Summer is officially here, and you know what that means—it is time to banish heavy,
dense desserts and welcome the bright, breezy, sun-kissed flavors of the season! If you’ve
been searching for that absolute mic-drop dessert to bring to your next backyard
barbecue, pool party, or casual Sunday brunch, look no further. I have created the ultimate
crowd-pleaser that tastes like pure sunshine on a plate.
Say hello to the Lemon Mascarpone Berries & Cream Cake. It is light, wonderfully tangy,
luxuriously creamy, and loaded with sweet, dripping summer berries. Seriously, one bite of this
and you’ll want to move into a house made entirely of cake.
The Inspiration Behind the Bake:
If you know me, you know my absolute, hands-down favorite treat in the entire world is the
legendary Berry Chantilly Cake from Whole Foods. You know the one—that cloud-like
masterpiece with the delicate almond-scented frosting and the pile of glistening berries. I wanted
to pay homage to that iconic cake but give it a fun, modern, and slightly tangy twist. By swapping a
traditional sponge for an ultra-moist lemon and mascarpone-infused bundt, and building an
intensely vibrant, homemade blueberry jam swirl, this dessert transforms into something
uniquely magical.
WHY THIS CAKE WORKS (THE MAGIC INGREDIENTS)
What makes this cake so spectacular is the play on textures and balances. Instead of a typical
butter cake, we are incorporating mascarpone cheese directly into the cake batter. This keeps the
crumb ridiculously soft, rich, and velvety without making it feel heavy.
Then comes the brightness: we use both the zest and fresh juice of a lemon. Pro tip—always rub
your lemon zest right into the granulated sugar with your fingertips before mixing. Your kitchen
will instantly smell like an Italian lemon grove, and it coaxes out all those vibrant essential oils that
a mixer alone just can’t reach!
THE SHOW-STOPPING LAYERS
Instead of dealing with fussy round layers that slide around in the summer heat, this recipe utilizes
a 12-cup bundt pan. We slice the cooled bundt horizontally right through the center to create an
effortless, gorgeous sandwich layer.
Inside, we slather a luscious, pillowy Whipped Mascarpone Cream (think whipped cream’s
sophisticated, more stable older sister) alongside a deep, glossy, homemade blueberry jam filling
with a warm hint of cinnamon. Pile it high with a mountain of fresh, glossy berries, and you have a
rustic yet incredibly elegant centerpiece.
TIME TO SLICE & CELEBRATE!
There you have it, friends! A recipe that captures everything we adore about the Whole Foods
Chantilly Cake but steps it up with a bright, citrusy punch and a rich mascarpone depth. It looks
like it came straight out of an artisanal bakery window, but it’s simple enough to make right in
your home kitchen.
Give this one a try for your next sunny gathering, snap a picture of your gorgeous berry layers, and
let me know in the comments below how much everyone loved it! Happy baking!
Lemon Mascarpone Berries and Cream Cake
Created by Sue Mun
Makes One, Bundt Cake. Serves about 8
Ingredients:
For the Lemon Mascarpone Bundt Cake
- 6 oz mascarpone cheese, softened
- 130g unsalted butter, softened
- zest and juice from 1 lemon
- 300g granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 240g all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 plus 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 180g buttermilk
- 50g vegetable oil
- 1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
For the Blueberry Jam Filling:
- 400g blueberries fresh or frozen (I used frozen)
- zest of 1/2 lemon
- 130 g granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (mix together to make it a cornstarch slurry)
For the Whipped Mascarpone Cream:
- 650g heavy cream
- 100g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
Toppings and Decorations:
- Fresh berries
- Whipped Mascarpone Cream
- Blueberry jam from above
Instructions:
Make the Blueberry Jam:
- In a medium pot, add in the frozen blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and the cornstarch slurry. Cook over medium high heat and allow it to simmer while stirring constantly. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Pour into a blender or use an immersion blender to blend everything smooth. Pour the blueberry jam into a bowl to cool off completely in the fridge.
Make the Lemon Mascarpone Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325F.
- Grease a 12 cup capacity bundt pan with pam spray or butter and then coat the inside with some all purpose flour until evenly covered. Tap out the excess flour. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, rub together the sugar and lemon zest using your fingers to release the natural essential oils into the sugar. Add in the softened butter and mascarpone and mix at medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Add the room temperature eggs, vegetable oil, lemon juice, and the vanilla extract.
- Alternately fold in the the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. The batter will be thick so do not worry.
- Bake for about 55 minutes to an hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with no raw batter stuck to it. Let cool for 30 minutes at room temperature before turning out the cake on a wire cooling rack. Cool off the cake completely before decorating.
Make the Whipped Mascarpone Cream:
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Fold in the softened mascarpone cheese, and mix until just combined. Do not over mix or else it will curdle. Set aside in the fridge.
Assemble and Decorate:
- Using a serrated knife, cut the bundt cake horizontally in the center. Set the top of the cake aside.
- Fill the cake with some whipped mascarpone cream, blueberry jam, and fresh mixed berries.
- Add the top of the cake on top and decorate the top with some more mascarpone cream (or regular whipped cream), blueberry jam, and mixed berries.
- Serve and enjoy! The cake should be stored in the fridge and eaten within the next 3 days.
