Vanilla White Cake with Blackberry Mascarpone Frosting and Blackberry-tarragon Jam
By Thyme & Temp
Vanilla White Cake with Blackberry Mascarpone Frosting and Blackberry-tarragon Jam
By Thyme & Temp
Yield/Serves:
Makes 8 servings
- Cake:
- 2¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk, room temperature
- 6 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 tsp pure almond extract
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp table salt
- 1½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
- Jam Filling:
- 12 oz of blackberries
- 1 tbsp of lemon zest
- 1 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ tbsp of water
- 3 sprigs of fresh tarragon
- 4 tbsp of sugar (keep 1 tbsp to mix with pectin)
- 2 tbsp of sugarless fruit pectin
- Frosting:
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- 8 oz of mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup of powdered sugar
- ½ vanilla bean, scraped for seeds
- 10 blackberries, smashed (approx.—or until you achieve the desire color and flavor)
Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare two 8 inch round cake pans with butter.
Add the milk, egg whites and extracts to a medium sized mixing bowl and whisk together lightly until blended.
Combine the dry ingredients together inside the bowl of an electric mixer and run at a slow speed while you dice up the butter, approximately 2-3 minutes. Slowly add the butter a few cubes at a time until all are added and combined.
Add all but ½ cup of the wet mix to the dry mix and beat at a medium speed for approximately 2 minutes. Add the remaining amount of the wet mix and beat for 1 minute.
Pour the batter evenly into your prepared pans and place both into the oven,
Bake for 30-35 minutes checking with a toothpick around the 25 minute mark just in cake.
Allow cake to cool at room temperature before icing and filling.
Make the Filling: Prepare the blackberries and tarragon by rinsing with cold water.
Place blackberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, water and 3 tablespoons of sugar in a saucepan and stir to combine. Turn the heat on medium and cook for 5 minutes until the berries to break down.
Once the berries have broken down and released their juices, set the heat to low and allow to lightly simmer for 15-20 minutes to reduce some of the water content.
Mix the remaining sugar and the whole amount of pectin in a small bowl and then mix into the pan. Remove the pan from heat and allow the sugar to dissolve for 1-2 minutes.
Pour the jam into a strainer over a bowl and start pushing through the jam with a spatula leaving behind the seeds and tarragon stems. However, you may also remove a few larger chunks and pieces to add to the jam for texture once strained.
Place strained jam into a small would and cover with plastic wrap.
Cool in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Make the Frosting: In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the cream, mascarpone, vanilla seeds and powdered sugar, and mix using a hand (or electric) mixer at medium speed until stiff peaks form.
Add smashed blackberries, juice and all, into the frosting and mix with a fork until blended.
Add the milk, egg whites and extracts to a medium sized mixing bowl and whisk together lightly until blended.
Combine the dry ingredients together inside the bowl of an electric mixer and run at a slow speed while you dice up the butter, approximately 2-3 minutes. Slowly add the butter a few cubes at a time until all are added and combined.
Add all but ½ cup of the wet mix to the dry mix and beat at a medium speed for approximately 2 minutes. Add the remaining amount of the wet mix and beat for 1 minute.
Pour the batter evenly into your prepared pans and place both into the oven,
Bake for 30-35 minutes checking with a toothpick around the 25 minute mark just in cake.
Allow cake to cool at room temperature before icing and filling.
Make the Filling: Prepare the blackberries and tarragon by rinsing with cold water.
Place blackberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, water and 3 tablespoons of sugar in a saucepan and stir to combine. Turn the heat on medium and cook for 5 minutes until the berries to break down.
Once the berries have broken down and released their juices, set the heat to low and allow to lightly simmer for 15-20 minutes to reduce some of the water content.
Mix the remaining sugar and the whole amount of pectin in a small bowl and then mix into the pan. Remove the pan from heat and allow the sugar to dissolve for 1-2 minutes.
Pour the jam into a strainer over a bowl and start pushing through the jam with a spatula leaving behind the seeds and tarragon stems. However, you may also remove a few larger chunks and pieces to add to the jam for texture once strained.
Place strained jam into a small would and cover with plastic wrap.
Cool in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Make the Frosting: In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the cream, mascarpone, vanilla seeds and powdered sugar, and mix using a hand (or electric) mixer at medium speed until stiff peaks form.
Add smashed blackberries, juice and all, into the frosting and mix with a fork until blended.