Blackberry-Raspberry Truffle Cake

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This Lemon Blackberry Cake is a moist lemon cake that’s loaded with fresh blackberries and layered with mascarpone whipped cream and lemon curd. It’s perfectly moist, deliciously dense, and the perfect blend of sweet and tangy.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Beat first 5 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until blended.
Grease 3 (9-inch) parchment or wax paper-lined round cakepans. Pour batter evenly into cakepans.
Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and remove paper. Cool completely on wire racks.
Combine chocolate morsels and whipping cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, 10 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Pour into a mixing bowl; cover and chill 1 1/2 hours or until mixture begins to thicken.
Cook jams and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until jam melts. Brush tops of cake layers with jam mixture.
Place 1 layer, glazed side up, on a cake platter. Spread with half of chocolate mixture. Top with another cake layer, glazed side down; spread with remaining chocolate mixture. Top with remaining cake layer, glazed side down. Secure layers by inserting wooden skewers from the top layer down through the other two layers.
Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add whipped topping and vanilla, beating until smooth. Working quickly, frost top and sides of cake with cream cheese mixture. Press pecans around sides of cake. Garnish, if desired.
Note: For testing purposes only, we used Betty Crocker SuperMoist Devil’s Food Cake Mix and Jelly Belly Confections Blackberries and Raspberries for candy. Candies may be found at Cracker Barrel, in the bulk candy aisle of supermarkets, or in specialty stores.

Go to the Recipe

This simple and easy to make Berry Cake is buttery, oh-so-delicate and loaded with all the bright flavors of the berries.

( This post has been updated with new photos and an improved recipe. The original post was March 2019. If you like the old recipe, just send me a message and I will send that one to you).

I love a combination of berries in my smoothies. One quick blend of it with some almond milk, bananas, and a handful of spinach gives me a feel-good boost any time of the day.

Berries in a cake is another story. In this Easy Berry Cake, berries get an indulgent edge as they get mixed in a buttery, sweet cake batter. Bright flavors meet richness. Fruity notes meet milky.

This is one of my favorite ways to incorporate berries into a baked dessert. It is so simple and easy. I can make it anytime I want. One bowl and basically, dump, stir and bake. One of my favorite things to do if I want a baked good without much fuss.

Plus, no cake decorating is required. The colorful berries do all the aesthetics.

Tips and Pointers

You can use either fresh or frozen berries here. I used a mix of fresh blueberries and raspberries. If you are using strawberries and blackberries, chop them up into small bits. If using frozen, thaw and drain well.
If the berries are too tart, you can sprinkle a little bit more than the recommended sprinkling sugar in the recipe.
Or if you want, you can sprinkle more sugar right after baking. You can’t just sprinkle too much before you bake as the cake top can burn quickly from too much sugar.

Easy Berry Cake

Beat together the melted butter and sugar using a hand whisk. Beat in the milk, egg and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture ( flour, baking powder and salt). Do not overmix. Only stir just until incorporated.

Gentle fold in half the berries mixture into the batter. Then pour and scrape it into an 8-inch baking dish. Place the remaining berries on top, evenly spaced and in a single layer. Lastly, sprinkle the remaining sugar on top.

Bake the cake at 350 F for 40 minutes, or until the cake is set. Easy, isn’t it?

For breakfast, or as a snack, I don’t get tired of it. If you want it to be more indulgent, top it with whipped cream or ice cream. It is a little slice of heaven, every time.

Ingredients

1 stick melted butter (113 grams)
3/4 cup sugar ( plus 1/2 tablespoon extra)
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 ¼ cup mixed berries ( blueberry and raspberries)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with melted butter. In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder. Set this aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together melted butter and 3/4 cup sugar using a hand whisk. Then beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat just until the ingredients are combined.
Add the flour mixture and using a spatula or a whisk, incorporate the ingredients gently. Fold in half of the berries to the batter gently, then pour it into the prepared baking dish.
Top the batter with the remaining berries, placing them in a single layer over the cake. Sprinkle the reserved sugar all over the top. Bake the berry cake at 350 F for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick tester comes out clean.
Serve the cake warm, topped with ice cream if desired. To store leftovers, cover the cake and place it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

one 4 inch square slice

Amount Per Serving:

13g 8g 0g 4g

Made this recipe?

2 ¾ cups (342 grams) all-purpose flour
2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (227 grams) unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
5 large eggs (250 grams)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons lime zest, from 3-4 limes
¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice

For the Blackberry Sauce

12 ounces (340 grams) fresh or frozen blackberries
2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice

For the Blackberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

6 egg whites
1 ½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups (564 grams) unsalted butter (5 sticks), room temperature
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2-6 tablespoons of the Blackberry Sauce (see above)

For the Blackberry Lime Cake Decorations

4 ounces of fresh blackberries
Edible flowers
Lime segments

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two round 9-inch cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pan with parchment paper.

Step 2
Crack the eggs into a medium bowl. Add ¼ cup of the buttermilk and whisk the eggs and buttermilk together.

Step 3
Cut the 2 sticks of butter into 12 pieces.

Step 4
Place the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Zest the limes directly onto the sugar until you have about 2 tablespoons. With your fingers rub the zest into the sugar, until the sugar starts to clump together a little and the sugar turns a light green.

Step 5
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt to the mixing bowl and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to combine the dry ingredients.

Step 6
Add the butter and ¾ cup of the buttermilk mixture and mix on low speed until the ingredients are combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the ingredients for 90 seconds. The batter should appear creamy. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Step 7
Add the egg mixture in three batches, beating the batter on medium speed each time until the egg mixture is incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl after the second addition. After all the egg mixture is added, add the lime juice and mix on medium speed just until incorporated.

Step 8
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Use an offset spatula to smooth the batter.

Step 9
Bake the layers for 30-35 minutes until the center of the cake layers register 202°F with an instant read thermometer or if a toothpick is inserted in the center and it comes out clean with no batter on it. The cake will also begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Step 10
Remove the cake pans from the oven and place them each on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Cover each wire rack with a piece of parchment paper slightly larger than the cake pan. Invert each cake layer onto the wire rack and allow the cakes to completely cool to room temperature before adding the blackberry buttercream.

Step 1
Place a medium sized bowl with a fine-mesh strainer next to the stove.

Step 2
Place the fresh blackberries, sugar, and lime juice in a medium-sized saucepan and bring it to a boil. Quickly reduce the heat to medium and cook the blackberry mixture until the blackberries are soft enough to smash with the back of a large spoon or a potato masher.

Step 3
Transfer the berries to the fine-mesh strainer held over the medium bowl and use the back of a large spoon to press the berry mixture through the strainer to remove the seeds. Get as much juice and pulp out of the blackberries as possible. You should have about ¾ cup of blackberry sauce.

Step 4
Return the blackberry sauce to the saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is reduced by half. You should have 6-7 tablespoons of reduced sauce, when it’s finished.

For the Blackberry Buttercream

Step 1
Half fill a 3-quart or 4-quart saucepan with water and bring it to a simmer over high heat. Once it starts to simmer, reduce the heat to medium.

Step 2
Place the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and set it over the pan of simmering water. Do not allow the bottom of the pan to touch the water.

Step 3
Whisk the mixture by hand until it reaches 165°F then immediately put the bowl on the mixer stand, attach the whisk attachment and whip at medium-high speed until the meringue mixture is cool (about 75°F-80°F).

Step 4
With the mixer on medium speed add the butter to the meringue one tablespoon at a time until it is completely incorporated. About half through the buttercream will begin to look curdled. Don’t worry it’s supposed to look like this. Continue to add the butter and eventually the buttercream will begin to look creamy and smooth.

Step 5
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add one tablespoon of the blackberry sauce to the buttercream and mix it in on medium speed. The buttercream will have a light lavender hue. If you want the buttercream to have a darker color with a more intense blackberry flavor continue to add the sauce until the desired color and flavor is achieved.

Assemble the Blackberry Lime Cake

Step 1
Reserve 1 cup of the blackberry buttercream in a smaller bowl for decorations.

Step 2
Place one cake layer on a cake board or plate. Use 1 ½ cups of buttercream for the center and evenly spread across the layer to the edges. Place the second cake layer on top. Crumb coat the cake by spreading a thin layer of buttercream over the entire layer of the cake to lock in the crumbs. Place in refrigerator to firm up before applying the remaining blackberry buttercream frosting. This technique will prevent cake crumbs from getting mixed into the final buttercream.

Step 3
Use the remaining buttercream to frost the top and sides of the cake. Put reserved 1 cup buttercream in a piping bag and pipe a decorative border of your choice on the top of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with fresh blackberries and fresh edible flowers.

Storing the Cake

The cake can remain at room temperature for the remainder of the day. If serving the next day, store the cake in the refrigerator and then remove it from the refrigerator 90 minutes before serving so that it can come to room temperature.

Notes

Use a scale to weigh the flour for the most accurate results. Too much flour will result in a dry cake and too little flour will result in a sunken cake.
The eggs, butter, and buttermilk should all be at room temperature before combining them with other ingredients. Room temperature for these ingredients is typically between 65°F – 70°F.
Line the cake pans with parchment paper to ensure a clean release from the pan.
The butter for the buttercream should be at 68-70°F before adding it to the meringue. If it is too cold, it won’t incorporate and if it is too warm, the buttercream won’t set up and it might be soupy.

This fresh, delicious, homemade berry upside down cake is the perfect dessert to make anytime you have an abundance of fresh fruit.

Jump to RecipeTable of Contents

Simple, moist and tasty, this easy, homemade berry upside down cake is a quick, old fashioned dessert that you can make from scratch for your family. Juicy, fresh mixed berries are layered with a deliciously moist cake for a classic recipe that will have your guests declaring it the best with its award-winning, gourmet flavor.

Upside down cakes are so much fun to make and look amazing when they are finished. Check out our other varieties of this popular dessert. Try our pineapple upside down cake, upside down apple cake, banana upside down cake and rhubarb upside down cake. For an adorable mini version, check out our pineapple upside down mini cakes.

BERRY UPSIDE DOWN CAKE INGREDIENTS

You will need:

2 tablespoons butter PLUS ¼ cup butter
⅓ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 cups fresh raspberries
1 cup blackberries
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
⅔ cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
⅔ cup milk

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

TOPPINGS: Fresh whipped cream would be delicious. You could also sprinkle coconut on your berry upside down cake as well.

FRUIT: This traditional dessert can also be made with a huge variety of fresh fruit: rhubarb, pear, cranberry, strawberry, blueberry, mango, plum, pumpkin, banana, peach, apple or apricot.

HOW TO MAKE THIS BERRY UPSIDE DOWN CAKE RECIPE

STEP ONE: Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.

PRO TIP: You can also use parchment paper to help prevent the cake from sticking when it comes time to flip it over. You can buy pre-cut parchment paper rounds to make lining the pan even easier.

PRO TIP: You could also bake your cake in a cast iron skillet or a bundt cake pan.

STEP TWO: Combine 2 tablespoons of melted butter with brown sugar in a small mixing bowl. Pour butter mixture over the bottom of the prepared pan and pat into an even layer.

PRO TIP: You can add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon to the butter/brown sugar mixture for some added flavor.

STEP THREE: Evenly top with berries and set it aside.

STEP FOUR: Combine flour with baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.

STEP FIVE: Beat sugar with the remaining butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, and lemon peel. Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk until blended. Pour cake batter over top of the berries.

PRO TIP: Don’t over-mix the batter or your cake will be tough and rubbery.

STEP SIX: Bake cake for 40 to 45 minutes at 350°F in a preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

STEP SEVEN: Cool 5 minutes on a wire rack; invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature and dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired.

HOW TO SERVE

This Southern, traditional favorite upside-down cake recipe can be served in a variety of ways. It’s divine by itself, but there are lots of tasty topping ideas as well.

Fresh whipped cream with a bit of mint is a great idea along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Chocolate sauce or caramel drizzle would also be delicious. You could also sprinkle the cake with coconut and a bit of powdered sugar before serving.

Add a refreshing iced tea, raspberry iced tea, sweet peach iced tea, or our southern strawberry sweet tea or an iced caramel macchiato on the side.

STORAGE

IN THE FRIDGE: Berry upside down cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can eat it cold, but we recommend microwaving it for 30 seconds before serving.

IN THE FREEZER: To freeze this cake for up to three months, you should wrap each piece in plastic wrap or foil and then place them into an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the fridge, before warming in the microwave.

This delicious recipe is filled with fresh berries and a moist cake that will have everyone raving. The presentation is so elegant and beautiful looking that you could easily make this dessert for a celebration.

FAQ

What is a Berry Upside Down Cake?

Much like it’s cousin pineapple upside-down cake, the berry upside down cake features a glaze with fresh berries on the bottom of the pan with the cake on top when baking. Before serving, you flip over so the berries are on the top of the cake. It’s so moist and tasty!

How do I flip the cake without making a mess?

Let your cake cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes, then lay a flat plate over the top of the cake pan. Carefully flip the cake over onto the plate. Bang on the bottom of the pan for good measure, then lift the pan off.

Can I freeze upside down cake?

If you have any leftovers of this delicious cake (and I’m betting you won’t!), you can wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

PLUS ¼ cup butter
firmly packed light brown sugar
grated lemon peel

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9-inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and combine with brown sugar in small bowl.
Crumble mixture over bottom of prepared pan and pat into an even layer. Evenly top with berries; set aside.
Combine flour with baking powder in medium bowl; set aside. Beat sugar with remaining butter in large bowl with electric mixer until creamy. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, and lemon peel. Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk until blended. Pour over berries.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes on wire rack; invert onto serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature and dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired.

This berry cake is made with fluffy layers of genoise sponge cake, whipped cream, and fresh, ripe berries! It’s the best summer cake that highlights sweet strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries!

If you’re looking for a spectacular berry cake, look no further! Fresh berries are placed on top of a light and airy whipped cream and layered with a soft and fluffy genoise cake.

This berry cake highlights a medley of sweet, ripe berries – strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries to be exact. Use any mix of berries you’d like but I recommend going with berries with contrasting color and texture for the best aesthetic.

Serve this berry cake for Easter, birthdays, or even the holidays if you can find fresh berries during that time of year.

Eggs – Start with room temperature eggs for a fluffy, light cake.
Cake flour – Cake flour contains less protein than regular flour which helps produce a light, delicate cake.
Sugar – Use white, granulated sugar. I don’t recommend other sweeteners for this recipe.
Vanilla – Use good quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
Butter – Butter makes the cake moist and gives it a rich flavor.

How to Make Berry Cake – Step by Step Photos

Bain-marie: Place the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a heat-proof bowl. Then place this bowl into a larger bowl that’s filled with hot water. For a sponge cake recipe that doesn’t require a bain-marie, try my Easy Sponge Cake recipe instead.
Using a hand-held mixer with a whisk attachment, beat on high speed until it becomes light and fluffy.
Check that the sugar is completely dissolved and the egg mixture is warm to the touch.
When it has tripled in volume and the color is a pale yellow, lift up the whisk to check for ribbons that flow down and keep its shape for 3 to 4 seconds. This is called the ribbon stage.

Sift the cake flour in three steps and fold after each time.
You should no longer see any dry bits of flour. Be careful not to over mix.

Remove the cake from the pan and any parchment paper. Allow it to rest on a cooling rack and slice when it’s completely cooled.

To add more moisture, brush on a layer of cake syrup to each cake slice. Then, top each layer of cake with fresh berries and whipped cream. Serve this berry cake within 2 days for best results. Enjoy and happy baking!

Berry Cake Tips

Cake syrup – To keep the cake moist and delicate, brush the cake syrup on each cake layer. This technique is used by many commercial bakeries and pastry chefs, including in my own family.
When adding butter, it’s very easy to deflate the batter. Make sure the melted butter and batter are still warm. Cold temperatures will solidify the butter and deflate the batter. Fold very gently at this stage until just combined.
Make sure the berries are dried very well. This keeps the cake fresh for longer.
Avoid overfilling the layers. It can cause the cake to collapse if too heavy.

Fresh Berry Cake

heavy whipping cream –
– adjust to taste

Berry Topping and Filling

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom and sides of the cake pan with parchment paper.
Add Flour: Sift in the flour in three parts, gently folding after each time. 1 cup cake flour
Add Butter: To help incorporate the butter, mix 3 heaping spoonfuls of the batter into the warmed, melted butter. Next, gently fold the butter mixture into the batter. See Note 2. 1 ¾ tablespoon butter
Cool: Remove all parchment paper and allow it to cool completely on a cooling rack.

For the Whipped Cream

Cake syrup: Make cake syrup by dissolving the sugar in hot water. Set aside.3 tablespoons sugar, ⅓ cup hot water
Fill: Slice the cake into even layers using a leveler. Working with the bottom cake layer, brush on a layer of cake syrup, then add a layer of whipped cream. Top with mixed berries, being careful not to overfill. Repeat these steps for the next cake layer. See Notes 3 and 4.2½ cups berries
Decorate: Decorate the top layer with more berries. Serve and enjoy!

Makes one 9-inch or two 6-inch cakes (the photo shown is of a 6-inch cake).

I highly recommend using a kitchen scale and the metric measurements provided for the best results. Click on “Metric” under the ingredients list to access gram measurements.

Whipping eggs: It is essential the egg mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar is completely dissolved for this step, thus requiring a bain-marie. See step-by-step photos in the post for the proper ribbon stage. If you’re looking for a sponge cake that doesn’t require a bain-marie, try my Easy Sponge Cake recipe.
When adding butter, it’s very easy to deflate the batter. Make sure the melted butter and batter are still warm. Cold temperatures will solidify the butter and deflate the batter. Fold very gently at this stage until just combined.
Cake layers: I recommend using no more than 3 layers per cake as it can easily collapse if too tall. If using a 9-inch cake, use 3 layers. If using two 6-inch cakes, create two 2-layer cakes or one 3-layer cake.
Overfilling the cake with too many berries or whipped cream can cause it to collapse. Be conservative when placing the berries and be sure they are level. Otherwise, I recommend using cake dowels which are great for supporting tall, layered cakes.
Storage: Store decorated and filled cake in the fridge for up to 2 days.

*Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools.

Reader Interactions

There’s this blackberry bramble in my yard that gets a little out of control every summer, which I am completely okay with because I can’t help but bake those berries up into all sorts of delicious things. I usually go for a blackberry crisp, blackberry pie, or basically any blackberry dessert I can enjoy a la mode. This year I decided it was time to get a little wild and make a full-on cake recipe with our blackberry harvest and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. It started out as a simple blackberry cake with blackberry buttercream, but before I knew it I was swirling blackberry purèe into cake batter and baking crumble topping to sprinkle between layers. The result is the most delicious blackberry crisp inspired cake and I could not be more happy with how it turned out!

This blackberry crisp cake is so fun to make and completely addictive upon first bite. It’s perfect for a summer gathering, sure to impress your guests with its creative flavor profile and beautiful natural colors. I started by purèeing some blackberries and reducing them along with some lemon, brown sugar, and cinnamon to really enhance the flavor. Then I swirled some of the reduced purèe into the cake batter to create a beautiful blackberry swirl in the baked cake layers. The layers turned out so moist, fluffy, and absolutely delicious.

I put the rest of the blackberry purèe into the buttercream and it made the prettiest natural color. I love the little flecks of blackberry throughout and the flavor turned out so spot on as well. It’s got the perfect blackberry flavor, not too sweet, and worked wonderfully for filling, frosting, and decorating the cake.

It was my husband who suggested the baked crumble topping for in between layers, and I am so happy that I included it! The crumble topping really takes the flavor of this cake beyond and adds such amazing texture. It tastes like a blackberry crisp in cake form! If you’re already a blackberry crisp or cobbler fan, you’re going to love this one. And if you’d rather make a more straightforward blackberry cake, you can always leave it out. But trust me, you don’t want to leave it out!

I decorated this blackberry cake with crumble topping, swirls piped with Wilton Tip 4B, and fresh blackberries. I was worried about the blackberry flecks clogging up the piping tip but I didn’t have any issues with it! I love how this design turned out but regardless of how you decorate, this cake is going to taste amazing. I cannot wait for you to try it!

Blackberry Purèe

(453g) fresh or frozen blackberries
packed light brown sugar

Blackberry Cake

(290g) sifted cake flour
(170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
(300g) granulated sugar
large eggs + 2 large egg whites, room temperature
(120g) sour cream, room temperature
pure vanilla extract
(240ml) whole milk, room temperature
(180ml) blackberry purèe, room temperature

Baked Crisp Topping

(40g) old-fashioned oats
(60g) all purpose flour
(50g) packed light brown sugar
(57g) unsalted butter, softened

(452g) unsalted butter, room temperature
(840g) powdered sugar
pure vanilla extract
(120ml) blackberry purèe
salt, or to taste

Make the Blackberry Purèe

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with a cooking spray (Baker’s Joy is my favorite) and fitting a parchment paper circle to the bottom of the pan.
Sift the cake flour and then measure by spooning and leveling it in your measuring cup. Add the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer (a handheld mixer works fine too!), beat the butter on high for two minutes until it’s light and creamy. Add in the sugar and continue to mix on medium-high for another two minutes. Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs and egg whites, one at a time, mixing until just combined and scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. Add the vanilla and sour cream, turn the mixer to high, and beat for one full minute. It will look curdled at this point, but don’t worry – it will become smooth cake batter at the end.
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Dollop the blackberry purèe by the spoonful on top of each cake and use a butter knife to swirl it into the batter, then bake for 30-35 minutes. They’re done when they spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for five minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack for an additional few hours of cooling. Make sure they’re entirely room temperature before applying any frosting.

Make the Baked Crisp Topping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Add all of the ingredients except for the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix together on low to combine, then add in the softened butter. Continue mixing on low until the mixture begins forming pea-sized clusters.
Spread the mixture evenly onto the parchment-lined cookie sheet, then bake for 5 minutes. Stir the topping around a bit, then bake for another 5 minutes until it begins to turn golden brown. Let the crumble topping cool completely to room temperature, then store in an airtight container until you’re ready to assemble the cake.

Make the Blackberry Buttercream

Make Ahead Tips:

The blackberry purèe can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Bring it back to room temperature before using it in the cake and buttercream recipes.
The blackberry cake can be baked ahead and stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively you can store the cakes in the freezer for up to two months.
The baked crisp topping can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
The blackberry buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-mix in your stand mixer to bring it back to smooth buttercream consistency.

The best way to prep your lemon cake ahead of time is to bake the lemon cake, but wait to add the frosting. Regardless of how you store them, be sure the cakes are completely cooled.

Frosting: I do not recommend preparing the frosting in advance, it’s best when prepared fresh and directly frosted onto the cake.

How to Store a Frosted Cake: An assembled lemon berry mascarpone cake must be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last for for 3-4 days. For best results, you may want to place a piece of plastic wrap on the cut edges to prevent them from drying out.

Lemon Blackberry Cake

For the cake:

() granulated sugar
(118 ml) vegetable oil
large eggs, at room temperature
lemons- zested and juiced
Lemon (or vanilla) extract
( ml) sour cream, at room temperature
2 ½ cups () all-purpose flour, sifted
(11.2 g) baking powder
(5 g) salt
buttermilk ( ml) (or milk), at room temperature
(59ml) fresh lemon juice
blackberries, washed and dried
– tablespoons () all-purpose flour

For the frosting:

2 ¼ cups (532ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
() powdered sugar
(5ml) lemon extract
mascarpone cheese, cold
jar (10 ounces) Lemon Curd

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch round baking pans, line the bottom with parchment paper and grease the sides. Prepare the bake even stripes if desired.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and lemon extract. Beat on medium speed until the eggs and oil are well incorporated, scrape down the bowl as needed. Next, add the lemon zest and the sour cream and beat until well combined.
Next, zest 2 lemons into the batter and then juice the lemons to get 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Set the lemon juice aside. Add the lemon zest, and sour cream to the wet ingredients and beat until well combined.
Toss the blackberries with 2 tablespoons of flour, and add additional if needed. If the blackberries are large, cut them in half, then gently fold the blackberries into the batter.

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 lemon extract, beating on low until sugar is incorporated. Then continue beating at high speed until stiff peaks form.

To Assemble

Use a cake leveler to cut the domes off the top of the cake if needed. Place a dollop of frosting on the 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 layer of frosting and spread it evenly. Then spread half of the lemon curd over the mascarpone frosting.
Add the second layer of cake and repeat the above steps using all of the remaining lemon curd. Next, add the final layer of cake on top inverted.
Use the 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 the offset spatula with the remaining frosting. Garnish with leftover blackberries.

Wherever possible, I do not recommend making substitutions, but in a pinch the below will work.

Sour cream- use a plain non Greek yogurt.
Buttermilk- Can be made using lemon juice or vinegar. Here’s the quick homemade buttermilk
Lemon extract– sub with vanilla if needed
Frozen berries: Note that I have not tested this with frozen blueberries but it should work. Frozen berries may have more moisture than fresh. Toss in the batter when frozen and do not coat in flour

Review this detailed tutorial for Mascarpone Whipped Cream if this is the first time serving.
Storage instructions: the blog post contains more details, but a frosted cake but be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Lemon Cake Recipe, Lemon Blackberry Cake, Lemon Dessert

Why is My Lemon Cake Not Fluffy?

This cake is more dense than it is light and fluffy, but if it’s extra dense and flat, there could be a couple of reasons for that.

Use fresh baking powder. The expired baking powder won’t do what it’s supposed to do which is create a lighter, fluffier texture. Make sure it’s fresh before adding it to the batter.
Don’t substitute ingredients. Wherever possible, I do not recommend making substitutions. True buttermilk will always produce better results than a homemade substitute.
Properly measure the flour. If you are not weighing ingredients, make sure to use the fluff, spoon and level method to measure the flour. Scooping your cup directly into the flour is the surest way to add too much flour, resulting in a dense cake.
Don’t over-mix the batter. Over-mixing the cake batter can cause a dry, dense texture. Mix everything only until just combined and avoid mixing too much for the best results.

How to Make Lemon Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

Prepare the pans: Grease and flour three 8-inch baking pans, and I recommend lining the bottom with parchment paper.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a bowl, mix together sugar, oil, eggs, and lemon extract and beat until it’s well combined. Then add in the lemon zest and sour cream, then mix until combined.
Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk: In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk and lemon juice. Mix on low speed until the flour is combined. Give the batter a good stir with a spatula.
Add the berries: Toss the berries with a little bit of flour, then gently fold half of them into the cake batter.
Bake and cool: Divide the batter evenly between three 8-inch baking pans, then top with remaining blackberries. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

Make the Frosting

Some people do have issues making mascarpone whipped cream. I recommend reviewing the full tutorial (linked above) before beginning. It’s not meant to be stable like buttercream, it’s still a whipped cream. It is however, much thicker and easier to work with than traditional whipped cream.

Chill the bowl. Place a mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer to chill for 5-10 minutes.
Whip until stiff peaks. Once it’s more of a liquid consistency, add the remaining heavy cream and increase the mixer to high speed, beating until soft peaks form. Add in powdered sugar and lemon extract and beat until stiff peaks form.

Key Ingredients

Oil – Make sure you’re using a neutral oil such as vegetable oil.
Lemons – We’ll need both the zest and the juice to give our cake the perfect lemon flavor. If you don’t know how to zest a lemon, here’s a helpful tutorial for you (you don’t even need a zester!).
Lemon or Vanilla Extract – If you want the extra zing, go with lemon extract.
Sour Cream – If you don’t have sour cream, plain Greek yogurt can be used in its place.
Buttermilk – You could also use milk, but the texture won’t be quite as moist and tender. Otherwise, you can try this simple homemade buttermilk.
Blackberries – We’re mixing fresh blackberries directly into the cake batter, then also using them for garnish.
Mascarpone cheese- Check your grocery store, usually in the specialty cheese section. This can be an expensive ingredient, but my preferred brands are Belgioioso, Trader Joes, and Vermont Creamery.

Lemon Berry Mascarpone Cake

I am swooning over this Lemon Blackberry Cake. It’s similar to my lemon blueberry cake, but with different berries. And it is, quite literally, perfection. It’s a homemade, lemon layer cake with fresh blackberries baked right in. Nestled between each layer is a generous layer of the perfect mascarpone whipped cream and lemon curd.

If you’ve never had mascarpone whipped cream, I suggest you try it immediately. It’s like regular whipped cream, but thicker, more of a mousse. Its subtle flavor complements literally whatever you pair it with!

So, next time someone asks for a lemon birthday cake or you’re just craving a lemon or fruity dessert, you’ll know exactly what to make!

Level the cakes: If you find the cakes have domed, use a cake leveler to cut the domes off the top of each layer. However, the tops may not be completely flat due to the berries. This cake is quite moist, so you want to avoid ripping the outside.
Frost and fill: Place a dollop of frosting on a cake board, then place the bottom layer on top. Use a piping bag to pipe a layer of frosting around the edge and over the top of the first layer, then spread half the lemon curd on top. Add the second layer of cake, repeat with the frosting and lemon curd, then add the final layer on top. I like to invert the top layer so it’s nice and flat on top. If you want to see how I do this, I included some step-by-step photos of the process in my Lemon Raspberry Cake recipe.
Decorate and chill: Top with remaining frosting then garnish with extra berries. I do recommend chilling the cake before serving to allow the frosting to rechill.

Recipe Tips

Toss the berries with flour. Coating them in a light layer of flour can help prevent them from sinking in the batter as the cake bakes depending on the size of the berries.
Use bake-even strips. Bake even strips prevent the edges of the cake from cooking too quickly which, in turn, prevents the cake from rising in the middle. The less you have to cut off the top, the better!
To fill your cake, I suggest filling a piping bag with frosting to ensure an even thickness throughout.