Japanese Strawberry Shortcake | Japanese Christmas Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a medium bowl, add together egg yolks, ¼ cup of sugar, salt, corn syrup, vanilla, and water

Beat on high with a stand mixer or hand mixer until fluffy and pale yellow with ribbons form when lifting the whisk

Set aside

In a large bowl, add the egg whites and beat on high until it starts to get foamy

Start adding the 2½ tablespoons of sugar in three equal parts, beating each time to incorporate

Beat the egg whites on high until firm peaks form, so that when lifting the whisk from the bowl, the meringue holds its shape while the tip drops slightly

Add ½ of the egg white meringue to the egg yolk mixture and gently fold it in until it's mostly mixed in and light and airy

Sift the flour and baking powder into the yolk and meringue mixture in three equal parts, gently folding after each addition

Take out 2 tablespoons of the combined batter and mix this with the oil until it's no longer separated

Gently fold the oil mixture into the batter

Add the remaining half of the egg white meringue by gently folding it in

Pour the batter into a round cake pan lined with parchment paper, using one 8 inch pan or two 6 inch pans

Bang the pan twice on a flat surface to remove large air bubbles

Bake at 350 degrees F until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes for two 6 inch pans or 23 to 25 minutes for one 8 inch pan

Remove the cake from the pan and remove the parchment paper

Let it cool on a cooling rack

Add the cold heavy cream and powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until you get medium peaks, watching carefully and stopping before it becomes grainy

Slice the cake into even layers

Make the sugar syrup by dissolving the sugar in the hot water

Brush on even amounts of the sugar syrup onto all the layers, including the top layer

Cut half of the strawberries into thick slices for the inner layer, and leave the other half whole to decorate the top of the cake

Apply a layer of cream to the cake sheet and then top it with sliced strawberries

Add another layer of cream on top of the strawberries, followed by another layer of cake, repeating as necessary

Frost the top and sides of the cake with whipped cream and decorate as desired

Place whole strawberries on top of the cake, sprinkled with powdered sugar

Serve immediately