Berry Cake

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This triple berry cake is everything! Tender cake layers floating between thick bands of light-as-air mascarpone whipped cream frosting with gorgeous ripe strawberries, blackberries and blueberries! It’s such a seasonal treat and even though this cake is massive, I guarantee it won’t last a day!

If you’ve ever thought OMG that cake is just too sweet or rich then you NEED to try making a mascarpone whipped cream frosting! It’s sweet but not cloying and much lighter than a buttercream, meaning those fresh berries get to be the star of the dish!

I get tons of questions regarding whipped cream layer cakes and while they are delicious, the cream just isn’t stable enough for building, but if you add the mascarpone in everything changes for the better!

The taste is similar to whipped cream but the texture is more substantial.  I will caution you that over-whipping this frosting will cause it to become grainy, and your cake will be best if eaten the same day. Taste-wise nothing changes but the frosting becomes a bit yellow the next day.

WHAT IF YOU CAN’T FIND MASCARPONE ANYWHERE?!?

A while back I was making a cake with a mascarpone buttercream and realized mine had expired! I didn’t have time to go to the market so I followed Nigella’s advice for a reasonable facsimile and mixed the following ingredients together until combined. Make sure they are all at room temperature!

• 8oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbs unsalted butter

If you find cake decorating to be a bit intimidating then check out my How to Decorate a Cake post, it has lots of helpful tips and a full how to video.

Start off by getting those ingredients together! Make sure to let everything come to room temperature.

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour three 8-inch pans. Add damp cake strips. Zest a lemon. Melt the coconut oil. Let it cool. Add the maple and honey to a small bowl. Heat for a few seconds in the microwave. Lighten and leaven or sift the flour. Sift the other dry ingredients together in a large bowl and whisk together. Give the sifted mixture a whisk. Make sure all the lumps are gone. 
2. Add the wet ingredients into a medium bowl and mix. Make sure to distribute the honey mixture well. 
3. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well. Add lemon zest. Pour the batter into the cake pans and distribute evenly. I like to use a kitchen scale for precision. Bake for 35 minutes or until the centers are done. 
4. Add the cream to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. 
5. Add in confectioner’s sugar. 
6. Whip the cream until it just starts to thicken. Add the mascarpone and beat on low, bringing the speed up to high as the mascarpone is incorporated into the cream. Add the vanilla. Beat until the mixture holds firm peaks. Overbeating can lead to a grainy texture. 
7. Add the filling to the first layer. 
8. Cover with berries. 
9. Add more cream on top and smooth out. Add the second cake layer, and repeat steps then add third layer, cover with frosting and smooth out.
10. Push berries into the filling on the side of the cake then smooth out with an offset spatula and a bench scraper. Hull some strawberries.
11. Pipe dollops of cream on the top edge with a large star tip. 
12. Top each dollop with blackberries and strawberries.

If you’ve tried this cake out then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

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4.91 from 11 votes

Berry Cake

The most delicious triple berry cake filled with a dreamy and light mascarpone whipped cream frosting. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 12

Calories 311kcal

Author John Kanell

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

For the Cake:

• 3 cups Baker’s Corner All-Purpose Flour 360g
• 2 cups almond flour 192g, sifted
• 1.5 heaping tbsp Baker’s Corner Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 cups Friendly Farms Sour Cream 480ml, room temperature
• 3/4 cup SimplyNature Organic Wildflower Honey 180ml
• ¼ cup Specially Selected 100% Pure Maple Syrup 60ml
• 1/2 cup SimplyNature Organic Coconut Oil, melted and cooled 120ml
• 4 Goldhen Cage Free Large Eggs
• 2 tsp Stonemill Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 tbsp lemon zest

Berries:

• 2 cups strawberries 16oz, chopped, reserve 5 for top.
• 2 cups blackberries 16oz, reserve 5 for top
• 2 cups blueberries 16oz

For the Frosting:

• 18 oz mascarpone cheese 540ml, room temperature
• 3 cups Countryside Creamery Heavy Whipping Cream 720ml
• 1 cup Baker's Corner Confectioner's Sugar 145g
• 3 tbsp Stonemill Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour three 8-inch pans. Add damp cake strips.
• Zest a lemon and set aside. Melt the coconut oil. Let it cool and set aside. Add the maple and honey to a small bowl. Heat for a few seconds in the microwave.
• Lighten and leaven or sift the flour. Sift the other dry ingredients together in a large bowl and whisk together. Give the sifted mixture a whisk. Make sure all the lumps are gone.
• Add the wet ingredients into a medium bowl and mix. Make sure to distribute the honey mixture well.
• Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well. Add lemon zest.
• Pour the batter into the cake pans and distribute evenly. I like to use a kitchen scale for precision.
• Bake for 35 minutes or until the centers are done.

For the Frosting:

• Add the cream and confectioner's sugar to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk
• Whip the cream until it just starts to thicken
• Add the mascarpone and beat on low, bringing the speed up to high as the mascarpone is incorporated into the cream. Add the vanilla.
• Beat until the mixture holds firm peaks. Overbeating can lead to a grainy texture.

For the Assembly:

• Add the filling to the first layer then cover with berries. Add more cream on top and smooth out. Add the second cake layer, and repeat steps then add third layer, cover with frosting and smooth out.
• Push berries into the filling on the side of the cake then smooth out with an offset spatula.
• Hull the strawberries.
• Pipe dollops of cream on the top edge with a large star tip. Top each dollop with blackberries and strawberries.

Video

Notes

What if you can’t find Mascarpone anywhere?!?

A while back I was making a cake with a mascarpone buttercream and realized mine had expired! I didn’t have time to go to the market so I followed Nigella’s advice for a reasonable facsimile and mixed the following ingredients together until combined. Make sure they are all at room temperature! It’s not exactly mascarpone but it will do in a pinch!

• 8oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2tbs unsalted butter

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1.5g | Sugar: 22g | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 0.2mg

*Nutrition Disclaimer

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