refrigerate overnight.

Spread strawberry whipped cream on top of cake.

Remove from springform pan and brush warm apricot preserves on outside of strawberries and cake.

Add crushed pistachios to outside of cake.

Remove from springform pan, brush apricot preserves on outer edges of strawberries and cake and add crushed pistachios to side of cake.  

Finished cake garnished with a strawberry fan on top.

Keep finished cake refrigerated until ready to serve.

Drizzle strawberry sauce on cake and ready to eat.

Enjoy!

I found this recipe in Joy of Baking and for the recipe and instructions on making this, including a video, go to this website.