STRAWBERRY MASCARPONE LAYER CAKE

INGREDIENTS

For the cake:

2 cups (380g) granulated sugar

½ cup (118 ml) vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) vanilla extract

½ cup (118 ml) light sour cream

2 ½ cups (350 g) all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons (11.2 g) baking powder

1 teaspoon (5 g) salt

1 ¼ cups (296 ml) milk (I use nonfat)

For the filling:

2 cups strawberries (303g), pureed

1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice

2 tablespoons (24g) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon flour (8g), sifted

For the frosting:

2 ½ cup (592ml) heavy whipping cream

1 ¼ cup (163g) powdered sugar

1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract

16 ounces mascarpone cheese, cold

INSTRUCTIONS

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch round baking pans, line the bottom with parchment paper and grease the sides. Prepare your bake even stripes if desired.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until the eggs and oil are well incorporated and the batter is lighter in color, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Next mix in the sour cream and beat until well combined.
Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add half the dry ingredients and beat on low speed while pouring in half of the milk. Mix just until the flour starts to incorporate.
Finally add the remaining dry ingredients, mixing on low speed while pouring in the remaining milk and beating until all of the ingredients are well combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir the batter from the bottom to the top to ensure it’s well mixed.
Divide the batter evenly between the three pan, about 1 2/3 cups of batter per pan. Bake at 350°F for 20-23 minutes. Rotate your pans in the oven halfway through baking.
Test the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, you cake is done. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
For the filling: Chop and puree the strawberries using an immersion blender or food processor.
In a medium-sized sauce pan, combine the flour and sugar, and stir to combine. Add the pureed strawberries, lemon juice sugar and stir well. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture starts to boil, stirring frequently.
Reduce heat and simmer for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the strawberry puree starts to thicken. If the puree seems too thin, add up to 1 tablespoon of additional flour.
Allow the puree to cool completely, refrigerating to help speed up the process.
For the frosting: Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill.
Spoon the COLD mascarpone whipped cream into your bowl and beat on a medium-low speed (speed 3 on your stand mixer). Slowly pour in the heavy cream, allowing the mascarpone cheese to turn to a liquid consistency.
Then increase the mixing speed to high (speed 8-10) and beat it until soft peaks form.
Next, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating on low until sugar is incorporated. Then continue beating at a high speed until stiff peaks form.
To assemble the cake, use a cake leveler to cut the domes off the top of the cake. Place a dollop of frosting on your cake board and place the bottom layer of cake on top of that.
Place half of the whipped cream in a large piping bag fitted with a large open round tip, or simply cut off the end of the piping bag. Pipe a thick boarder (a dam) along the outside edge of your cake. You may need to do this twice.
Spread half of the strawberry mixture over the cake, carefully filling the inside of the dam you created (so the sauce doesn’t leak out the sides)
Pipe another thin layer of frosting over the strawberry sauce and spread evenly with your offset spatula.
Add the second layer of cake and repeat the above steps using all of the remaining strawberry sauce. Next, add the final layer of cake on top.
Use your piping bag to fill in any gaps between your layers and to create a crumb coat. Using an offset spatula or icing smoother, wipe away the excess frosting, leaving you just enough to coat the outside of the cake. Do not mix your crumb coating frosting back into your icing if it has cake debris in it.
Proceed to frost the top and sides of the cake using your offset spatula. Once the sides of the cake are covered, use you icing smoother to remove any excess frosting.
Use remaining frosting to pipe the florets on the top of the cake using an Ateco 846 tip (large open star). Garnish with leftover strawberries. This cake must be refrigerated.