This is an old southern dish and is as pretty to look at, as it is delicious to eat.  Every bite is bursting with fruity goodness.

This is a perfect dessert for any summer night and it is also great for the Fourth of July.  Just add in some blueberries and serve with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream or both!

Ingredients

• 3 c strawberries, hulled and halved (I have also used raspberries, blueberries, and mixtures of berries or fresh peaches in place of the strawberries)
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 1 T butter, melted
• 4 eggs separated
• 1 t cream of tartar
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 c flour
• 2 cups of sweetened strawberries fresh or frozen

Directions

Preheat oven to 325.  Butter or Pam 8 or 9 inch springform pan.

Place halved berries in the bottom of the springform pan, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar and put aside.   Beat the cooled, melted butter into the egg yolks with a spoon.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, adding salt and cream of tartar.  Fold in the remaining sugar 1/4 cup at a time, add the flour alternating with the egg yolk mixture.  Pour the cake mixture over the berries in the pan and bake for 1 hr – 1 hr 10 minutes.

Cool for 10 minutes and then remove from spring form pan.  Spoon fresh or frozen sweetened berries over the cake.  Garnish with sweetened whipping cream (I add cinnamon when I do the peaches) and fresh mint.

Recipe from my mother-in-law Candilyn Newell