Olive Oil Cake with Balsamic Strawberry Compote and Cardamom Whipped Cream

In celebration of it finally feeling like spring/summer around here, I offer up my new variation on a traditional strawberry shortcake. A lot of things this week have inspired me to make this. For one, I accidentally got lemon olive oil at Whole Foods instead of regular (it's got a ton of lemon oil in it). A happy accident as it's been infusing my cooking with a bright citrus note that I just love! Also, obviously the farmer's market is bursting at the seams with strawberries, and I've been seeing recipes using balsamic vinegar with them all over the place. Lastly, the new Oaktown Spice Shop near my house has been inspiring me to use more interesting herbs and spices. This is the best strawberry shortcake I've ever made, and I hope you'll try it too!

Cake ingredients:
4 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup lemon olive oil
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Filling & whipped cream ingredients:
1 lb ripe strawberries
4 tbsp light brown sugar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon (about 2 tbsp)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 cardamom pods (about 1/2 a tsp ground cardamom)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

In a small bowl, beat the eggs until frothy, then add the sugar and beat until it starts to lighten in color.

Transfer the liquid to a larger bowl and add the olive oil. 

Whisk until emulsified and frothy. 

Add the baking powder and salt and whisk until well combined. 

Then switch to a rubber spatula and add the flour, stirring it in until completely incorporated.

Pour the batter into a greased bunt pan and place on a rack in the center of the oven.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown around the edges and when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, gather your filling ingredients.
Clean, hull, and slice the strawberries.
Juice the lemon and add to the strawberries, making sure to strain it for seeds and pulp.
Add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, and stir the berries to make sure the sugar is dissolved and the berries are coated in the juices.
Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge while the cake cools.

Make the whipped cream once the cake has cooled, right before serving.
Use an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, and begin whisking the cream on medium speed.
Once it starts to thicken, add the sugar, vanilla, and ground cardamom.
Be very careful not to over-whisk or you'll end up with butter. The whole process only took me about 2 minutes of whisking.

Lay a small slice of bunt cake on the plate, and top it with a layer of strawberries, and be sure to drizzle on the syrup from the bottom of the berry bowl.
Top with another slice of cake, more berries and syrup, and dollops of whipped cream.
Enjoy.