Wine Cake with Macerated Strawberries

A delicate Passover-friendly sponge cake made with matzo cake meal and Concord grape wine, served with wine-macerated strawberries. This light and airy dessert features hints of lemon and is topped with confectioners sugar.

8 servings

2 hr 47 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•½ cup matzo cake meal
•½ cup potato starch
•¼ teaspoon salt
•⅔ cup medium-dry Concord-grape wine
•3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
•6 whole eggs
•1½ teaspoons lemon zest
•1¼ cups granulated sugar
•2 lb strawberries
•¼ cup medium-dry Concord-grape wine
•4 teaspoons granulated sugar
•¼ cup Passover confectioners sugar
•1 piece tube pan

Cooking Instructions

1.
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
10 min
2.
Whisk together matzo cake meal, potato starch, and salt in a bowl. Stir together wine and lemon juice in another bowl or a glass measure.
5 min
3.
Beat yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until smooth, then add zest. Add 1 cup sugar gradually, beating, and beat until mixture is very thick and pale, 2 to 3 minutes.
5 min
4.
With mixer at low speed, add half of matzo cake meal mixture to yolks, then all of wine mixture. Add remaining matzo meal mixture, mixing until just combined.
5 min
5.
Beat whites with a pinch of salt in another bowl with cleaned beaters at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar a little at a time, beating, and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks. Fold one fourth of whites into yolk mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
10 min
6.
Pour batter into ungreased tube pan and rap pan firmly three times on work surface to eliminate any large air bubbles.
2 min
7.
Bake spongecake until top is golden and springs back when it is pressed gently, 35 to 40 minutes. Immediately turn pan upside down on a rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.
95 min
8.
While cake cools, gently stir together strawberries, wine, and sugar until sugar is dissolved, then let stand at least 30 minutes.
30 min
9.
Dust cake with Passover confectioners sugar and serve with strawberries.
5 min

Ingredients

•½ cup matzo cake meal

•½ cup potato starch

•¼ teaspoon salt

•⅔ cup medium-dry Concord-grape wine

•3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

•6 whole eggs

•1½ teaspoons lemon zest

•1¼ cups granulated sugar

•2 lb strawberries

•¼ cup medium-dry Concord-grape wine

•4 teaspoons granulated sugar

•¼ cup Passover confectioners sugar

•1 piece tube pan

Cooking Instructions

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

10 min

Whisk together matzo cake meal, potato starch, and salt in a bowl. Stir together wine and lemon juice in another bowl or a glass measure.

5 min

Beat yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until smooth, then add zest. Add 1 cup sugar gradually, beating, and beat until mixture is very thick and pale, 2 to 3 minutes.

5 min

With mixer at low speed, add half of matzo cake meal mixture to yolks, then all of wine mixture. Add remaining matzo meal mixture, mixing until just combined.

5 min

Beat whites with a pinch of salt in another bowl with cleaned beaters at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar a little at a time, beating, and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks. Fold one fourth of whites into yolk mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.

10 min

Pour batter into ungreased tube pan and rap pan firmly three times on work surface to eliminate any large air bubbles.

2 min

Bake spongecake until top is golden and springs back when it is pressed gently, 35 to 40 minutes. Immediately turn pan upside down on a rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.

95 min

While cake cools, gently stir together strawberries, wine, and sugar until sugar is dissolved, then let stand at least 30 minutes.

30 min

Dust cake with Passover confectioners sugar and serve with strawberries.

5 min