Berry and Marscapone Shortbread Cake

I really miss baking. It’s more difficult to make delicious desserts when there is no one but your fiance to share with. The need to make this cake arose after browsing through one of my favorite blogs, www.giverecipe.com. I came across a sour cherry cake that looked absolutely perfect.

What really drew my attention to this cake, though, was the fact that the batter was not a batter at all. It was more like a dough. The ingredients sounded similar to a pie dough, but the picture looked like it was softer, more like a shortbread cake. Curiosity got the best of me and I could not resist.

As I started making it I kept adding more things to change it up a bit. I ended up changing a whole lot but it turned out fantastic. To the dough I added lime and grapefruit zest and a bit of vanilla. I didn’t have sour cherries, but I did have an abundance of mixed berries. I also added citrus zest to the fruit, and added a marscapone-banana cream mixture into the layers. I also made it 3 layers since I had a smaller springform pan and was left with more dough.

I was not sure if this cake would turn out, considering the 3 layers, but it did! And it was so freakin good! After Mark and I had a piece I wrapped it up and it is currently being saved in the freezer, awaiting the visit of my brother, sister and friends for their visit in a few weeks. Sometimes I feel like sneaking in another piece, but the defrosting waiting time deters me. I just hope it is just as good when it defrosts. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Dough Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 c. flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 c. sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1 egg, room temp
• 1/3 sugar (for dough) + 1 tbsp sugar for fruit
• 1/2 c. butter, room temp
• 1/3 c. veg oil
• Lime (or lemon) zest
• Grapefruit (or orange) zest
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions: mix together wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients and combine to form a soft dough ball. Divide into 3 (for 3 layers) or in 2 (for 2 layers). Roll out into size of springform pan.

Fruit Ingredients:

• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• 1 tbsp sugar
• zest of lime and grapefruit
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch

Directions: Mix together

Marscapone cheese ingredients:

• 1 package marscapone cheese (or cream cheese)
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1/4 c. sugar
• citrus zest (lime + grapefruit, or any kind you have)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp sour cream
• 1 egg

Directions: Mix together

Cake Directions:

1. Grease springform pan
2. Place a layer of dough on bottom of pan
3. Add a layer of marscapone cheese
4. Add a layer of fruit
5. Add another layer of cheese
6. Top with a layer of dough
7. Continue again if making 3 layers
8. Cover top with aluminum foil
9. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes
10. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
11. Remove from oven and let cool for 1 hour
12. Refrigerate. Can eat warm of cold (I preferred cold).

Garnish: blueberries, silvered almonds, powdered sugar