Strawberry Pound Cake

Instructions

To make the cake:

1. Preheat the convection air oven to 325 F. If you don’t have convection air oven raise the temperature to 350 F and you’ll have to rotate the pan half way through the baking time. Butter and flour 8.5 x 4.5 x 3 inches loaf pan, then line it with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Combine cake flour with baking powder and salt, sift it three times and set aside.
3. In a small sauce pan brown 2 tablespoon butter over medium heat to get nice amber color, remove the foam and set aside to cool.
4. Whisk eggs and vanilla, set aside.
5. Cream the butter on medium speed, slowly add sugar and continue mixing until smooth. Add heavy cream and mascarpone, and beat on medium speed to combine, then turn the mixer on low speed and gradually add dry ingredients alternately with eggs.
6. Add one tablespoon flour in chocolate chips and toss them to cover evenly. Toss diced strawberries with a handful flour to cover them completely.
7. Using a spatula stir chocolate chips in the batter, then gently stir in strawberries and pour the batter into prepared pan, smooth the top and gently tap it onto working surface to remove the air bubbles.
8. With a butter knife draw a line down the center of the cake and pour browned butter into the line. Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 60 to 70 minutes). Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from the pan on the rack and cool completely.

To make the frosting:

1. Cream together softened butter and cream cheese until smooth, slowly add in powdered sugar and mix on low speed, mix in vanilla extract. Spread on top of the cooled cake and place the cake in the fridge to set the frosting.

For garnish:

1. In a small sauce pan over low heat melt 1/2 cup white chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil stirring until smooth (if it’s too thin let it cool for a few minutes to set before drizzle over the cake).
2. Scatter diced strawberries onto the frosting and drizzle with melted chocolate (using a spoon or transfer the chocolate into small zip-lock bag, cut off the corner and pipe the chocolate over the cake). Store the cake in the fridge.