Strawberries and Cream Chinese Bakery-Style Chiffon Sponge Cake, Gluten-free or not

We had some guests come for dinner the other night.  Hubby ordered Chinese take-out, so all I had to do was add a nice green salad (you can never get enough veggies!) and make a dessert.  

To keep with the Chinese food theme, what is a typical Chinese dessert?  For special occasions, my mother would either bake or order a beautiful vanilla chiffon sponge cake decorated with fresh fruit and whipped cream from a local Chinese bakery.   

You can use your favourite sponge cake with whipped cream and fruit.  I made 2 tube sponge cakes with this vanilla chiffon sponge cake recipe.  I decorated one cake and froze the second one to enjoy at another time for a quick dessert.   For those who are on a gluten-free diet, you can try this gluten-free vanilla chiffon sponge cake.  

Pressed for time?  Ready-made angel food cakes can be decorated fresh whipped cream and fruit.  

I usually fill and decorate these cakes with canned fruit cocktail that has been drained and blotted dry.  I have also made a "Strawberries and Cream" cake with fresh strawberries and  "Peaches and Cream" with canned peaches.  

This time, I used fresh strawberries and canned mandarin orange segments to fill and decorate the cake.  Make sure to blot dry the excess moisture from the fruit on a paper towel or napkin. 

Strawberries and Cream Chinese Bakery-Style Chiffon Sponge Cake, Gluten-free or not

1 - 8" vanilla chiffon sponge cake, gluten-free vanilla sponge cake or ready-made angel food cake
1.5 cups heavy cream
4.5 Tbsp confectioner's sugar 
1.5 tsp vanilla 
chocolate shavings, with a vegetable peeler
selection of fresh/canned fruit for decorating and filling (possibilities are endless!)
  - strawberries, kiwi, grapes, melon balls, etc
  - canned fruit (must be drained and blotted dry):  peaches, pears, mandarin oranges, cherries, etc.

Prepare chiffon cake and cool completely.

Whip 1.5 cups heavy cream with 4.5 Tbsp confectioner's sugar and 1.5 tsp vanilla for at least 3 minutes on high until the cream is stiff.  Be careful not to overwhip the cream (mixture will separate and become butter!).  If you would like extra whipped cream for piping or for serving, use 2 cups heavy cream, 6 Tbsp confectioner's sugar and 2 tsp vanilla.  

Dice about 1 cup (I forgot to measure, chop enough fruit to fill the cake layer) fresh or canned fruit for filling and blot dry on paper napkin/towel.  Set aside.

Cut cake in 2 layers.  Place one cake layer on a cake plate.  Spread the cake with whipped cream and place chopped fruit pieces (blotted dry) on top of the cream. Place the top layer on the fruit filling.  

Frost and decorate the cake as desired with the whipped cream.  

- Adapted from Vanilla Chiffon Sponge Cake

The cake didn't last long!  Of course, the kiddies had leftover cake dolloped with extra whipped cream for breakfast the next day!

Enjoy!