Mascarpone Cream CakeMascarpone Cream Cake

This is just cream cheese on a cookie. I was worried that it would be too sweet, however the marmalade adds a tartness to the combination. On my first couple of tries my pastry was tough - especially at the edges. But I found the knack to mix the flour, sugar and egg yolk. Cut and mix with a pastry cutter. Don't try to form a nice ball. It is not that kind of dough.

The recipe comes from a 2005 Gourmet article on food in Florence with this recipe from one of the top restaurants in Frienze — Restaurant Zibibbo.

For the cake

  • 2 cups sifted cake flour, sift before measuring
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk

For berries

  • 1/2 cup orange brandy liquer
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 cups mixed berries

For cream

  • 8 oz mascarpone (1 cup)
  • 1 cup chilled heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter a 9-inch round, 2 inch high cake pan.

Line bottom with parchment paper, then butter parchment.

In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In another bowl, use electric mixer to beat together butter and sugar. Beat will smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs one (1) at a time.

With mixer at low speed, beat in buttermilk until combined. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing after each addition until just combined.

Spread batter in cake pan, smoothing top. Rap pan on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles.

Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 minutes. When I have made this I have had to bake for almost 45 minutes to get the centre cooked.

Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Invert onto a plate. Discard paper and reinvert cake onto rack to cool completely.

Let the berries sit in the sugar and liguer. If you make a sauce, then sring alcohol and sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Put berries in a bowl and pour hot syrup over them, gently tossing to coat. Let stand 15 minutes.

Beat mascarpone and sugar in a bowl.

In another bowl whip the cream. Then blend the cream into the marscarpone cheese in batches, folding the cream into the cheese.

Cut the cake horizontally twice with a long serrated knife. Carefully remove two top slices. Spread evenly 1/3rd or so of the cream. Place the middle layer on the cake and repeat with more cream. Then place the last layer on top and cover the top with cream. I have even covered the sides with cream - the cake needs the cream.

Place the berries on top.