Instructions

1. To infuse the heavy cream, add the heavy cream, lemongrass and basil to a medium saucepan. Gently warm it over medium heat just until small bubbles start to form around the edges. Do not let it come to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool to room temperate. Then cover and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. The cream must be completely chilled before whipping it.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the cake. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a 10 X 15-inch rimmed baking pan (often called a jelly roll pan) with parchment paper. Spray it lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until small bubbles start to form. Then with your mixer running, slowly add in 1/2 cup of the sugar. Increase the speed to high and whisk until the egg whites become very thick and glossy, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the egg whites to a clean bowl and set aside.
4. Add the egg yolks to the same mixing bowl (no need to clean it out) and whisk on medium speed until they become pale yellow. With your mixer running, slowly add in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Increase the speed to high and whisk until the mixture is smooth and has thickened slightly. Whisk in the lemon juice and zest.
5. Gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolks, stopping when the two are almost fully combined. 
6. In a small bowl, stir together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Then gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until no more dry spots remain.
7. Transfer the cake batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top to create an even surface. Transfer to your pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes. The edges of the cake should be slightly browned and starting to pull away from the sides of the baking pan. 
8. Remove the baking pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes. Run a knife along the edges of the cake to make sure it’s not stuck to the side of the pan. Then carefully invert the baking pan over a parchment paper-lined wire rack. The cake should easily come out of the pan. If the parchment paper has stuck to the bottom of the cake, gently peel it off and discard it. Allow the cake to cool completely.
9. In a large bowl, toss the sliced strawberries with the sugar and lemon juice. Set aside at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
10. To finish making the whipped cream, start by placing the bowl of your mixer and the whisk attachment in your freezer for 2-3 minutes to chill them. Then remove them from the freezer and immediately strain the infused heavy cream directly into the chilled bowl, discarding the solids. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and start whisking on medium-high speed. Once the cream starts to thicken, increase the speed to high and continue whisking until soft peaks form. 
11. Assemble the shortcake. Spread a thin layer of strawberry jam over the entire surface of the cake. I like to use the bottom side of the cake as the “top”, because it’s completely flat. Spoon the sliced strawberries on top of the jam, including any juices that have collected at the bottom of the bowl. Then add dollops of whipped cream all over the surface of the cake. Slice and enjoy immediately.