Lemon Berry Spring Fling Cake

5 (1 rating)

Lemon Berry Spring Fling Cake

Bright as sunshine and perfectly tangy-sweet, this Lemon Berry Spring Fling cake is quite possibly my new favorite summer cake. With layers of lemon buttermilk cake, a tangy sour cream whipped cream frosting, and fresh berries, this gorgeous naked cake is the perfect festive dessert for any patriotic celebration.

Cook Time28

Total Time28

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: to 18 servings

Author: Yvette Marquez

Ingredients

Cake:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch salt optional and to taste
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk see notes
2/3 cups sour cream
1/2 cup lemon juice
6 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
4 teaspoons lemon extract vanilla or almond extract may be substituted

Whipped Cream:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sour cream

Toppings:

Strawberries sliced
Raspberries
Blueberries
Powdered sugar
Edible flowers optional

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Instructions

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three (9-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then spray with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, ground ginger, and salt, if using.
Whisk in lemon zest; set aside.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, sour cream, lemon juice, oil, and lemon extract.
Add the wet mixture to the dry, mixing lightly with a spoon or folding with a spatula until just combined. Small lumps will be present, don’t overmix or try to stir them smooth.
Turn batter out into greased pans. You may have extra batter left over that can be baked in a separate pan.
Bake cakes for about 28 to 31 minutes, or until center is set and not jiggly, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
Place pans on a wire rack and allow cake to cool.

Sour Cream Whipped Cream

Chill your bowl and beaters in advance.
Combine chilled cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Start blending at low speed, continue blending until cream increases and soft peaks start to form.
Lightly blend in sour cream.

Assemble

Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand and spread 1/3 of the whipped cream over the cake and add a handful of fresh sliced strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Repeat with the remaining two cake layers.
PRO TIP: Be careful not to overfill your layers with fruit or the cake will be hard to slice.
Serve or store in the fridge for up to 1 day. If desired, decorate the cake with edible flowers and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Video

Notes

You can make your own buttermilk by either using powdered buttermilk, or using regular dairy or plant-based milk that you curdle with some acid. The ratio is 1 teaspoon of acid (e.g. lemon juice or white vinegar) to 1 cup of milk.
Work in stages. Don't feel like you have to finish this towering work of art all in one go. Feel free to make the cake layers up to a week in advance and the sour cream whipped cream up to 3 days in advance.
Doing a triple layer of oil-parchment-cooking spray might seem like overkill, but it's a simple and fast way to ensure you don't lose any pieces of this magnificent centerpiece.
Cool the cakes COMPLETELY before you start assembling. While sour cream whipped cream is more stable than just whipped cream, it'll still melt. Make sure the cake is nice and room temp before you start building your masterpiece.
Assemble only when you're ready to serve. Technically, you can store this beauty for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. That said, its towering stature makes it difficult to fit in many refrigerators. Plus, you don't want anything to slip off when you pull it out!

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