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1
Pour an inch of water into a large pot and simmer over medium-high heat.
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2
Stir strawberries, orange zest and 1/4 cup sugar in a large stainless steel mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place on pot so bowl does not touch water.
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3
Reduce heat to low and let strawberries cook for 20 minutes.
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4
Remove bowl and refrigerate until chilled.
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5
(Strawberry sauce, which will be chunky, can be made up to one day ahead.)
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6
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
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7
Place a 10-inch cake pan on parchment paper; trace and cut out a circle.
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8
Grease pans bottom and sides with one tablespoon butter, press parchment into pan, then flip paper over, buttered side up.
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9
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour on parchment and tap to coat bottom and sides of pan; discard excess.
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10
Melt remaining butter over medium-high heat.
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11
Simmer, whisking often to incorporate any solids that sink to bottom, until butter is a golden-amber color and smells nutty, about 4 to 6 minutes.
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12
If it sputters, reduce heat.
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13
Set butter aside to cool.
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14
Bring the large pot with an inch of water in it to a simmer again over medium-high heat.
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15
Whisk eggs and remaining one cup sugar together in a large heatproof bowl and place over pot of water.
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16
Again, bottom of bowl should not touch water.
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17
Reduce heat to low and whisk mixture until it has tripled in volume, 4 to 5 minutes.
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18
Transfer to a mixing bowl and, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, whip on high speed until mixture is thick and pale, 2 to 3 minutes.
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19
Reduce speed of mixer to low and slowly drizzle in warm butter (adding it too quickly will cause batter to separate), using a rubber spatula to scrape browned bits into batter.
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20
Sift remaining 1 cup flour, baking powder and salt together.
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21
Using a whisk, gently fold one-third of dry ingredients into batter, then half the buttermilk.
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22
Repeat, ending with last third of dry mixture.
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23
Transfer batter to cake pan and bake until cake sides pull away from pan and center resists light pressure, about 20 minutes.
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24
Remove from oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before running a paring knife around edge of pan to release cake.
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25
Invert onto a rack to cool completely.
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26
Slice into wedges and serve topped with the strawberry sauce and a dollop of whipped cream.