Summer Berry Charlotte Cake with Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Cream

SUMMER BERRY CHARLOTTE CAKE with VANILLA BEAN MASCARPONE CREAM

8/2/2019

A light, elegant and gorgeous summer dessert, Summer Berry Charlotte Cake with Vanilla Bean Mascarone Filling has a rich and creamy vanilla bean mascarpone filling and is topped with fresh summer berries. So easy to make, so fresh and creamy, so out-of-this-world beautiful to serve!

Perfect for a garden tea, baby & bridal showers, or any special celebration where you are looking for a WOW factor! This is the recipe everyone keeps asking me for, and they are always shocked at how easy it is to make - but they LOVE the way it tastes!

Summer Berry Charlotte Cake with Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Cream

HOW DO YOU MAKE THIS SWEET TREAT?

Let's start with a golden vanilla cake that is so soft, buttery and extra moist that you'll be tempted to eat it plain!
Fill with rich and creamy vanilla bean mascarpone cream - soft and pillowy, perfectly dreamy!
Top with your favorite fresh summer fruits - I used ripe red raspberries, juicy strawberries, blackberries that are just bursting with flavor this time of year, and plump blueberries. Fresh peach slices, black raspberries are wonderful too! Use the freshest, sweetest, ripest fruit you can find for a beautiful dessert!

Summer Berry Charlotte Cake with Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Cream

Traditional charlotte cakes are made with ladyfingers, but I'm in love with my Nordic Ware Charlotte Cake Pan! Besides being so easy to use, it creates the most beautiful cakes every single time I use it!

This is always a crowd pleaser, and tastes so simple and fresh that it is perfect for a hot summer day. Hope you'll give my recipe a try! What is your favorite summer fruit?

Summer Berry Charlotte Cake with Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Cream

SUMMER BERRY CHARLOTTE CAKE WITH VANILLA BEAN MASCARPONE CREAM

A light, elegant and gorgeous summer dessert, this charlotte cake has a creamy vanilla bean mascarpone filling and is topped with fresh summer berries. So easy to make, so fresh and creamy, so out-of-this-world beautiful to serve!

Summer Berry Charlotte Cake with Vanilla Bean Mascarpone Cream

INGREDIENTS:
Charlotte Cake:
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
2 large eggs (room temperature)
1/3 cup (80g) sour cream (room temperature)
¾ cup (180ml) whole milk (room temperature)
1-3/4 cups (200g) cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Mascarpone Cream:
8 ounces (1 cup) mascarpone cheese – COLD
1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream – COLD
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Favorite Summer Fruits:
Raspberries
Strawberries
Blackberries
Blueberries
Peaches

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Nordic Ware Charlotte Cake Pan

HOW I MAKE THIS:

1. PREPARE CAKE: Remove butter, eggs, sour cream and whole milk from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the sides and bottom of a Nordic Ware Charlotte Cake Pan with non-stick baking spray (non-stick spray with flour).

3. Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

4. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Continue beating on medium-high speed until combined, then add in the sour cream. Scrape down sides of bowl.

5. Add half of the flour mixture and continue blending just until incorporated; add remaining flour mixture and again continue blending just until incorporated. DO NOT OVERMIX! The batter will be slightly thicker than a normal cake batter.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan – filling up the pan 2/3 full. (This pan holds 6 cups of batter, but you will only use 4-1/2 cups for this recipe.) Tap the pan on a towel-covered countertop a few times and let it sit for a few minutes before baking to release any large air bubbles.

7. Bake for 24-28 minutes, or until the top is golden and bounces back when touched lightly in the center and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

8. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Give the pan a gentle shake sideways, and then place a serving platter on top and invert the cake, gently patting the top of the pan until the cake releases. Perfect every time! Cover cake and let it cool completely before filling.

9. PREPARE CREAMY MASCARPONE FILLING: In a chilled medium stainless steel bowl, beat the cold mascarpone cheese, heavy cream and vanilla bean paste until combined. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until it holds soft, pillowy peaks. DO NOT OVERBEAT – it should not be too stiff or grainy. Cover and keep filling chilled until ready to assemble.

10. Right before serving, mound the mascarpone cream onto the cake and gently spread it evenly.

11. Top with fresh summer fruits and serve in slices.

YIELD: 8-10 servings

NOTES:

You can bake any remaining batter as cupcakes or mini-cupcakes, top with Creamy Mascarpone Filling and garnish with fresh fruit as well.
For best results, chill the bowl and beaters before preparing the Creamy Mascarpone Filling, and use mascarpone and heavy cream cold from the refrigerator.
This can be made ahead of time and assembled up to 4 hours before serving. Keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Originally posted June 2010, revised and reposted August 2019.

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