Almond Raspberry Celebration Cake
 
 
An almond raspberry celebration cake that is perfect for spring! Layers of almond butter cake are filled with raspberry jam and a mascarpone buttercream - as pretty as they are delicious.
Yield: 10-12 servings
Ingredients
For the cake
  • 2½ cups (325 g) cake flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup (60 g) almond flour
  • 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1¾ cups (350 g) sugar
  • 1½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • ¾ tsp almond extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
For the mascarpone buttercream
  • 6 egg whites
  • 2 cups (400 g) sugar
  • ⅔ tbsp vanilla bean paste
  • ½ tsp almond extract
  • 2½ cups (564 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (230 g) mascarpone
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
To assemble and decorate
  • ⅔ cup raspberry jam
  • sprinkles
Instructions
For the cake
  1. Heat oven to 350F. Grease three 8-inch cake pans with baking spray. Line with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the almond flour. Set aside.
  3. Combine the sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl. Rub together with your fingers until moist and fragrant.
  4. Cream together the butter and sugar/lemon mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  5. Decrease the mixer speed to medium-low and add in the vanilla and almond extract. Mix to combine.
  6. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  7. Decrease the mixer speed to low and add in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix until just combined.
  8. Divide the batter among the prepared baking pans. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the pans and allow to cool completely.
  9. Once cool, level the tops of the cakes as needed.
For the mascarpone buttercream
  1. Combine the egg whites and the sugar in a clean stand mixer bowl. Whisk until just combined. Bring an inch or two of water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Place the mixer bowl on top of the pan to create a double boiler. Heat the egg white mixture, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 160F on a candy thermometer.
  2. Remove from the heat and place the mixer bowl on the stand mixer. Fit the stand mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on high speed for 8-10 minutes or until the outside of the bowl has cooled to room temperature.
  3. Decrease the mixer speed to low and add in the vanilla and almond extracts. Add in the butter 1-2 tablespoons at a time, only adding the next batch once the previous one has been incorporated. Add in the mascarpone. Switch from the whisk attachment to the paddle attachment. Add in the cinnamon and salt. Mix on medium-high speed until smooth, about 3-5 minutes.
To assemble and decorate
  1. Place one of the cake layers on a cake board. Fill a piping bag that is fitted with a plain round tip with the buttercream. Pipe a ring around the edge of the cake and fill it in with ¾ cup of the buttercream. Spread about ⅓ cup of the jam on top.
  2. Top with a second cake layer and repeat. Place the final cake layer on top.
  3. Crumb coat the cake with the buttercream and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
  4. Tint the remaining buttercream any color you like, leaving 1 cup plain white for the piped edging on top, if desired.
  5. Smoothly frost the cake with the colored buttercream.
  6. To create a shell border, fill a piping bag fitted with a small star tip with the reserved white buttercream. Pipe shell borders around the edges. Decorate as desired.
Notes
Recipe from Icing On The Cake
Recipe by Joanne Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2022/03/almond-raspberry-celebration-cake.html