Mom’s Celebration Cake – La Torta Celebrazione

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. Sift the flour, salt and baking soda together on a sheet of wax paper and set aside.
3. In a stand mixer beat the egg yolks until thickened and lemon colored; gradually add 1/3 cup of the sugar, orange flower water and zest. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Wash the bowl and with the whisk attachment beat the egg whites until soft peaks begin to form, then gradually beat in the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Beat until whites do not fall off when the whisk attachment is lifted but don’t make them so dry that it will be difficult to fold them into the egg yolk batter. Fold whites a third at a time into the batter. Sprinklel the top of the batter with 1/3 of the flour mixture and fold in gently; do this two more times with the flour mixture.
4. Pour the batter into a parchment or wax paper lined10x15x1-inch jelly roll pan. Spray the paper with flour /butter spray.
5. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until the cake is evenly browned and spring back when poked with your finger.
6. Sprinkle the top with confectioners' sugar.
7. Turn the pan upside down onto a clean cotton towel which has been generously dusted with confectioners' sugar.
8. Trim the cake edges, if necessary. Roll the cake up, from the shortest side with the towel while still warm. Let cool completely.
9. Meanwhile prepare the filling.
10. Beat the cream with the sugar until stiff.
11. Unroll the cake and spread about 1 cup of the cream evenly over the surface of the cake. Sprinkle the almonds over the cream and cover the almonds with a layer of strawberry slices
12. Roll the cake up on itself starting at the short end. The seam should be on the bottom. Transfer the jelly roll to a decorative rectangular dish.
13. Transfer the remaining cream to a pastry bag with a star tip and pipe a decorative design over the top. Garnish with whole strawberries and refrigerate. Use a serrated knife to cut the cake into thick round slices.