Oh hey friends! I am so happy to share with you my strawberry shortcake cake with mascarpone cream. This cake is a real treat for me. It is incredibly delicious, flavorful and moist! It will be a great dessert for your next special occasion and everyone will love it!
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This Strawberry Shortcake gives a fresh twist to an old classic. Layers of vanilla cake, fresh strawberry and mascarpone cream!
I feel like I might have a mild allergy to strawberries, but not in the usual way. Occasionally (but not always) when I take some, I get a strange feeling in my throat, kind of itchy, or tight, or something. But when I was making this Strawberry Shortcake, it was different - I hadn't eaten any of the strawberries yet.
I was chopping about 4 cups of them for stuffing and starting to find it hard to breathe. Not like calling an ambulance to breathe hard, but I did feel like my throat was closing up a bit, just from the smell. Is this possible?
They were crazy fragrant. Some borders are overripe and very strong. It took about an hour for the feeling to subside once I walked away from them. Maybe it's all psychosomatic or maybe I'm allergic to strong smells of any kind. *shrugs*. I'm still alive today but let it be known that I might have risked my life making Strawberry Shortcake for you!
What is Strawberry Shortcake?
- Traditionally, strawberry cake is a dessert consisting of short biscuits cut in half and filled with whipped cream and marinated strawberries.
- My interpretation of the traditional strawberry cake consists of layers of vanilla cake, buttermilk, freshly spiced strawberries, strawberry syrup and mascarpone whipped cream. The latter who is really the star of the show is here.
- How do you make mascarpone cream?
- There are many variations on how to do this, but I'll tell you how I did it. Not that this is the only or correct way to do it, it's just what worked for me.
- Mascarpone has a very high fat content and can split very easily if smeared. It's not the easiest to work with, but it's so delicious, so I'll tell you my way to keep it smooth and silky.
- Refrigerate the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until cool - a few hours in the refrigerator or 15 minutes in the freezer will do.
- Beat heavy (cold) cream until peaks form. Be careful not to overfat or it will turn into (real) butter.
- Transfer the whipped cream to a separate bowl - no need to clean the bowl of a stand mixer or whisk.
- Place the cooled (but slightly diluted) mascarpone into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add sugar and beat until smooth.
- Put the mascarpone in the whipped cream.
- Transfer the mixture back to the bowl of a mixer and blend until stiff. Beware of exaggeration!
- It's a few extra steps, but I think it helps ensure a smooth frosting. The mascarpone was actually quite cold and I hadn't softened it before adding the sugar, so it had some small lumps of cheese that wouldn't soften. It is better to use slightly diluted mascarpone. Do not use room temperature because it is easier to break down.
- Cake assembly
- I also took a few extra steps when assembling this cake. Optional, but in general I think it was created for a cleaner final look, so I recommend doing it this way as well. Basically, I decorated each layer individually, cooled them, and then stacked them. This helps the mascarpone cream set a little and gives the cake more structure.
- Lay each cake tier on a cake board or similar—something you can easily remove after you've stacked it.
- Drain the strawberries, but reserve the syrup (optional).
- Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of strawberry syrup on each cake tier (optional). I did it with the bottom layer but forgot to do it with the rest (oops), just do them all at the same time so you don't forget to like me!
- Put a third of the mascarpone cream on each cake layer. Spread coarsely with the back of a tablespoon.
- Spread 1 1/2 cups of strawberries evenly on two layers. The third (top) layer is strawberry free. The recipe makes enough strawberries to cover the three layers (instead of the decorative layer on top). You can do it either way.
- Cool each cake layer for 15-30 minutes.
- Carefully remove the cake from the cake boards and stack them on top of each other.
- Put it in the fridge until it's ready to serve.
- Apply within a day or two. It must be cooled.
- Can I make this cake in advance?
- Not right. Mascarpone cream doesn't stay well, especially once it's stacked with berries. The juices from these will start to break down the cream a bit. It is best to serve it on the same day if possible.
- You can make cake layers in advance. Once cool, wrap in plastic and freeze until ready to use.
- This cake is very easy to make, but if you want to make it even easier, you can use my favorite modified box mix recipe for cake layers instead!
- If you're looking for a light summer dessert to make the most of fresh berries, this Strawberry Shortcake calls your name!
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I convert this recipe?
- The recipe will also work as is in two 8-inch pans as long as they are 3 inches long, or two 9-inch pans. Baking time may need to be adjusted.
- For a 6-tier cake, change the servings to 12 and use these amounts. Or if pans are 3 inches long, leave the recipe as is. The layers will be thicker, so the baking time must be adjusted.
- To make cupcakes, all you have to do is reduce the baking time - start checking in 15 minutes or so. The recipe will make at least 24 cupcakes, depending on size.
- For other transfers go here.
Can I do this in advance?
- Chilled cake layers can be baked in advance, wrapped twice in plastic wrap, and frozen for up to 3 months. Take it 2-3 hours before collection.
- Mascarpone cream will not hold. It should be prepared before you put the cake together.
- This cake won't last long and doesn't freeze well. It is best served the same day, but can be refrigerated for a day or two.
- Can I get the measurements in weight/grams?
- There is a metric option on the recipe card. If you click on it it will convert everything to grams.
- This conversion is done automatically and I can't guarantee the accuracy but many readers have been successful in using the scaling option for this recipe.
- Tips for making a short strawberry cake
- To make it easier, you can use my favorite modified box mix recipe for cake layers instead.
- For best results, be sure to chill the cream, whisk, and bowl. This gives the whipped cream more volume.
- I've found it's best to decorate each layer individually, chill, then stack.
- I used a large spoon to spread the mascarpone cream on each layer. I have found that this gives the best rustic look.
- You can substitute any berries you like or try it with blueberry sauce.
- I like to make my own cake pops using the homemade cake method and then line them up with parchment.
- Learn how to keep your cake moist with simple syrup.
- To help ensure cake layers bake nicely and flat, check out my Flat Top Cakes post!
Ingredients
Vanilla cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/3 cups yoghurt at room temperature
Strawberry:
- 4 cups strawberries, peeled and cut into quarters 1 liter 675 g
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Mascarpone whipped cream:
- 8 ounces slightly softened mascarpone
- 1 cup cold whipping cream
- 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
directions
Vanilla cake:
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and grease three 8-inch cake balls and line them with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Sit aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time, incorporating fully after each addition. Add vanilla.
- Instead of adding flour mixture with curd, at the beginning and end with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Full integration after each addition.
- Distribute the mixture evenly among the prepared pots and smooth the tops.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
- Place the cakes on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then flip them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Strawberry:
- Place the strawberries cut into quarters and the sugar in a medium bowl. Stir until smooth. Place in the refrigerator and leave for 15 minutes (even overnight).
- Strain the strawberries before using them in the cake. Reserve the syrup to drizzle over the cake layers during assembly if desired.
Mascarpone whipped cream:
- Put the mixer bowl and mix in the fridge or freezer to cool.
- Pour the cold cream into the bowl and beat over high heat until stiff peaks form. Sit aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the mascarpone until the mixture is smooth. Add sugar and beat until blended*
- Combine whipping cream and mascarpone mixture until mixture is smooth and stiff. *
crowd:
- Divide the mascarpone cream into 3 equal portions.
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Sprinkle with reserved strawberry syrup if desired.
- Spread approximately 1/3 of the mascarpone cream over the top layer. I used the back of a tablespoon to do this.
- Put 1 12 cups of strawberries cut into quarters. Repeat the process with the remaining layers, leaving only the top layer of mascarpone cream. **
- Put it in the fridge until serving. Submit on the same day.
Notes
*Be careful not to over-beat, as the mascarpone will coagulate.
**I found it easiest to do each layer individually, refrigerate them all for 15 minutes, then stack them. This amount of strawberries is enough to cover the three layers. If you prefer to leave the top layer as I did, you will need a total of 3 cups of berry quarters.