Citrus Chardonnay Sangria Cake
This light and fruity cake is perfect for spring and summer. A moist citrus cake made with Chardonnay wine is layered with fluffy whipped honey mascarpone cream infused with lemon and orange zest. Amongst the layers of cake and cream is a sweet sangria fruit filling made from ripe berries, peaches, mango and juicy navel oranges.
Has spring finally sprung where you live? Here in Wisconsin, Mother Nature seems to be cruelly playing with our emotions. One day it’s 70 degrees and sunny and then BAM it’s snowing. Today, I’m sharing a recipe that will hopefully force spring into existence. This fruity, moist Sangria Cake is something I’ve been dreaming up for quite some time. With warmer weather on the way (hopefully), and Mother’s Day around the corner, it seemed like the perfect recipe to share today. It’s a boozy glass of sangria on a plate! What more could you ask for?
The cake begins with layers of super flavorful and moist citrus Chardonnay cake. This cake is made with buttermilk, lemon and orange zest, lemon and orange extract and a healthy pour of chardonnay wine. Yes, you heard me right, this cake is made with wine. While the wine flavor is super subtle after baking, I feel like the buttery notes of the Chardonnay still come through. I selected Cupcake Vineyard’s Chardonnay because it has hints of apple, lemon, vanilla and toasted almond which blend beautifully with the flavors of the cake. If you can’t find this particular wine, look for a Chardonnay that has a similar fruity, citrus profile.
One thing I can’t explain, is the texture of this cake batter. Once everything is blended, it has this unbelievably soft, mousse-like consistency. I feel like this is what helps give this cake its light, airy texture after baking. It’s seriously amazing—plus the zests and extracts from the citrus fruits make this cake super…refreshing? Can a cake be refreshing? Because this one is!
The sangria fruit filling comes next. You can really use any mix of fruits you like, but I selected those that are commonly found in white sangria—fresh berries, peaches, navel orange and mango. I think the key to getting this filling just right, is a good balance between berries, citrus and stone fruits. Texture is also key. I like to dice everything finely except the blueberries, which I leave whole. Not too chunky like a pie filling, but not as smooth as a jam. It’s really something in between. Ultimately, I want to still be able to identify the different fruits in the filling—just like in a glass of sangria—but not have to chew through them too much.
To make the filling, add the fruit to a saucepan with sugar and lemon juice and cook down until their juices begin to release. Once simmering, add a slurry of cornstarch and chardonnay (yep, more wine) to thicken the filling. Then turn off the heat and let it cool completely. Spoiler alert: this filling as also amazing served warm over vanilla ice cream.
Last, is the honey citrus mascarpone cream. Rather than choosing a heavy buttercream, this cake is layered with a light and fluffy mascarpone cream. As I was concepting this cake, keeping all of the flavors and layers as light and refreshing as possible was my goal. It seemed wrong to weigh it down with something super dense or sweet.
The mascarpone cream comes together super easily. Begin by whipping a little heavy cream in a stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Then, remove and set aside. Next, combine the mascarpone, honey, citrus zest, vanilla and powdered sugar and blend until smooth. The first time I was testing out this cream, it got a little thicker than I wanted it to be. Rather than thinning it with a little milk or cream, I went straight to my bottle of Chardonnay and added a few teaspoons to the mascarpone. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to let the flavor of the wine come through undisturbed from the heat of cooking. Finally, once smooth, gently fold in the reserved whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.
This cream is definitely lighter than your typical buttercream but a little denser than straight-up whipped cream. Before decorating, I recommend chilling the cream for at least an hour in a pastry bag or a covered container. It will make the cream easier to work with while decorating.
To decorate, I opted to leave mine “naked” on the sides. I simply spread a thin layer of the mascarpone cream over each layer of cake and added a generous ring of cream along the edge to hold in the sangria filling. I’m planning to serve this cake for Mother’s Day this Sunday so fresh flowers also seemed essential to the decoration. When decorating with fresh flowers, make sure you select those that you’re certain were not treated with pesticides or other chemicals. Better yet, try to find edible flowers. They would also pair wonderfully with this cake.
Do you have any special plans for Mother’s Day this weekend? I’m looking forward to a quiet weekend home with my husband and daughter and brunch on Sunday with my mom and mother-in-law. The funny thing is, everyone keeps offering to cook for me and I won’t let them. The kitchen is my happy place. Don’t take it away from me!
If you try out this Citrus Chardonnay Sangria Cake, please give it a rating and don’t forget to tag me on social media. It’s @frydaeblog and #frydae absolutely everywhere. As always, thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Citrus Chardonnay Sangria Cake
This light and fruity cake is perfect for spring and summer. A moist citrus cake made with Chardonnay wine is layered with fluffy whipped honey mascarpone cream infused with lemon and orange zest. Amongst the layers of cake and cream is a sweet sangria fruit filling made from ripe berries, peaches, mango and juicy navel oranges.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (softened to room temperature)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup chardonnay wine (room temperature)
Whipped Honey Citrus Mascarpone Cream
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups mascarpone cheese (softened)
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons chardonnay wine (optional)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Sangria Fruit Filling
- 1/2 cup strawberries (fresh, diced)
- 1/2 cup blackberries (fresh, diced)
- 1/2 cup blueberries (fresh, whole)
- 1/2 cup peaches (fresh or frozen, diced)
- 1/2 cup mango (fresh or frozen, diced)
- 1/2 cup navel oranges (diced)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons chardonnay wine
Instructions
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Sangria Fruit Filling
First, wash and finely dice the fruit, leaving the blueberries whole to add some additional texture to the filling.
Then, in a saucepan over medium heat, combine the cut fruit, sugar and lemon juice. Stir and bring to simmer. Let cook for 5-6 minutes until the fruit softens and begins to release its juices.
In a measuring cup, make a slurry by mixing together the cornstarch and chardonnay. Stir into a thin, wet paste and then pour into the fruit mixture. Stir to combine and then cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken.
Remove from heat and let cool completely before decorating the cake. Note: the mixture will thicken as it cools.
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Honey Citrus Mascarpone Cream
In a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Remove from mixer and set aside.
Then, in the mixer, combine mascarpone cheese, honey, lemon zest and oranges zest. Blend until combined and then add vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix on low until smooth and then add a few tablespoons of chardonnay, if desired.
Finally, using a wooden spoon, gently fold in the reserved whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture. Continue to mix until everything is evenly blended and the cream has a soft, spreadable consistency. Transfer to a pastry bag or covered container and chill for at least 1 hour before decorating the cake.
The mascarpone cream will be lighter than your typical buttercream, but still dense enough to hold its shape when piped.
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Citrus Chardonnay Cake
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a bowl, blend flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
Next, in a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy—about 3 minutes. Then, add eggs, buttermilk, zest, vanilla and citrus extracts. Mix on low until combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until all the dry ingredients are wet—about 1 minute.
Finally, slowly add in the wine. Blend on your mixer's lowest speed until smooth and no lumps remain. The batter should have a fluffy mousse-like consistency.
Pour the batter evenly into three 8-inch greased cake pans lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire racks.
To decorate, spread a thin crumb coat of chilled mascarpone cream on the bottom layer of cake. This thin layer will help prevent the fruit filling from soaking into the cake and make it soggy.
Next, pipe a thick rim of mascarpone cream around the edge of the cake and then fill the center of the cake with a generous amount of sangria fruit filling. Top with a second layer of cake and then repeat. For the final layer, spread a thicker layer of mascarpone cream across the top.
Then, finish decorating the cake with fresh fruit, flowers or other garnish as desired. I left my cake "naked" on the sides, but you could coat the sides with more mascarpone cream for a more polished look too.
Notes
For cupcakes: In a standard muffin pan lined with cupcake liners, fill each well about 50-65 percent. Bake in a 350°F oven for 15-18 minutes until golden. Remove and let cool completely. To decorate, hollow out the center of each cupcake using the end of a wooden spoon and fill with a few teaspoons of sangria fruit filling. Then, pipe each with a generous amount of honey citrus mascarpone cream.
