A shelf of whipped topping means strawberry shortcake for dessert dinner: warm sponge cake, fresh berries, and clouds of cream. It's quick, requires no baking skill, and feeds two with leftovers.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 900 calories a serving, 15 g protein, 122 g carbohydrate, 41 g fat. From USDA figures for 88% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Heat the oven to 350°F [175°C]. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then remove from the heat. Whisk together 2 eggs with 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl until pale, about 1 minute.
2. Fold 1 cup flour mixed with 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt into the eggs and sugar, then fold in the warm butter until no streaks remain. Pour into a greased 8-inch cake pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 12 minutes.12 min
3. While the cake bakes, hull 1 pound strawberries and slice them into a bowl with 2 tablespoons sugar; let them sit to release their juice.
4. When the cake is done, let it cool for 2 minutes, then turn it out onto a plate. Slice it in half horizontally to make two layers.
5. Spread a thin layer of whipped topping on the bottom cake layer, top with half the berries and their juice, then place the second cake layer on top. Top with the remaining berries and juice, then dollop generously with more whipped topping.

Note Swap the whipped topping for freshly whipped cream if you have heavy cream on hand. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for one day. Serve with a glass of milk or cold tea.