Strawberry and Cream Cake with Cardamom Syrup

• 8 large egg yolksegg
• 1 1/2 cups sugarsugar
• 1/4 cup whole milkmilk
• 1 teaspoon vanillavanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zestlemon
• 1 cup all-purpose flourflour
• 1/2 teaspoon saltsalt
• 4 large egg whitesegg
• 1 1/2 cups Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise or Essensia (orange-flavored Muscat wine)
• 1/4 cup sugarsugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 cups chilled heavy creamcream
• 1/2 cup sour creamsour-cream
• 2 tablespoons sugarsugar
• 1 teaspoon vanillavanilla
• 1 1/2 pound strawberries, 5 left whole and remainder trimmed and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slicesstrawberry
• 3 (9- by 2-inch) round cake pans; parchment paper

1. 01Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter cake pans. Line bottom of each with a round of parchment paper, then butter parchment and dust cake pans with flour, knocking out excess.
2. 02Whisk together yolks, 1 cup sugar, milk, vanilla, and zest in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in flour and salt until combined (batter will be thick).
3. 03Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, a little at a time, beating at medium speed, and continue to beat until whites hold stiff glossy peaks, about 2 minutes more.
4. 04Fold about one third of whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
5. 05Divide batter among cake pans and bake, switching position of cake pans halfway through baking, until cakes are springy to the touch and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of each comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes, then invert onto racks. Carefully peel off parchment, then cool cakes completely.
6. 06Bring wine, sugar, and cardamom to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil until reduced to about 1 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Strain syrup through a fine-mesh sieve and cool completely.

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