Berry "Naked" Cake
Blueberry
Medium
Raspberry
Strawberry
12
1 hour
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter and flour four 8-inch cake pans, and line the bottoms with parchment paper. If you will only have two cake pans available, you’ll need to do two batches. Be sure to thoroughly clean and dry the pans prior to refilling and baking the final two cake layers.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the milk and ½ cup strawberry preserve.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter until smooth, then beat in the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time until combined. Beat in vanilla extract.
- Add the flour mix in three parts, alternating with the milk/strawberry preserve mixture. Beat well after each addition.
- Divide the batter evenly between the four cake pans – making sure they are leveled. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While the cakes are baking, make the frosting. Attach a wire whip to your mixer and beat the mascarpone to loosen it up. Add in the vanilla extract and then the powdered sugar. Gradually add in the whipping cream, and continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- When the cakes are ready to come out, allow them to cool in their pans for 10 minutes. Then carefully remove the cakes from the pans, peeling off the parchment paper, and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- To assemble the cake, level each cake layer by cutting off the domed part with a serrated knife. They should be able to lie flat so they’re easy to stack. Place the bottom cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Top with a thin layer of frosting, then the remaining ½ cup of Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves, spreading the preserves to the edge of the cake, but not too much — a small amount of preserves should meet the edge of the cake on each layer so that when the frosting is spread on the outside, it picks up the preserves.
- Place a second cake layer on top of the first, and spread another thin layer of frosting on top. Next, spread the Bonne Maman Wild Blueberry Preserves to the edge. Top with the third cake, a thin layer of frosting, and this time use the Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves for the filling. Place the final cake layer on the top, and spread the remaining frosting in a thin layer over the top and sides of the cake. Run your spatula around the edge of the cake to scrape away any excess frosting.
- Garnish the top with fresh berries.
