Strawberry Mascarpone Cake

Introduction & Inspiration

Prepare to create a truly showstopping dessert with this incredible Strawberry Mascarpone Cake! This is the kind of cake that graces special occasions, featuring light and airy sponge layers subtly flavored with orange and almond. Between the layers, you’ll find a luscious mascarpone cream filling and sweet, juicy macerated strawberries, all enveloped in delicate whipped cream frosting.

It’s a symphony of textures and flavors – the ethereal cake, the rich yet light filling, the burst of fresh fruit, and the cloud-like frosting. It looks absolutely stunning and tastes even better. It feels incredibly luxurious and celebratory.

My inspiration for tackling cakes like this comes from a love for elegant, multi-component desserts that really showcase fresh ingredients. The combination of strawberry, mascarpone, orange, and almond feels sophisticated and perfect for spring or summer celebrations. It’s a rewarding baking project!

While there are a few steps involved, particularly in making the delicate cake layers, the process is manageable, and the end result is a truly memorable cake that will undoubtedly impress your guests or family. Let’s create some magic!

Nostalgic Appeal

There’s a certain kind of nostalgia tied to beautiful, homemade layer cakes. They evoke memories of milestone birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and festive holiday tables. A stunning cake signals a special celebration and creates lasting memories.

This Strawberry Mascarpone Cake, while perhaps more sophisticated than a simple yellow cake, taps into that feeling. The classic pairing of strawberries and cream, elevated by the rich mascarpone and bright citrus, feels both timeless and special. It’s comforting indulgence.

The process of building the cake layer by layer – brushing the cake with syrup, spreading the filling, arranging the fruit – also feels like part of a cherished tradition. It’s an act of care and creativity that connects us to generations of home bakers who made celebration cakes from scratch.

Serving a slice of this beautiful cake feels like offering more than just dessert; it’s offering a piece of edible art, crafted with love. It brings a sense of occasion and shared joy to any gathering.

Homemade Focus

This Strawberry Mascarpone Cake is the epitome of homemade baking excellence. Every single element, from the delicate sponge cake layers to the fruit preparation, the rich filling, and the light frosting, is made entirely from scratch. This commitment to homemade makes all the difference.

The cake itself requires careful technique – separating eggs, sifting flour multiple times, beating egg whites to perfect peaks, and gently folding everything together. These steps, characteristic of sponge or chiffon cakes, create an exceptionally light and tender crumb that you simply can’t achieve with a mix or a standard butter cake method.

You also prepare the fresh strawberries by macerating them to enhance their flavor and create a lovely syrup for brushing the cake. The simple mascarpone filling and the freshly whipped cream frosting rely on quality ingredients and proper technique for their luscious textures.

This is truly a baker’s cake, where the reward comes from mastering the homemade techniques to create something truly special and delicious. It’s a testament to the beauty of scratch baking.

Flavor Goal

My ultimate flavor goal for this Strawberry Mascarpone Cake is sophisticated harmony and balanced richness. I want the light airiness of the cake, the creamy tang of the filling, the bright sweetness of the fruit, and the delicate cream frosting to meld perfectly without any single element overwhelming the others. Elegance on a fork!

The cake layers should be incredibly light, tender, and moist, subtly perfumed with orange zest and almond extract. They provide the delicate structure. The reserved strawberry juice brushed onto the layers adds extra moisture and fruit flavor right into the crumb.

The filling aims for luxurious creaminess and richness from the mascarpone and heavy cream, offering a smooth texture and a slight tang to balance the sweetness. The fresh strawberry slices nestled within provide juicy bursts of fruit flavor.

The whipped cream frosting should be light, airy, and just subtly sweet, providing a delicate coating that doesn’t weigh down the cake. The overall experience should feel indulgent yet surprisingly light, showcasing the beautiful interplay of strawberry, orange, almond, and creamy mascarpone.

Ingredient Insights

Let’s explore the carefully chosen ingredients that create the magic in this Strawberry Mascarpone Cake. We start by macerating fresh, halved strawberries with sugar (for sweetness and juice extraction), fresh orange zest and juice (for bright citrus notes), and a touch of almond extract, which beautifully complements strawberries and orange. The resulting juice is precious for soaking the cake!

The cake itself uses separated large eggs. The yolks, beaten with sugar, oil, water, zest, and extract, provide richness and color. The egg whites, beaten separately with sugar to soft, glossy peaks (a meringue), provide the primary leavening and create the cake’s incredibly light and airy structure. Using room temperature eggs helps them incorporate better and whip higher.

Cake flour is essential here; its lower protein content compared to all-purpose flour yields a much more tender and delicate crumb, perfect for this style of cake. Sifting it twice aerates it further. Baking powder provides additional lift, and salt balances flavors. Canola oil (or another neutral oil) provides moisture without the heaviness of butter, contributing to the cake’s light texture.

For the rich filling, mascarpone cheese – an Italian cream cheese known for its smooth texture and rich, slightly sweet flavor (less tangy than American cream cheese) – is beaten with cold heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. This creates a stable, luxurious filling.

The frosting is a simple, classic whipped cream made with cold heavy whipping cream, confectioners’ sugar for sweetness, and vanilla extract for flavor, beaten to soft peaks for easy spreading.

Essential Equipment

Creating this elegant Strawberry Mascarpone Cake involves several steps and requires some specific baking equipment for the best results.

You’ll need two 8-inch round baking pans. Ensure they are properly greased on the bottoms and lined with parchment paper rounds for easy cake removal. Having bowls of various sizes is crucial: a large one for the macerating berries, another very large one for the main batter (folding requires space!), a clean, grease-free large bowl for beating egg whites, plus smaller bowls for whisking yolks and sifting dry ingredients.

An electric mixer, preferably a stand mixer, is highly recommended, especially for beating the egg whites to the correct stage and ensuring they are stable. Clean, grease-free beaters are essential for whipping egg whites properly. A sifter or fine-mesh sieve is needed for sifting the cake flour multiple times.

You’ll also need whisks, rubber spatulas (crucial for gently folding the egg whites), measuring cups and spoons, a zester, and potentially a juicer. Wire cooling racks are essential for cooling the cake layers completely. A long serrated knife is helpful if you need to trim domed tops off the cakes for even layering. Finally, have your serving plate ready for assembly!

List of Ingredients with Measurements

Here is the complete list of ingredients needed for this beautiful Strawberry Mascarpone Cake:

Macerated Strawberries:

• Fresh Strawberries, halved: 6 cups (about 2 pounds)
• Sugar: 2 tablespoons
• Grated Orange Zest: 1 teaspoon
• Orange Juice: 1 tablespoon (freshly squeezed best)
• Almond Extract: 1/2 teaspoon

Cake:

• Large Eggs: 6, separated, whites at room temp for 30 mins
• Cake Flour: 2 cups (sift before measuring, then sift again as directed)
• Baking Powder: 2 teaspoons
• Salt: 1/4 teaspoon
• Sugar: 1 1/2 cups, divided
• Canola Oil: 1/2 cup
• Water: 1/4 cup
• Grated Orange Zest: 1 tablespoon
• Almond Extract: 1/2 teaspoon

Whipped Cream Frosting:

• Heavy Whipping Cream, cold: 2 cups
• Confectioners’ Sugar: 1/3 cup
• Vanilla Extract: 2 teaspoons

Mascarpone Filling:

• Mascarpone Cheese, cold: 1 cup (8 ounces)
• Heavy Whipping Cream, cold: 1/2 cup

Separating eggs carefully (no yolk in the whites!), using room temperature egg whites, sifting the cake flour, and using cold cream/mascarpone are key technical points.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s embark on making this stunning Strawberry Mascarpone Cake! It involves several stages, so read through first.

Prep Berries & Initial Steps: In a large bowl, gently combine the 6 cups halved fresh strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon orange zest, 1 tablespoon orange juice, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Stir carefully, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the berries to release their juices (macerate). Separate your 6 large eggs carefully, placing the whites in a large, clean, grease-free bowl. Let the egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes (this helps them whip to better volume). Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the bottoms only of two 8-inch round baking pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds.

Make the Cake Batter: Sift the 2 cups cake flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together twice; set aside. In a separate large bowl (different from the egg whites), whisk the egg yolks, 1 1/4 cups of the sugar, 1/2 cup canola oil, 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon orange zest, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract until well blended and smooth. Add this yolk mixture to the sifted dry ingredients and beat with an electric mixer (or whisk vigorously) until just well blended. Don’t overmix.

Whip Egg Whites & Fold: Using clean, grease-free beaters, beat the room temperature egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form (peaks curl over when beaters are lifted). Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed after each addition until the sugar feels dissolved (rub a bit between fingers). Continue beating until the whites hold soft, glossy peaks – still slightly flexible, not dry or stiff.

Gently fold about one-fourth of the beaten egg whites into the yolk/flour batter using a large rubber spatula to lighten it. Then, gently fold the remaining egg whites into the batter in two or three more additions, just until no streaks of white remain. Be very careful not to deflate the egg whites – fold by cutting down through the middle and bringing batter up from the bottom.

Bake and Cool: Gently divide the airy batter between the two prepared pans, spreading lightly if needed. Place the pans on the lowest oven rack. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Then, carefully run a thin knife around the edges and invert the cakes onto the wire racks. Peel off the parchment paper and let the cakes cool completely.

Make Frosting & Filling: While cakes cool, make the whipped cream frosting. In a large, chilled bowl, beat the 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream until it begins to thicken. Add the 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla; continue beating until soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. For the filling, in a small bowl, beat the 1 cup cold mascarpone cheese and 1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream together until stiff peaks form (this happens quickly!). Cover and refrigerate until assembling.

Assemble the Cake: Drain the macerated strawberries, reserving the flavorful juice mixture. If the cooled cake layers have domed tops, carefully trim them level using a long serrated knife. Place one cake layer on your serving plate. Brush it generously with about half of the reserved strawberry juice mixture.

Spread about 3/4 cup of the mascarpone filling evenly over the first cake layer. Arrange half of the drained strawberries evenly over the filling. Carefully spread the remaining mascarpone filling over the strawberries.

Brush the cut side (or bottom) of the second cake layer with the remaining reserved juice mixture. Place this layer, juice-side down, onto the mascarpone/strawberry layer.

Gently stir the chilled whipped cream frosting to ensure it’s smooth. Frost the top and sides of the assembled cake smoothly or decoratively. Just before serving, arrange the remaining drained strawberries beautifully over the top of the cake. Slice and serve chilled.

Troubleshooting

This elegant cake involves delicate components. Here’s how to troubleshoot common issues.

Problem: My cake didn’t rise well or collapsed / is dense. Solution: This usually relates to the egg whites. Ensure whites were at room temp, bowl/beaters were grease-free, whites were beaten to soft glossy peaks (not under- or over-beaten), and crucially, they were folded gently into the batter without deflating them. Overmixing the final batter also causes density. Baking on the lowest rack as directed also helps with the rise for this type of cake.

Problem: My cake is dry. Solution: Ensure accurate measurement of oil and water. Don’t overbake – test for doneness right at 30 minutes. Brushing the layers with the reserved strawberry juice adds crucial moisture.

Problem: My mascarpone filling is runny or didn’t get stiff. Solution: Ensure both the mascarpone and the heavy cream were cold when you started beating them. Beat just until stiff peaks form; overbeating can sometimes cause separation. Keep it chilled until assembly.

Problem: My whipped cream frosting is weeping or deflating. Solution: Ensure heavy cream was very cold. Beat only to soft peaks (as recipe directs for frosting, though stiff peaks are okay too if you prefer). Don’t overbeat. Keep the frosted cake chilled. For longer stability, consider adding a stabilizer (see Tips).

Problem: Cake layers stuck to the pan or parchment. Solution: Ensure pans were greased on the bottom (not sides) and lined properly with parchment. Let cool in pans for the specified 10 minutes before inverting; this allows the structure to set slightly.

Tips and Variations

This stunning Strawberry Mascarpone Cake is a masterpiece, but here are ways to add your personal touch!

Stabilize the Frosting: Since the frosting is simple whipped cream, it’s best served soon after frosting. For more stability if making further ahead, consider adding 1-2 tablespoons of instant vanilla pudding mix (dry) along with the confectioners’ sugar, or research methods using unflavored gelatin or cream of tartar.

Flavor Twists: Swap the almond extract for more vanilla, or use lemon extract for a brighter citrus note throughout. Add orange or lemon zest to the mascarpone filling or whipped cream frosting.

Berry Variations: While strawberry is classic, this cake would be divine with fresh raspberries (perhaps with raspberry liqueur brushed on cake layers) or a mix of summer berries.

Liqueur Infusion: Add a tablespoon or two of orange liqueur (like Grand Marnier or Cointreau) or almond liqueur (Amaretto) to the macerating strawberries for an adult twist. You can also add a splash to the juice used for brushing the cake layers.

Make Components Ahead: The cake layers can be baked, cooled completely, wrapped well, and stored at room temperature for a day or frozen for longer. The strawberry juice can be reserved. Make the mascarpone filling and whipped cream frosting closer to assembly time (within a day, kept chilled).

Simpler Assembly: If you find layering the filling, berries, and more filling tricky, you can simplify: Layer 1 = Cake + Juice + All Filling + All Berries. Layer 2 = Cake + Juice. Then frost. It changes the internal look but is easier.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

This Strawberry Mascarpone Cake is best served chilled, allowing the delicate cake, rich filling, and light frosting to hold their structure beautifully. Remove from the refrigerator maybe 20-30 minutes before serving to take the chill off slightly for optimal flavor and texture.

Use a sharp, thin knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between slices to get neat servings, showcasing the lovely layers. Arrange the remaining fresh strawberries on top just before serving for the freshest appearance.

This cake is a true showstopper dessert, perfect for elegant dinner parties, birthdays, anniversaries, spring holidays like Easter or Mother’s Day, or any celebration where you want to impress.

Pair it with beverages that complement its sophisticated yet fresh flavors. A glass of Champagne, Prosecco, or a sparkling rosé feels suitably celebratory. A delicate white tea, green tea, or a light roast coffee would also be lovely. A small glass of Moscato d’Asti could also work well.

Nutritional Information

Let’s consider the approximate nutritional profile for one slice of this Strawberry Mascarpone Cake. Assuming the 8-inch layer cake yields 10-12 slices:

• Calories: 677
• Fat: 48g
• Saturated Fat: 22g (very high, from heavy cream x2, mascarpone, butter inferred in garnish?, egg yolks) – Correction: No butter in garnish listed, fat primarily from creams, oil, yolks.
• Cholesterol: 196mg (high, from eggs, dairy fats)
• Sodium: 200mg
• Carbohydrates: 56g
• Sugars: 36g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 10g

Please note: The nutrition facts provided indicate this is an extremely rich and decadent cake. It is very high in calories, total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol per slice. Carbohydrates and sugars are also substantial, though it does offer a decent amount of protein compared to some other desserts.

This cake is truly a special occasion indulgence. Its richness comes from the combination of oil in the cake, mascarpone and heavy cream in the filling, and heavy cream in the frosting. Savor a small slice and enjoy it mindfully!

Making significant modifications to reduce the fat or calories would fundamentally change the nature of this cake, particularly the light sponge texture and the rich mascarpone filling. This recipe is designed for luxurious results.

Print

Recipe Summary and Q&A

In summary, this Strawberry Mascarpone Cake recipe creates an elegant, multi-layered dessert. It features light, airy orange-almond sponge cake layers (made using separated eggs and folded whites), a rich mascarpone cream filling, fresh macerated strawberries, and a delicate whipped cream frosting. The cake layers are brushed with reserved strawberry juice for extra moisture and flavor.

It’s a sophisticated cake requiring careful technique, especially for the cake batter, but results in a stunning presentation and delicious balance of flavors and textures. Requires chilling for fillings and frosting.

Here are some common questions you might have:

Q: Why do I need to separate the eggs and beat the whites? A: This technique is characteristic of sponge or chiffon-style cakes. Beating the egg whites separately into a meringue incorporates a lot of air, which acts as the primary leavening agent, creating an exceptionally light, airy, and tender cake structure, different from butter cakes. Folding them in gently preserves this airiness.

Q: What is cake flour and can I substitute all-purpose flour? A: Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, which results in less gluten development and a more tender, delicate crumb. For this type of light cake, cake flour is strongly recommended. You can substitute AP flour, but the cake will likely be slightly less tender (to substitute 1 cup cake flour, use 1 cup AP flour minus 2 tablespoons, then add 2 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted together well – do this for both cups).

Q: Can I make parts of this cake ahead? A: Yes. The cake layers can be baked, cooled, wrapped well, and stored at room temp for a day or frozen. The macerated strawberries can be done a day ahead (keep juice separate). The mascarpone filling and whipped cream frosting are best made closer to assembly (within 24 hours, kept chilled). Assemble the cake within several hours of serving for best results, keeping it chilled.

Q: My cake collapsed after baking! What happened? A: Collapsing often happens if the egg whites were under-beaten (not stable enough) or over-beaten (too dry, structure breaks), or if they were deflated during the folding process (mixed too vigorously). Opening the oven door too early can also cause collapse. Gentle handling and correct beating are key.

Q: Can I use regular cream cheese instead of mascarpone? A: You could substitute full-fat block cream cheese (softened slightly) for the mascarpone. The filling will be tangier and slightly less rich/smooth compared to mascarpone’s delicate flavor. Ensure it’s beaten well with the cream.