Looking for a dessert that will impress your guests and satisfy your sweet tooth? This berry cake recipe is the perfect solution! Filled with fresh berries, mascarpone cream and fluffy vanilla cake layers, this dessert is sure to be a hit at your next celebration.
This berry cake recipe is not only delicious but also easy to make. The fresh berries are layered on top of a light and airy whipped mascarpone cream and soft and fluffy vanilla cake layers, making it a perfect dessert for any occasion. Use any of your favortie berries to fill this wonderful cake. I choose strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. So, go ahead and give it a try! Your taste buds will thank you.
For more fresh berry recipes, try Strawberry Vanilla Cake, Strawberry Cupcakes and Blueberry Pound Cake.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make: This cake is very easy to make. It layered with lots of fresh berries and is perfect for any summer party.
- Vanilla cake: These vanilla cake layers are so easy to make and are so soft!
- Mascarpone cream: This mascarpone cream is so glossy, smooth and incredibly delicious. It is full of vanilla flavor from vanilla bean paste.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Butter: Let the butter come to room temperature before baking.
- Eggs: Let the eggs come to room temperature before baking.
- Sour cream: Sour cream makes for a softer and more tender cupcake. I recommend using a sour cream with fat content of around 18%. Measure out the sour cream and let it come to room temperature 1-2 hours before baking (depending how warm your kitchen is).
- Vanilla bean paste: Vanilla bean paste can be found in many different supermarkets. Vanilla paste is great cheaper alternative to using a whole vanilla bean. It has a more intense flavor compared to vanilla extract, plus it has all the beautiful vanilla bean speaks.
- Mixed berries: Choose your favorite fresh berries. I use strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - VANILLA CAKE
Here is how to make and bake this Berry Cake. This recipe needs an electric mixer. You can use either a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or an electric hand mixer. You will also need 3 x 20 (8 inch) cake pan lined with baking paper. If you don't have 3 cake pan see notes.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
Before starting preheat the oven to 170ºC/ 340ºF conventional oven. Prepare 3 x 20 (8 inch) baking pan with parchment paper.
STEP 1: Sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set it aside. In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer or in a bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and granulated sugar.
STEP 2: Add the eggs one at a time and mix it in until combined. Continue by adding the flour mixture, on low speed, mixing until just combined. Then add the sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste and mix until just combined.
STEP 3: Divide the cake into the 3 prepared baking pans and bake for 13-15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cake from the cake tin and let the cakes cool down completely.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - MASCARPONE CRAM AND ASSEMBLING
STEP 1: With an electric mixer, cream together mascarpone, agave syrup and vanilla bean paste. Then add the powdered sugar and mix it together until smooth. Add the heavy cream and whip it until stiff peaks and it holds its shape.
STEP 2: Clean the berries. Slice the strawberries, blackberries and raspberries into smaller pieces.
STEP 3: Add the first cake layer on a cake tray. Add ⅓ of the mascarpone cream on the cake layer and even it out. Add ⅓ of the berries in an even layer, slightly pressing them down into cream. Continue and do the same with the next two layers.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
Yes, replace it 1:1 with full-fat Greek yogurt.
Yes, let the cake layers cool down at room temperature, then wrap them in plastic wrap and store them at room temperature. Want to make them more than one day ahead, place them in the freezer. Then take them out of the freezer 1-2 hours before assembling the cake to defrost. Let them defrost unwrapped on a wire rack. Make the mascarpone cream and cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge. Assemble the layer cake once ready to serve.
Not having 3 pans is no problem. If you have for example have two pans then add ⅓ of the batter to each of the two pans and let the last ⅓ batter stay in your mixing bowl. Then when the two cakes have baked and cooled down for 5 minutes, release them from the pan and let them cool down on a wire rack. Then you can wash one of the baking pans, add new baking paper, and pour the remaining batter in the pan and bake the last layer. It completely okay for the batter to sit on your kitchen counter while the other cakes bake.
I recommend using a cake tester or toothpick. Once the time has passed, per the recipe, insert the cake tester in the middle of the cake and once it comes out clean, with no cake batter on it, then it's done.
STORAGE
Once assembled store the berry cake in the fridge in an airtight container. When wanting to eat it, take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. It's best enjoyed within a few days.
Other Layer Cake Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
The Most Delicious Mixed Berry Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
VANILLA CAKE
- 135 g butter room temperature
- 225 g granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 260 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 180 g sour cream room temperature
- 45 g vegetable oil e.g. canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
MASCARPONE CREAM
- 300 g mascarpone
- 20 g agave or honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 150 g confectioners sugar
- 180 g heavy cream
- 600 g fresh mixed berries e.g. strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries
Instructions
VANILLA CAKE
- Preheat the oven at 170ºC/ 340ºF conventional oven and prepare a 3x20 cm (8 inch) baking pan with parchment paper.
- Sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set it aside.260 g all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer or in a bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and granulated sugar and mix it on high speed for 3 minutes.135 g butter, 225 g granulated sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time into the mixture and mix it in until combined.3 large eggs
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue by adding the flour mixture, continuing on low speed, mixing until just combined.
- Finally add the sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste and mix until just combined, make sure not to over mix the cake batter.180 g sour cream, 45 g vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Using a rubber spatula, give the batter a gentle fold to make sure all of the ingredients have combined.
- Divide the cake into the 3 prepared baking pans and with an off set spatula or spoon, even out the cake batter into an even layer. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Be aware that these cake layers stay very light in color and therefore won’t look browned when done.
- Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cake from the cake tin and let the cakes cool down completely.
MASCARPONE CREAM
- With an electric mixer, cream together mascarpone, acacia honey and vanilla bean paste. Then add the powdered sugar and mix it together until smooth.300 g mascarpone, 20 g agave or honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste, 150 g confectioners sugar
- Add the heavy cream and whip it until stiff peaks and it holds its shape. Place in the fridge, covered by plastic wrap, until ready to assemble.180 g heavy cream
ASSEMBLING
- TIP: Assemble the cake once ready to serve.
- Clean the berries. Slice the strawberries, blackberries and raspberries into smaller pieces.600 g fresh mixed berries
- Add the first cake layer on a cake tray. Add ⅓ of the mascarpone cream on the cake layer and even it out. Add ⅓ of the berries in an even layer, slightly pressing them down into cream. Continue and do the same with the next two layers.
Alice
Made this cake for Memorial Day weekend and my guest and I absolutely loved it.
Randy
So so delicious and easy to make!
Betty
The best summer cake! Will definitely make again!