A birthday comes but once a year.....for my friend Megan's bday I decided to take inspiration of a favorite cake of mine from a bakery in Los Angeles called Sweet Lady Jane's. Their triple berry cake is spectacular. The lovely layers of white cake, fresh whipped cream frosting and combination of raspberries, blackberries and strawberries is a little slice of heaven....Actually the slice is not little at all. I took my own spin on recreating this recipe at home for the first time. I did a quadruple berry cake...that's right I added blueberries to the mix.
The whole thing was consumed before the night was over....I call that a success!
Ingredients
Cake
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 cup + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup yogurt (I prefer Fage 2%), at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Fruit
1pd Fresh Strawberries hulled and quartered
1/2 pint Blackberries sliced in half
1/2 pint Raspberries
1/2 pint Blueberries
Whipped Cream & Cream Cheese Frosting
4-ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Directions
· Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan that’s 2 inches deep
· Prepare the cake batter, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
· Add the yogurt and vanilla, then mix until just combined.
· Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda and add it to the bowl.
· Mix it together until just combined.
· Spread it in the pan or pans and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, insert a toothpick into the center and it should come out clean.
· Carefully remove the cake from the pan and allow it to cool completely.
· Next, combine all of the fresh fruit, reserving a handful of each berry to garnish the top of the cake later.
· Sprinkle the berries with the sugar, toss together and allow to sit for about a half hour at room temperature. Store them in the fridge until ready to use.
· To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a bowl and beat with an electric whisk attachment.
· Mix until very soft peaks begin to form, you want to make sure to not overbeat the frosting. The frosting should hold some form when you remove the whisk from the mixture.
· To assemble the cake, use a sharp serrated knife to cut it in half through the middle. Go around the perimeter of the cake, slicing only halfway through the circle the whole way.
· Place one half onto a plate or platter you will serve the cake on cut side up. Cover the bottom half with the berry mixture. The berries will have produced quite a bit of liquid at this point, this is exactly what you want! Be sure to spoon as much liquid as you can over the berries. Carefully cover the fruit with a layer of whipped cream, about a 1/3 from the mixture. I have the best luck frosting when I use an off-set spatula, a regular will work just fine too.
· Place the second layer on top, cut side down then spread the top with icing.
· Finish with icing the outside of the cake with the remaining icing.
Now, using your own artist expression top the cake with the reserved berries. I sent a photo of this to my father and he proclaimed I had created a savage garden....I'll take it.
