In pastry school, I had a practical exam to bake this lemon berry mascarpone cake. It was a simple, elegant recipe that was easy and quick to bake, since there wasn’t much time in class! I took home leftovers, and my family loved it so much that, of course, I had to recreate it.
This cake is all about fresh, bright flavors with minimal effort. It’s a single-layer moist lemon cake, making it much easier to assemble than my raspberry-filled lemon cake.
Just spread on the ultra-fluffy mascarpone frosting, pile on sweet macerated berries, and you’re done—in less than an hour!
Every year for Mother’s Day, my mom requests this cake, it’s a tie favorite to my lemon cupcakes with raspberry filling!
Let’s Make It!
1
Make the lemon sugar. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar to release the natural oils in the lemon for the most lemon flavor!
2
Mix the butter into the dry ingredients. This is called the reverse creaming method, which I learned in pastry school! Like in my better than bakery lemon loaf, it results in a super moist and tender texture.
3
Mix in the wet ingredients until just combined. You don’t want to overmix the cake batter, or it will have a more dense texture.
4
Bake the cake! For best results, use a metal 8×8 baking pan. Glass or ceramic pans do not conduct heat the same way as metal pans, and you could end up with a cake that’s set around the edges but still raw in the center.
If you’re loving lemon desserts and have more time on your hands, my fluffy lemon sweet rolls are my favorite! They’re basically lemon cinnamon rolls!
5
Make the mascarpone frosting. Do not over-mix, or the cream will look clumpy and curdled!
6
Decorate the cake! Spoon the mascarpone frosting over the top to the edges of the cake. Then, spoon the macerated strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries on top.
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Lemon Berry Mascarpone Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Lemon Cake
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon zest
- 1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp cake flour, *see notes for measuring!*
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 5 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 whole egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mascarpone Frosting
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese, cold
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
For the Mixed Berries
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 3/4 cup chopped fresh strawberries
- 2/3 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 tablespoon strawberry, blackberry, or raspberry jam
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.
- In a stand mixing bowl, combine the lemon zest and sugar by rubbing it together with your fingers. Then add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix until combined.1 1/2 cups (180 g) granulated sugar, 2 tbsp fresh lemon zest, 1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp (180 g) cake flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Add the cubed butter and mix on low speed until it looks like sand.5 1/2 tablespoons (77 g) unsalted butter, cubed
- Then mix in the oil, egg, milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract until just combined.1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (65 g) canola oil, 1 (50 g) whole egg, 1/2 cup (113 g) whole milk, 1/2 cup (113 g) sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 23-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let it cool completely on a wire rack while you make the frosting.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the cold mascarpone with the powdered sugar until combined. Then add the cold whipping cream, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Whisk on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat until stiff peaks form. Do not overmix or the frosting will look clumpy and curdled.4 ounces (4 oz) mascarpone cheese, 1/2 cup (65 g) powdered sugar, 1/2 cup (100 g) heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Gently combine the chopped strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and jam in a medium bowl.1 cup fresh blackberries, 3/4 cup (98 g) chopped fresh strawberries, 2/3 cup (85 g) fresh raspberries, 1 tablespoon (20 g) strawberry, blackberry, or raspberry jam
- Spoon the frosting over the top of the cooled cake to the edges, then add the berries on top. If you plan on serving it later, I recommend leaving the berries until right before serving. Otherwise the berry juice will spread into the frosting and it won't look as pretty.
Notes
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Can I make in a 13×9 pan if I double or triple recipe? And then how long would it bake?
Should be fine if doubled. I would keep an eye on it and start checking it around 20 minutes.
I don’t know what happened…I followed the steps perfectly but the baking needed at least 15 minutes more because it didn’t bake through and then when it did it looked beautiful but the center sunk right in. What happened 🙁
I’m sorry to hear that! It sounds like it was still underbaked which is why it sunk in the center. Did you use a glass pan?
I didn’t use a glass pan but an aluminum one that I always use and works great….I did check with the toothpick and it was fully cooked…how can I fix this?
It’s hard to say since I’m not in the kitchen with you. It could be opening the door too early while it was baking, incorrect oven temp, or high-altitude.
I too have to bake it much longer than stated. I’ve made this a few times now and it’s not nearly done in the time specified. I’m even using a dark metal pan.
Hi Heather, thanks for the feedback. It might just be your oven but I will retest the recipe to ensure the bake time is accurate!
I don’t have cake flour so can I just use regular all purpose or will it effect the cake
Hi! It should be made with cake flour
how much is 4oz of mascarpone cheese in grams or cups?
4 ounces is 113 grams
Thank you
Hello
I am planning to make a birthday cake for a dear friend and saw your recipe which I like the idea of. Outdoor party. But I noticed equal amounts of sugar and flour. It seems a bit too much sugar. Is this a typo?
Thank you for your response
Hi Marianna, the recipe is correct. This is a high-ratio cake which is why the mixing method is different than a typical cake batter.