Geoffrey Zakarian's Strawberry Shortcakes

Ingredients:

For the cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pan

3 Tbsp cornstarch

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

12 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

1 tsp lemon zest

4 large eggs

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

1 cup full-fat yogurt

For the strawberry layer:

2 lbs. fresh strawberries, diced plus 12 (small) whole for garnish

3 ½ tbsp granulated sugar

For the cream layer:

2 cups heavy cream

6 oz cream cheese, softened

½ tsp vanilla extract

¾ cup powdered sugar

Procedure:

Strawberry layer:

Toss strawberries with the sugar. Let sit until ready to use.

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 18-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt, baking soda and baking powder, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip together butter, sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time then mix in vanilla.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix just until combined then add in 1/2 the yogurt and mix just until combined, repeat with flour and yogurt once more then end by mixing in last 1/3 of the flour mixture and mixing just until combined (scrape down bowl to make sure it's evenly combined).

Pour and spread batter evenly into prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 - 24 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, cut into rounds the size of your ball jars.

Cream layer

In a large mixing bowl and using an electric hand mixer, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form.

In a separate mixing bowl, whip cream cheese until smooth and add powdered sugar and vanilla then whip until light and fluffy. Add cream cheese mixture to heavy cream and whip until stiff peaks form.

Assembly:

Place 1 cake round on the bottom of each ball jar. Add a spoonful of strawberries over each cake round.

Transfer cream mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large round trip and pipe cream mixture over strawberry layer.

Repeat layering process once more then garnish each with a fresh strawberry. Serve within an hour for best results.

*The cake can be made a day in advance and covered, just wait to prepare the cream mixture and strawberries until almost ready to serve.