- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup plus 8 tablespoons sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
- Powdered sugar
- 1 1-pint basket strawberries, stemmed
- Makes about 3 1/2 cups
- 4 cups 1/2-inch-thick rhubarb slices (about 1 generous pound)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 16-ounce package frozen sliced sweetened strawberries, thawed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms with parchment. Using electric mixer, beat butter until light. Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon nutmeg and salt into medium bowl. Fold into butter mixture. Gently mix in milk.
- Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until firm to touch about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely.
- Split each cake into 2 layers, using serrated knife. Combine cream, 6 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon nutmeg in bowl. Beat to stiff peaks. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup compote, then 1 cup cream. Repeat layering with 2 more cake layers, compote and cream. Top with last cake layer, cut side down. Cover cake and chill 1 hour. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
- Dust with powdered sugar. Arrange berries atop cake. Serve, spooning some of remaining compote over each slice.
- Combine rhubarb, sugar and water in heavy medium saucepan. Bring just to boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook just until rhubarb is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; mix in berries, vanilla and nutmeg. Chill until cold. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)