Serves 10
For the cake:
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-cup tube pan (or alternative pan) thoroughly.
2. Combine the milk and butter in a medium saucepan and heat over medium just until the butter is melted and the milk is hot. While the milk is heating, beat the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Pour in the hot milk and stir until completely combined.
3. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden and firm and tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely. The cake will keep, well wrapped, for several days.
For the strawberry caramel sauce:
Makes about 1-1/2 cups
1 cup of diced strawberries
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
3/4 cup heavy cream
1. Place the diced strawberries in a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons sugar. Leave to sit for several hours until the strawberries have released quite a bit of juice.
2. Pour the juice off the berries into a measuring jug and add enough water to make 1/3 cup of liquid.
3. Stir the liquid and 1-1/2 cups sugar together in a medium-sized saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Up the heat to high and boil the mixture until it turns a lovely caramel brown, the color of sweet tea, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Watch it like a hawk because it goes from caramel to burnt quickly at the end. Stand back a bit and pour in the cream. It will roil and bubble furiously and seize up a little. Just stir it until it all smooths out and combines, then turn the burner off and stir until it settles down.
4. Let it cool for about 3 minutes, then stir in the diced strawberries. Cool to room temperature.
