This lemon berry cake is beauty and taste! This cake has layers of fluffy lemon sponge cake, an easy homemade mixed berry jam, whipped cream cheese frosting, and decorated with a BUNCH of fresh berries. It's full of flavor, color, texture, and freshness!
the inspiration
I don't know if any one else has seen this, but my Instagram has been PACKED with beautiful cakes decorated with a mix of fresh berries on the outside to completely cover the surface. I've wanted to try my hand at making it since forever and finally bought (an unsavory amount of) berries to give it a try. This recipe kind of came together backwards - I ended up choosing the cake flavors based on the decorations as opposed to the other way around!
When it came to picking the cake flavors, I knew I wanted to use some sort of mixed berry jam for the filling to go with the mixed berry outside theme. Using a lemon sponge cake for the layers then felt like the natural pairing with all the beautiful fresh berries!
For the frosting, I was stuck between using a whipped cream frosting to give the cake kind of a shortcake vibe or cream cheese frosting because I felt it would add even more delicious flavor. And because I'm indecisive, I ended up choosing to do a combination of the two: whipped cream cheese frosting! The frosting is as firm as buttercream but has a hint of airiness thanks to the whipped cream.
the cake layers
This cake is made up of 3 different components: a lemon sponge cake, mixed berry jam, and whipped cream cheese frosting. They all work together to give this cake it's delicious flavor, texture, and natural bright colors!
- Lemon sponge cake: The cake batter is inspired by my favorite sponge cake recipe, but it's tweaked slightly to transform it into a lemony version. What I especially love is the fact that this sponge cake is oil based. Any cakes that feature butter in the batter will firm up when they go into the fridge, so using oil means you can just serve it straight from the fridge and still have a soft and spongy cake!
- Mixed berry filling: I love this filling so much because it's thick, jammy, and easily customizable. You can use virtually any mix of berries you like or just pick 1 type of berry and use that exclusively. I personally used a mix of strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Whichever berries you use, just make sure to cut them up so they're about the same size before cooking them together.
- Whipped cream cheese frosting: This frosting is so refreshing (especially in the warmer months) and it uses a fraction of the amount of sugar that you would use in a classic buttercream or cream cheese frosting! It's velvety and creamy and pairs SO WELL with all the lemon and berry action going on. It's also a very stable and firm frosting, making it super easy to work with!
how to make mixed berry jam
This recipe starts with the mixed berry jam just because it takes the longest to cool. By starting with it, everything will come together at about the same time. Here's a quick look at how to make the berry jam:
- Prepping the berries. You can use fresh or frozen berries. If using fresh, start by washing and draining them well. If using frozen, you can use them straight from the freezer (no need to thaw). If you're using berries that are different sizes, give them a quick little chop to make the pieces relatively uniform so they cook at the same rate.
- Cook berries and sugar until tender. They need to cook down into a very soft mixture. They'll release a lot of water and won't quite be as thick as a traditional jam at this stage.
- Whisk together cornstarch and water in a separate bowl. This is to make a "slurry" that will thicken the berry mixture into a firmer jam consistency. It's important to dissolve the cornstarch in cool water (as opposed to adding it into the hot mixture directly) so it doesn't clump up. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the pot and continue cooking until it comes to a boil and thickens.
- Add in the lemon zest and juice. Mix that in then transfer the jam to a wide bowl. Set aside to cool completely to room temperature before using. It will continue to thicken slightly as it cools.
making the lemon sponge cake layers
After making the jam, it's time to make the lemon cake. The lemon cake is made using a sponge cake method where you whip eggs into a thick and fluffy mixture and gradually build the cake batter on top of that egg base. The result is a cake that is honestly best described as spongy! To make the cake:
- Whisk together dry ingredients. Start by mixing together cake flour, salt and baking powder then set aside. If you don't have cake flour, you can make your own substitute! Simply measure out 1 & ½ cups (195g) all-purpose flour then spoon out 1 & ½ tablespoons and replace them with 1 & ½ tablespoons of cornstarch.
- Whip eggs and sugar. This is probably the most important step! The whipped eggs are what give the cake it's classic spongy and airy texture and they make up most of the volume. The eggs need to whip until they become light, fluffy, and triple in volume, which can take around 8-10 minutes. So this will take a bit of patience!
- Mix in the dry ingredients. Take care not to overmix or the eggs will deflate! The mixture will deflate slightly - that's fine - but it shouldn't deflate a lot. A few small streaks in the batter are also fine at this stage because the cake batter will be mixed again in a second.
- In a separate bowl, combine oil, vanilla, lemon zest + juice, and about ½ a cup of the cake batter. Mix together until smooth and combined. If you were to add these ingredients directly into the larger bowl of batter, it will just sink to the bottom, become more difficult to mix together, and will most likely lead to an overmixed batter.
- Add the lemon batter mixture back into the large bowl of batter. Fold together until combined and streak free - but again, watch out for overmixing!
- Divide into cake pans and bake. Once the cakes are baked, cool them for about 5 minutes in the pans then run a thin knife around the edges of the pan to release any stuck on cake. Invert the cakes onto a wire rack and set aside to cool completely to room temperature before layering.
whipped cream cheese frosting
Once the jam and cakes are fully cooled, you can start working on the frosting! To start:
- Cream together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until lump free. Make sure the cream cheese is cold! It sounds weird (because most cream cheese frostings use room temperature ingredients), but in this recipe, cold cream cheese is important to make sure it whips up into a thick, fluffy, and stable frosting.
- Slowly mix the heavy cream in. It's important to go slowly here - and pause every now and then to scrape down the bottom and sides of your bowl. If the heavy cream is added in too quickly, the mixture will clump up.
- Once all the cream is incorporated, whip until light and fluffy. Take care not to overmix or the frosting will separate. It should thicken to about the consistency of buttercream frosting.
how to decorate lemon berry cake
It's finally time to decorate! Start by layering and filling the cake with the frosting and jam. Lay 1 cake layer on your cake stand then spread a thin layer of frosting on top. Use a piping bag to pipe a little frosting border around the edges of the cake - this helps keep the jam in place without spilling out the edges of the cake.
Spoon half of the jam into the center then repeat the process with the second cake layer. Top with the final layer of cake and frost the outside with the remaining frosting. The outside frosting doesn't need to look perfect - it'll be covered with the berries anyways.
Now it's time to cover the outside of the cake with berries! I seriously thought the berry decorations would start sliding down - but it was surprising how well the fruits stuck onto the cake. You can decorate this cake however you like or just leave it plain and classic with a layer of frosting on the outside. But I personally chose to go with the trend of FULLY covering the outside of the cake with fresh berries.
If you want to decorate your cake the same as me, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Choosing the berries: You can use any of your favorite berries to stick onto the outside of the cake. I personally used raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Use the freshest and firmest berries you can find - older, softer, mushier berries will be more difficult to work with.
- How many berries will I need? It will vary depending on the size of the berries, but generally speaking, you'll need a total of about 850g (or 30oz) of berries. I'd also get a few extras just to be on the safe side.
- Preparing the berries: Start by washing and draining the berries very well. Once drained, arrange the berries on a piece of paper towel in a single layer then lay another paper towel on top and blot them dry. Moisture will cause the berries to slide off the cake, so try to get them as dry as possible!!
- Start from the bottom and work up: Laying berries in the middle or top of the cake first will make them more likely to slide off. Starting from the bottom will give them support from the bottom and help them hold in place. You can stick smaller sized berries on as is, but if you use a larger berry (like strawberries, for example) I'd recommend cutting them in half before using.
so... how do you slice lemon berry cake??
This was my fear the entire time - like how do I even cut this cake with all those berries on the outside?? But it really isn't too difficult!
To slice, you have a few options. First, you could simply nudge the berries to expose the cake and create a clear line that you can cut through. Second, you could pick off berries that are in your way, again, to create a clear path to cut through. Or finally, if you have a sharp enough knife, you can gently saw back and forth to cut through the berries then cut straight down through the cake - but this really only works if you have a VERY top notch knife!
storage
Because there's cream cheese in the frosting, this decorated cake needs to be stored in the fridge. The cake stays soft even when it's chilled, so you can serve it straight from the fridge when you're ready! Keep the cake covered with a cake dome or a large inverted bowl. When you do slice into it, it's also a good idea to press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of any exposed cake to ensure it stays soft. This cake will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge.
check out these other recipes!
• Strawberry Shortcake Cake
• Lemon Raspberry Cake
• Lemon Curd Cake
• Chocolate Blackberry Cake
• Blueberry Crumb Cheesecake
Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.
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Lemon Berry Cake
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 (6") cake
Description
This lemon berry cake is beauty and taste! This cake has layers of fluffy lemon sponge cake, an easy homemade mixed berry jam, whipped cream cheese frosting, and decorated with a BUNCH of fresh berries. It's full of flavor, color, texture, and freshness!
Ingredients
For the mixed berry jam:
- 2 cups (280g) fresh berries (I used strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries)
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
For the lemon sponge cake:
- 1 ½ cups (195g) cake flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60mL) vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For the whipped cream cheese frosting:
- (2) 8oz blocks cold cream cheese (16oz / 450g total)
- 1 ¼ cups (162g) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (360mL) heavy whipping cream, cold
- fresh berries (optional - for decorating)
Instructions
Make the mixed berry jam:
- You can use any mix of berries you like or just use 1 type of berry to make this jam. If you're using a large berry like strawberries, measure out the 2 cups after cutting them into smaller pieces.
- To start, prep the berries by washing and draining them well. You can also use frozen berries if you prefer - you don't need to defrost them. Roughly chop up your berries so they're all about the same size.
- In a medium sized pot, combine berries and sugar. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries cook down, release liquid, and soften. This will take about 5 to 10 minutes. Move off the heat.
- In a separate bowl or cup, mix together cornstarch and water until dissolved. Add this mixture into the pot with the berries.
- Return the pot to medium heat and cook until it comes back up to a boil and thickens to the consistency of jam (about 1 minute).
- Take the pot off the heat then mix in lemon zest and juice. Pour the jam into a wide bowl and set aside to cool completely to room temperature. Place it in the fridge to keep cool while you prep the other cake components.
Make the lemon sponge cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease 3 round 6" cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, salt, and baking powder to combine. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Using an electric or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the mixture on high speed until it lightens in color and triples in volume. This will take about 10 minutes.
- The next steps are best done by hand - an electric mixer will most likely overmix the batter and tear through the air bubbles.
- Sift the cake flour mixture into the bowl with the egg mix.
- Gently fold together until you just have a few tiny streaks of flour but everything is more or less combined. It will deflate slightly. The batter is going to get mixed again in just a second, so it's better to undermix than overmix at this stage.
- Scoop out about ½ a cup of the cake batter and pour it into a separate small bowl. To this, add in the vegetable oil, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix to combine then pour this back into the large bowl of cake batter.
- Fold everything together until streak free but (again) take care not to overmix!
- Divide the cake batter into your prepared cake pans. Bake the cakes in the center of your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cakes for 5 minutes in the pans then run a thin pairing knife around the edges to release any cake that may be stuck to the pan. Flip the cakes onto a wire rack and set aside to cool completely to room temperature.
Make the whipped cream cheese frosting:
- In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Use an electric or stand mix fitted with the paddle attachment to whip together on low speed or until smooth.
- With the mixer running on low, very slowly pour the heavy cream in a thin stream. Pause after every ¼ cup of cream to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Once all the cream is mixed in, increase the mixer speed to high and whip for about 2 minutes or until thickened and reaches stiff peaks.
- Fill a piping bag with some of the frosting. Lay 1 cake layer onto your serving plate and spread a thin layer of frosting on top. Use the piping bag to pipe a little frosting border around the edges of the cake (see above post for visual) - this will help keep the jam filling in place.
- Spoon about half of the mixed berry jam into the center of the cake and spread it out to the edges. Lay a second cake layer on top and repeat the frosting and filling process.
- Lay the final cake layer on top then frost the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting.
- (Optional): You can serve the cake as is or decorate the outside like mine with fresh berries! To create the berry outside, you can use any mix of fruits you like. Wash and drain them well then lay them on a paper towel lined plate and pat them dry. The drier the berries are, the easier it'll be to stick them onto the frosting! Start from the bottom of the cake and stick berries right next to each other then move up and repeat until the outside is fully covered - starting from the bottom helps keep them from sliding down the cake.
- How to slice the cake: This cake is easiest to cut when it's cold, so I recommend popping it into the fridge for at least 1 hour before slicing. If you decorated the outside with berries, you can either remove berries that are in the way of your knife to cut more easily or just nudge the berries off to the side to give yourself a clear line to slice through.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Bake Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Cakes
Enjoy!
Paz says
I want to bake a 8x8 should I doble the recipe?