This cake is a composite of a few different recipes, modified to yield a small, two serving cake. A variety of fruits or berries can be used to top the mascarpone creme filling.
Equipment
- 9" square cake pan (greased)
- Stand mixer
Preheat Oven
- Preheat oven to 350°F
Ingredients
Cake
- 30 grams all-purpose flour
- 5 grams natural cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 57 grams (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 1 large egg white
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons hot coffee or water
Mascarpone Creme filling
- ½ cup mascarpone cheese
- 3/4 cup heavy creme
- 1.5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Fruits
- 1 cup of berries (whole blueberries or raspberries, or sliced strawberries)
Preparation
Cake
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk in egg white and vanilla until well-combined.
- Into the butter/sugar creme mixture, add each item below, in sequential order, mixing each just till combined:
- Stir in half of the flour mixture.
- All of the milk
- The remaining flour mixture.
- Stir in hot coffee (or hot water).
Note: Mixture will be thin.
- Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.
Bake
This cake will finish baking quickly. At or near the 14 minute mark, begin looking for the cake to pull away from the edges. This indicates the cake is, or nearly done.
- Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool for at 5 minutes.
- Invert dish to drop cake onto a cooling rack; cool completely.
Divide Cake
- Once completely cooled, cut cake into 4 squares.
- Proceed immediately to filling and serving- Or…
- Layer each piece of cake atop a square of parchment paper. Wrap and refrigerate for no more then 24 hours.
Filling
When ready to construct and serve cake, prepare the filling about one hour in advance.
- In a medium bowl, beat the mascarpone, cream, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on low speed until blended.
- Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the creme is thick and firm peaks form (don’t over-beat or the mixture will break).
Construct
Construct cake at least 30 minutes prior to serving.
- Place one square of cake on a serving plate.
- Spread ¼ of the mascarpone creme atop the first layer of cake.
- Evenly top with ¼ of the berries or fruit.
- Place the next cake square atop berries, lightly press.
- Repeat numbered steps above until the cake is assembled and the top of the cake is finished with a layer of mascarpone creme and berries.
Serve
- If ready to serve, refrigerate for 30 minutes to help cake retain its form.
- Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.
- If desired, dust with confectioner’s sugar.