Mixed Berry Cake is a fluffy, flavorful vanilla cake layered with mixed berry jam, cream cheese frosting and fresh, juicy berries. It’s the perfect layer cake for any summer occasion!
This is one of my favorite dessert recipes for spring and summer! The fluffy vanilla cake, mixed berry jam and cream cheese frosting make it so good to bite into!
I love this cake with freshly picked berries on top just like my lemon blackberry cake. Berries add extra flavor and make the prettiest decoration! Use fresh berries from the store if it’s not berry season.
For more berry cakes, try my raspberry peach cake and chocolate raspberry cake.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The vanilla cake is soft and fluffy just like my pomegranate cake.
- Homemade mixed berry jam makes the perfect fresh tasting filling. It only takes about 20 minutes to make. Store bought jam can also be used!
- Cream cheese frosting is lucious and delicious.
- Top with your favorite mixed berries! Berries make the easiest and prettiest topping. If you have extra berries, try my blueberry and chocolate cake!
Ingredients
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Here are some useful notes on some of the ingredients needed to make this berries cake.
- Unsalted butter: Use room temperature unsalted butter for both the cake and frosting.
- Cake flour: Cake flour gives this cake its soft, light texture.
- Egg whites: This cake is made with 5 large egg whites. Eggs are easiest to separate when they are still cold. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Allow egg whites to come to room temperate before using.
- Cream cheese: Use full fat brick style cream cheese for the frosting. Use room temperature cream cheese to prevent lumps in your frosting. To make your cake extra fruity, you could swap in the strawberry cream cheese frosting used in this strawberry and chocolate cake!
- Mixed berries: Use your favorite combination of fresh or frozen mixed berries for jam. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries are great options! If using frozen berries, do not thaw first. Use fresh berries for the topping and icing. For more yummy berry recipes, try my mixed berry galette, raspberry cupcakes or strawberry filled cupcakes!
- Fresh mint (optional): Mint gives the jam and the cake a refreshing, unique flavor. If you are not a fan of mint, you can leave it out or swap in vanilla extract for it.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap in 1/2 cup of store bought jam in place of homemade. Spoon the jam into a microwave safe bowl and warm for a few seconds to make the store bought jam more spreadable.
- Instead of jam, add up to 1 cup of mixed berries to the cake batter or top middle layer with fresh berries.
- If you don’t have cake flour, use this cake flour substitute. You can also use all purpose flour instead of cake flour.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are the directions on how to make and bake this berry cake recipe.
Step 1 (Picture 1 above)– In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer til smooth. Add the sugar and mix on high speed for 2 minutes.
Step 2 (Picture 2 above)– Reduce speed to low. Mix in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Step 3 (Picture 3 above)– Mix in the sour cream and vanilla. Turn mixer to low speed and add the flour followed by the milk. Pour batter into two 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 21-25 minutes.
Step 4 (Picture 4 above)– Set pans on cooling racks for 15 minutes then remove from pans. Allow to cool completely on racks.
Step 5 (Picture 5 above)– Make the jam. Place two small plates in the freezer. Combine the berries, lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat til sugar dissolves then turn up heat to medium high. Stir frequently til jam starts to thicken. Remove from heat. Drop a little dollop of the jam on one of the small chilled plates. Run your finger or a spoon thru it. If the line stays clean and the edges don’t fill in, it is done. Stir in the optional lemon zest and chopped mint, if using. Allow to cool.
Step 6 (Picture 6 above)– Combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat with a mixer until creamy and free of lumps. Add the vanilla and salt. Turn the mixer to low speed. Gradually mix in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar at a time til combined. If you want to tint the frosting a light pink/purple color, stir in a tiny bit (about a teaspoon) of the cooled jam!
Step 7 (Picture 7 above)– Spread a layer of frosting over the top of one of the layers. Spread the cooled mixed berry jam over the frosting. Top with other cake. Frost with the rest of the frosting.
Step 8 (Picture 8 above)– Decorate with fresh berries.
Expert Tips
Tip #1: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. If you dredge the measuring cup into the flour, the flour will become compact. This can lead to a dry cake.
Tip # 2: Don’t overmix the batter once you add the dry ingredients. Mix it until just combined.
Tip #3: Use full fat brick style cream cheese for the frosting. It’s important the cream cheese is at room temperature. If the cream cheese is cold, the frosting will be lumpy.
Recipe FAQs
You can make the cake layers, jam and frosting the day before. I suggest assembling the cake the day you plan to serve it. Wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and store the jam and frosting in airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator. When ready to assemble, allow jam and frosting to come to room temperature for about an hour til spreadable.
I love this cake with strawberry cream cheese frosting from my heart shaped cake. This delicious mascarpone whipped cream is also a delicious option!
Store this mixed berry cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The cake tastes best at room temperature. Allow cake to come to room temperature for 1 hour before serving.
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Mixed Berry Cake
Equipment
- 1 Stand mixer with the paddle attachment
- 2 9-inch round cake pans
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 2½ cups (312 g) cake flour sifted
- 2¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 5 egg whites large, room temperature
- ½ cup (115 g) sour cream full fat, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (177 ml) whole milk room temperature
Mixed Berry Jam
- 2½ cups (310 g) mixed berries fresh
- ⅓ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest optional
- 1 tablespoon (5 g) fresh mint finely chopped, optional
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese brick style, full fat, room temperature
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar sifted
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Decoration
- 1 cup (155 g) fresh berries for decorating, use any combination of raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or sliced or whole strawberries.
Instructions
Vanilla Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the bottoms and sides of two 9-inch cake pans. and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Grease the parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium high speed til smooth, about 1 minute.
- Slowly add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.
- Reduce speed to low and add egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract until combined.
- Turn the mixer to low speed. Add about half the dry ingredients. Next, add the milk followed by the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix just til combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide batter equally in the prepared pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula or offset sptaula.
- Bake for 21-25 minutes until a toothpick when inserted in the center of a cake, comes out clean.
Mixed Berry Jam
- Set two small plates in the freezer to use to test the jam for doneness later.
- Combine the mixed berries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan set over medium heat. Use a potato masher or back of a large spoon to mash the fruit down. Stir mixture until sugar is dissolved then turn up heat to medium high. Cook while stirring frequently with a heatproof spatula til jam starts to thicken, about 10-15 minutes.
- Once mixture has thickened, remove from heat. Place a small amount of jam on one of the chilled plates. Let it cool briefly then run your finger through the jam. If you can draw a line that doesn't drip or fill in, the jam is done. If it immediately runs back together, heat it for a few extra minutes then test it on another plate.
- When the jam is done, stir in the optional lemon zest and chopped mint, (if using). Pour mixture into a glass measuring cup or heatproof bowl. Allow to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the room temperature cream cheese and butter. Beat with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy and free of lumps. Add the vanilla extract and salt.
- Turn the mixer to low speed. Gradually mix in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar at a time til combined.
- Optional: If you want to give your frosting a pretty pink/purple tint, stir in a scant teaspoon or so of the cooled mixed berry jam!
Assembling and Decorating
- Place one layer on top of a cake stand or cake turntable.
- Spread a layer of frosting over the top of the cake. Spread the cooled mixed berry jam (or about 1/2 cup of store bought jam) over the frosting.
- Place the top layer bottom side up on top of the cake. Use an offset spatula to spread the rest of the frosting over the top of the cake. Top with fresh berries. Use a long, sharp knife to slice. Wipe knife clean in between cutting for clean slices. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
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