Hot Milk Sponge Cake

Since I grew up with this, I assumed everyone knew about hot milk sponge cake, but after a friend said she'd never heard of it, I thought I should probably pass along the recipe.  Then I rethought.  I'm not sure if Mom would kill me, or if one of my sisters would kill me, or if some other distant relative would kill me.  I mean, it's not a state secret, but it's a family recipe I don't have permission to post online, so here's a comparable recipe, if you're interested.

Anyway, I have many fond memories of eating this, and watching Mom make it, and of making it myself.  Or rather, I have fond memories of Mom having made it and myself having made it.  The memories of actually making it are gone.  Weird.  :shrug:

So, I've made this tons of times.  I know I have.  By myself.  In my own home.  In Michigan.  After I moved out of the state, I couldn't make this damn thing work for love nor money.  It came out weird in Florida.  It came out like a thick, flat, weirdly-textured cookie in Colorado and Utah.  The only thing I could think of as a culprit was the altitude.  The last time I tried - because I wanted to impress my new husband with the awesomeness of hot milk sponge cake depressed me so bad, I didn't try again until yesterday.  (Yeah, he was new at the time, so about 11 years.)

I was VERY careful.  I measured everything out precisely.  I followed the directions exactly.  And after I discovered that I couldn't actually remember the steps to KNOW that I was doing it right, I hoped like hell I was doing it right.  I almost called Mom, but she was in the middle of her own Mother's Day thing, so I bit the bullet and forged ahead. 

Thirty minutes went by.  I peeked.  It looked right but too light and the toothpick was wet.  Three minutes later, checked again.  Not yet.  Three minutes, three minutes, three minutes...  I don't know how many three minute increments later, the top was a lovely golden brown and the damn toothpick was clean!  Hallelujah! 

But would it taste right?  I waited as long as I could - which means it was still pretty warm - but I sliced into it.  I don't remember it being that dense... but I don't remember a lot of shit, so that wasn't a big deal.  I do remember the crunchy edges and the spongy goodness of the soft center.  HUZZAH!  I did it!  Took me 14 freakin' years, but I did it!

I made strawberries with sugar to create shortcake later.  And it was awesome. 

I know I shouldn't be so weirdly excited about this, but I am.  I won!  Yay!

And since the strawberry thing isn't a family recipe here goes:

2-3 lbs strawberries, washed and hulled
1 cup sugar

Slice berries to about 1/4 to 1/2" thick into a big bowl.  Sprinkle cup of sugar all over the berry slices.  Stir with big spoon.  Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.  (The longer you have them in the fridge, the more the sugar has a chance to make juice with the strawberries.)  Stir every once in a while.  Taste test, and if they don't taste sweet enough, add more sugar.  If you like less sweet, start with a half cup of sugar and add from there.