Strawberries & Cream Naked Cake

It took me a while to get into the whole naked cakes thing. They started popping up everywhere – food blogs, cookbooks, TV – and I honestly just didn’t get it. Even my mom has been asking why I bother with lavish decorations when a naked cake would be just as beautiful & far easier. Although rather soul-crushing, she means well. I just never thought any naked cakes looked as ‘wow’ as everyone said. The only reason I decided to leave this cake naked was to showcase the gorgeous white roses. Boyfriend gave them to me and I didn’t want them to be side-lined.

I’ll admit it, after this Strawberries & Cream Naked Cake, I suddenly just got it. I understood! Naked cakes are amazing! They’re rustic, simple, and yet so elegant. I’ve seen others using fresh fruit, caramel, chocolate flakes etc. to decorate, but flowers are by far my favourite embellishment. Another naked cake pro, if you will, is that you can catch a sneaky peek at the filling hiding in the frosting! It’s like a small tease of what’s to come. 

Basically, this Strawberries & Cream Naked Cake is a chilled-out summer cake that requires minimum effort to achieve maximum taste. The cake is a simple sponge made of ingredients you more than likely have in your kitchen right now. It’s crumbly, light, and easy to make. The filling is a mixture of fresh cream & mascarpone. It’s thick, creamy & easy to pile high for that wow factor. The strawberries are fresh & seasonal – the ideal pair with the tangy cream filling. Strawberries & Cream Naked Cake – the perfect dessert to bring to that summer BBQ you’ve been invited to this weekend.

P R I N T

Strawberries & Cream Naked Cake

A simple two-layer naked cake, sandwiched together with mascarpone cream filling and fresh Irish strawberries.

Yield: 6 inch cake

Author: Vicki

INGREDIENTS

for the cake

• 1 + 1/4 cup plain flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 14 tbsp salted butter, at room temp

• 3/4 cup caster sugar

• 1 tsyp vanilla extract

• 3 eggs

• 1 tbsp + 2 tsp milk, at room temp

for the filling

• 255 g mascarpone

• 2 tbsp icing sugar, sifted

• 3/4 cup double cream

• 200 g strawberries, sliced

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease two 6-inch baking tins with butter, and line the base of each with baking parchment. Set aside. 

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and the baking powder. 

• In a large bowl, use an electric whisk to beat together the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs into the bowl one at a time, ensure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. 

• Sift the dry ingredients into the wet mixture & gently fold together with a spatula. Once folded together, add the milk & stir together until smooth and even. 

• Evenly divide the batter into the two prepared tins & bake in the pre-heated oven for 25-minutes, or until the cakes are a light golden brown & a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Once baked, leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 15-minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

• While the cake cools, make the frosting. In a large bowl, beat together the icing sugar & mascarpone until creamy. Slowly add the cream into the mix & beat until it is a spreadable consistency. 

• To assemble, place one of the cake layers on a serving plate  & spread generously with a thick layer of frosting. Slice up some of the strawberries & place over the frosting, even push a few slices into the sides of the frosting. Place the second layer of cake on top of the strawberries/frosting. Cover the cake with an equally generous layer of frosting as before, & use an offset spatula/knife to smooth out the frosting around the edges of the entire cake, creating a thin layer all over. Slice the remaining strawberries & use as decoration on the top of the cake or on the plate. 

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to know! Please leave a comment & a rating below, or tag me on Instagram @imvcki. Thank you so much for supporting Passionate Baker!

related posts:

Earl Grey Tea Cake
Rustic Apple Cake
Rhubarb & Orange Financier

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