As the weather warms up I find myself gravitation towards lighter cakes and mascarpone whipped cream fulfills that desire in spades! It’s basically a more stable form of whipped cream with a hint of cheesecake flavor. I highly recommend making using this frosting for all of your favorite cake and cupcake recipes.
If you’ve tried this recipe 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!
Baking Notes
- I used raspberries and blueberries for this cake but you can substitute any of your favorites in. Make sure to cut up larger berries and toss with some flour before folding into the batter.
- This cake is LOADED with moisture so it will need to bake for a longer time. Everyone’s oven is a bit different so keep an eye on the cake’s center. I will use a skewer and the spring test to make sure the cake is not under-baked.
- If you want a bit less doming you can fashion your own cake strips wrap them around the edge of the pan. Click here for my full how to on getting flat layers!
Steps to Make this Flag Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare a 13″ x 9″ sheet cake pan by adding parchment paper. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and granulated sugar. Give it a whisk and set aside.
2. Add egg whites, milk, vanilla, almond extract, and sour cream. Whisk together.
3. Attach a paddle attachment to the stand mixer. Add in room temperature butter and beat until creamy. On medium speed, beat for the dry into the butter until you get a crumby mixture.
4. Add 1/2 of the wet mixtures. Mix, then scrape the bowl down and add the remaining. Beat until combined. Cut the raspberries in half. Squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over the berries. Add some flour and toss until they’re coated. Gently fold the raspberries and blueberries into the batter by hand. Pour the batter into the prepared sheet cake pan. Throw in a few more berries. Bake for 35- 40 minutes and/or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cake cool to room temperature on a cooling rack.
5. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add heavy whipping cream and confectioners sugar. Beat on high until whipped. Add vanilla extract. Give it another whip on high. Fold in mascarpone by hand using a spatula. Switch to a whisk and beat.
6. I trimmed the sides of the cake. You don’t have to do this, but I wanted a nice fresh edge.
7. Use an ice cream scooper to add the frosting.
8. Smooth with an offset spatula.
9. Using a ruler, I sketched out my flag, then transferred the design to the buttercream.
If you’re making an American flag, add blueberries to the top left side of the cake. Add raspberries in lines. Repeat until the flag is finished.
Flag Cake
This moist vanilla cake is filed with fresh berries and topped with a light and creamy mascarpone whipped cream.
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS:
For the Cake
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour 300g, plus a pinch for the berries
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 342g
- 1 tsp baking powder heaping
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk 240ml, room temperature
- 1/4 cup sour cream 60ml, room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 6 large egg whites room temperature
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter 176g, room temperature
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 18 oz raspberries
- 18 oz cup blueberries
For the Frosting:
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream 720ml, cold,
- 1 cup confectioners sugar 125g
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese 225g, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS:
For the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare a 13" x 9" sheet cake pan by adding parchment paper.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and granulated sugar. Give it a whisk and set aside.
Add egg whites, milk, vanilla, almond extract, and sour cream. Whisk together.
Attach a paddle attachment to the stand mixer. Add in room temperature butter and beat until creamy.
On medium speed, beat for the dry into the butter until you get a crumby mixture. Add 1/2 of the wet mixture. Mix, then scrape the bowl down and add the remaining. Beat until combined.
Cut the raspberries in half. Squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over the berries. Add some flour and toss until they're coated. Gently fold the raspberries and blueberries into the batter by hand.
Pour the batter into the prepared sheet cake pan.
Throw in a few more berries.
Bake for 35- 40 minutes and/or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let the cake cool to room temperature on a cooling rack.
For the Frosting:
In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add heavy whipping cream and confectioners sugar.
Beat on high until whipped.
Add vanilla extract. Give it another whip on high.
Fold in mascarpone by hand using a spatula. Switch to a whisk and beat.
For the Assembly:
I trimmed the sides of the cake. You don't have to do this, but I wanted a nice fresh edge.
Use an ice cream scooper to add the frosting.
Smooth with an offset spatula.
Using a ruler, I sketched out my flag, then transferred the design to the buttercream.
If you’re making an American flag, add blueberries to the top left side of the cake. Add raspberries in lines. Repeat until the flag is finished.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
This cake keeps really well in the fridge for a few days but as always I loved it most at its freshest, just after frosting it. If you do refrigerate the cake allow it to come to room temperature before eating for best results.
I used raspberries and blueberries for this cake but you can substitute any of your favorites in. Make sure to cut up larger berries and toss with some flour before folding into the batter.
This cake is LOADED with moisture so it will need to bake for a longer time. Everyone's oven is a bit different so keep an eye on the cake's center. I will use a skewer and the spring test to make sure the cake is not under-baked.
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 love this recipe try these out!
Lemon Lavender Poppy Seed Pound Cake
I made this cake yesterday. I’m a beginner baker and have never made a cake from scratch before. I don’t have a stand mixer, but the cake itself was perfect. The whole thing was very delicious and didn’t make me feel like I was eating pure sugar. Mine didn’t come out perfect visually though. My whipped cream was bumpy. I had to use my hand mixer. I was hoping I could have done that part by hand too, but it would have been forever. I should have waited for the cake to cool to room temperature before frosting it, but I was in a rush. I had to stick it in the refrigerator to keep it from becoming soup on top, so I didn’t even get to eat it until this morning. Although it was a learning experience, I’m going to keep using this recipe and I’ll try it in cupcakes, a bundt cake or another sheet cake without the design on top. If this was easier for me to make, I would have given it five stars. I think four is still great. Thank you!
Amarachi,
I’m so happy you liked the cake! Letting your ingredients come to room temperature is always the way to go! I love this recipe because it’s fast and easy to whip up!
John
This is the second recipe I have made and I am 2 for 2! This is a moist, clean cut cake! The cake wasn’t overly sweetened with sugar which let the fruit shine. It was delish for an afternoon snack or even a late night treat! I really enjoyed the luscious frosting. The addition of the mascarpone stabilized the frosting and made it incredibly easy to smooth out! Thanks Jon for knocking another one out of the park.
Latasha,
I am SO happy to hear that you loved the cake! Mascarpone frosting is my obsession right now. Berry season is the best!
John