Lemon Blueberry Mascarpone Cake

4.86 from 7 votes

Lemon Blueberry Mascarpone Cake

This Lemon Blueberry Mascarpone Cake is a layer cake made with a base of lemon blueberry olive oil cake, a lemon curd filling, and a simple mascarpone frosting.

Prep Time1

Cook Time1

Total Time2

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 687kcal

Author: Lauren Skardal

Ingredients

Lemon Blueberry Cake

1½ cups extra virgin olive oil
1½ cups whole milk
4 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups granulated sugar
zest of 2 lemons
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour 560g
3 cups blueberries washed and patted dry

Lemon Curd

3 large egg yolks
zest of 3 lemons
½ cup lemon juice approximately 3 lemons
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt

Mascarpone Frosting

16 oz mascarpone softened
½ cup butter softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Lemon Blueberry Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Butter and flour 2 8-inch cake pans.
In a large mixing bowl whisk the extra virgin olive oil, whole milk, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Add the baking powder, salt, and flour and combine.
Add the blueberries (washed and patted dry), and gently combine.
Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Lemon Curd

In a medium bowl whisk the egg yolks.
In a separate medium saucepan, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Place on medium heat and bring to a simmer.
While whisking the egg yolks constantly, add ½ of the simmering lemon juice mixture to the egg yolks. Then add the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan and return to medium heat, whisking constantly for 1-3 minutes until thickened.
Keep in mind that stovetop temperatures can vary for any given temperature setting. The actual temperature and resulting impact on the food depends on the stove that you are using (gas vs electric), stovetop brand, size of the burner, size, and thickness of the saucepan, etc. You may need to adjust the time based on your kitchen setup.
To create a smooth curd, you can strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer

Mascarpone Frosting

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened mascarpone, softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed to combine.

Assemble the Cake

Once the cakes have fully cooled, remove one cake from its pan. Use a bread knife to cut off the rounded dome top to create a flat surface(this should only be a sliver of cake). Place the cake on a cake plate or a cake stand.
Add the lemon curd on top of the cake and use a knife or offset spatula to spread the lemon curd over the top of the cake.
Remove the second cake from the cake pan, and use a bread knife to remove the rounded dome top to again create a flat surface. Invert this second cake on top of the lemon curd such that the bottom of the cake is now facing up.
Add a thin layer of mascarpone frosting around the entire cake. This is the crumb coat. It helps to lock in any crumbs so that you can put a second layer of frosting on the cake without crumbs interfering with the finished look.
Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes. Leave the remaining frosting on the counter while the cake chills in the fridge.
Remove the cake from the fridge and use the remaining frosting to complete a second layer of frosting on the cake.
Top the cake with extra blueberries and lemon slices, and serve. If you plan to make the cake ahead, do not top the cake with any fresh fruit until right before serving.

Notes

Lemon Curd: This can be made up to 1 week in advance (or really it’ll last a bit longer than that). Make the lemon curd then store in an airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the cake. You can also use this to make Lemon Curd Cookies.
Mascarpone Frosting: This can be made several days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Be sure to let it come to a warm room temperature before attempting to frost the cake. It will need to soften before you can spread it over the cake.
Lemon Blueberry Cake: The cake is best made the day of, but I frequently make the cake the night before. I let it cool fully, then cover it loosely with a towel and let it rest on the counter overnight. Though you can also make the cake component ahead of time and freeze it. It freezes and thaws well.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Use extra virgin olive oil for this cake. I really enjoy Spanish or Italian extra virgin olive oil from Costco or Trader Joe’s. The flavor is not overpowering and works really well in cakes, like this Italian Olive Oil Cake, but also works well in dinner recipes too. You can use vegetable oil if needed, but for best results I recommend extra virgin olive oil.
Whole Milk: Whole milk has a higher fat content than 1 or 2% but in a pinch you can use 1 or 2% milk.
Lemon Zest & Juice: Zest the lemon before juicing it. It is the zest that adds the most flavor. Use the finest grate of a box grater or a zester and zest only the brighter most yellow part of the lemon (not the white pith)
Blueberries: I recommend fresh blueberries rather than frozen blueberries, though any fresh berries would be great.
Mascarpone: Similar to cream cheese in texture, but milder in flavor. Cream cheese can be used 1 for 1 as a substitute.
Butter in the Frosting: Ensure that the butter is very soft, but not melted. If the butter is not fully softened you will get small lumps of butter in the frosting.

Nutrition