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.
Prep Time35 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr5 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Citrus Chardonnay Cake
1cupbuttersoftened to room temperature
1 1/2cupssugar
2largeeggs
1/4cupbuttermilk
1teaspoonlemon zest
1teaspoonorange zest
1/2teaspoonlemon extract
1/2teaspoonorange extract
1teaspoonvanilla extract
2 1/2cupscake flour
1teaspoonbaking powder
1 1/2teaspoons baking soda
1/2teaspoonsalt
3/4cupchardonnay wineroom temperature
Whipped Honey Citrus Mascarpone Cream
1 1/4cupsheavy cream
2cupsmascarpone cheesesoftened
1/4cupraw honey
1/2tablespoonlemon zest
1/2tablespoonorange zest
1/2teaspoonvanilla extract
2tablespoonschardonnay wineoptional
1/2cuppowdered sugar
Sangria Fruit Filling
1/2cupstrawberriesfresh, diced
1/2cupblackberriesfresh, diced
1/2cupblueberriesfresh, whole
1/2cuppeachesfresh or frozen, diced
1/2cupmangofresh or frozen, diced
1/2cupnavel orangesdiced
1/3cupsugar
1tablespoonlemon juice
2tablespoonscornstarch
2tablespoonschardonnay wine
Instructions
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.
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.
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.
Assemble & Decorate
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.