Hungarian Strawberry Cake

I know it is still too hot to fire up the oven (we are having a heat wave in the last week or so), but few weeks ago I took advantage of the fresh strawberries and much cooler weather. And here is the yummy result: a Hungarian Strawberry/Chocolate Cake, made from Oregon Strawberries.

Oregon strawberries are one of the oldest and best loved agricultural crops. It would not be summer in Oregon without a bowl of red ripe berries, or a luscious dessert of strawberry shortcake (a strawberry/chocolate cake in my case).

Oregon strawberries are known world wide for their exceptional taste, deep red color, and intensive sweetness. There are many reasons why these strawberries are so sweet, red and juicy, but one of the most important ones is our climate. Oregon has a long mild spring and early summer. We have lots of rain and often have cool nights and warm sunny days. The berries stay on the vine and ripen slowly, allowing the sugars to increase before harvest. If you take a drive in the country during berry season, you will see acres of strawberry plants which add to the beauty of the Oregon landscape.