French Vanilla Birthday Cake

Linda Lou

My French Vanilla Birthday Cake with Raspberry Cream Filling and Mascarpone Buttercream Frosting might surprise everybody.

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Prep Time 2 5

Cook Time 1 15

Inactive Prep Time 4 30

Total Time 7 50

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 45 people

Calories 465 kcal

Equipment

parchment paper 3 circles for the pans
1 electric mixer Hand-held
3 graduating cake pans 4", 6", and 8", 3
3 round cardboard cake dividers Matching the size of the cakes (these will be placed between each cake for support)
1 cake slicer Substitute a long serrated knife
1 offset spatula
1 cake stand Substitute a cardboard base for the cake
3 mixing bowls 2 large and 1 medium-size
3 round cake cooling racks

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Cake Batter:

3 boxes Duncan Hines French Vanilla box mix Plus the ingredients needed to complete the batter (eggs, water, and vegetable oil x 3)
1 pinch kosher salt Per box
3/4 cup ricotta cheese Room temperature
1 seeded vanilla bean (divided into thirds, one for each of the cake batters)

Ingredients for the Raspberry Cream Filling:

1 1/2 pints fresh raspberries Reserve 1/2 pint of the prettiest ones for the garnish
1/4 cup raspberry jam With seeds
2 tbsps Chambord (raspberry liqueur )
2 tbsps water Reserve 1 tablespoon for the cornstarch slurry
1/4 cup granulated sugar
8 ounces mascarpone cheese Room temperature
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 heaping tbsp cornstarch Substitute Arrowroot or Tapioca powder/starch

Ingredients for the Mascarpone Buttercream Frosting With White Chocolate:

32 tbsps butter Unsalted and room temperature (4 sticks of butter)
24 ounces mascarpone cheese Room temperature
2 pounds powdered sugar Minus the 1/2 cup used in the filling
1 lemon Juiced
2 tbsps pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp cream cheese emulsion

Garnishes:

12 ounces good white chocolate (8 ounces melted for chocolate curls and 4 ounces grated)
1 large gum-paste red rose
12 small sugar red roses
2 cups red candy-covered chocolate pieces
1/2 pint fresh raspberries Reserved from making the filling for the cake

Instructions

Stage 1). Day 1. The Cakes:
Prepare the pans by lining them with parchment paper, butter, and flour. Using a semi-soft stick of unsalted butter, completely grease all the pans on the bottom and along the sides. Next, place a round piece of parchment paper in the bottom of each pan. Rub butter on top of the parchment paper as well. Then dust those same three pans with all-purpose flour. Shake off any excess. Set the pans aside and start making the batter.
Start one at a time with the three boxes of French vanilla cake mix. Note: Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. In a large bowl, mix the wet ingredients listed on the back of the box. Eggs, vegetable oil, and water. To that, add a 1/3 of the caviar from a vanilla bean pod, a pinch of kosher salt, and 1/4 cup of ricotta cheese. Whisk these ingredients together with an electric mixer on low speed until well combined and smooth.
Next, still using the electric mixer on low speed, add the dry mix from the box slowly to the wet ingredients. Once the dry and wet come together, immediately remove the mixer and transfer the cake batter to the large bowl; small lumps are fine. Make sure to use a spatula to get all the batter out of the bowl. Repeat this process two more times, using the same bowl. Each time, transfer the batter to the large bowl.
At this point, all the batter has been mixed and is together in the large bowl. Using the spatula, give the batter a final stir. Fill each of the cake pans 2" from the top. Gently tap the pans on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Follow the temperature instructions on the back of the cake box. Because there are three different-sized pans, baking times will vary. The small cake should take about 45 minutes. The medium pan for 55 minutes, and the large pan for about 60-65 minutes.
Use a cake tester or a wooden skewer to check on them at these particular times to make sure each cake is fully baked. You know if it's done when the skewer comes out clean. Each oven may vary, so keep a close eye on the time once the cakes are placed in the oven. As each cake finishes baking, remove that one from the oven and place it on a cooling rack.
Once all the cakes have come out of the oven, transfer the three cakes to cooling racks and allow them to cool for 30 minutes. Then use a knife to loosen the cake around the edges of the pan. Place the cooling rack on top of the pan, then invert the whole pan, rack included, upside down. Lift the cake pan slowly to allow the cake to fall free from the pan. Repeat this process for each cake. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.
Stage 2). Day 2.
Prep Time: 5 minutesCook Time: 10 minutesInactive Prep Time: 4 hoursTotal Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Stage 2). Day 2.
The Raspberry Cream Filling:
In a saucepot, place 1 pint (or 2 half pints) of fresh raspberries, granulated sugar, Chambord (raspberry liqueur), raspberry jam ( with seeds), and water. Turn on medium heat. Bring the raspberries to a soft boil, reduce the heat, and turn down to a simmer.
Using a fork, mash the raspberries to break them up. In a small bowl, mix 1 heaping tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce, then return to a boil (adjusting the heat), stirring continuously. Once the sauce has thickened, about 7-10 minutes, remove it from the heat, transfer it to a bowl, and let it cool completely.
To the cooled raspberry sauce, add 1 8-ounce container of room-temperature mascarpone cheese, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract. Mix all this, cover with plastic wrap, and place it into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Stage 2). Day 3. Filling The Cake With A Raspberry Filling:
Remove each cake from the pan and the parchment paper.
Once at a time, slice through the center, lengthwise, of each cake. Take the filling and spread the raspberry cream on the bottom half of each cake. Make sure not to spread it to the edges. Leave about 2 inches around the outside of the cake. Place the top back on each cake.
First, set parchment paper on the main base to prevent frosting from getting all over. You want to set the parchment so you can easily pull the piece out once the cake has been frosted. Set the larger cake, carefully centered on top of the parchment paper resting on the cardboard cake base. Next, place the cardboard rounds between each of the filled cakes, stacking them carefully, and center them on top of each other.
Stage 3 & 4). Day 3.
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stage 3). Day 3. Make The Frosting:
In a large bowl, add 4 sticks of room-temperature unsalted butter, 3 8-ounce containers of room-temperature Mascarpone cheese, the zest of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of cream cheese emulsion.
Using an electric mixer or stand, with the paddle attachment, on low speed, mix these ingredients. Slowly, add the remainder of the 2-pound bag of powdered sugar. Mix all this until completely combined and smooth.
Stage 3). Day 3. Frosting the Cake:
I used decorative pieces of fresh raspberries and white chocolate to decorate this cake. In an earlier post, I talked about a bakery supply company called D & G Occasions, where I purchased all the decorations for this cake. You can visit D & G Occasions by clicking the link at the bottom of this post.
Using an offset spatula, starting with the top and working downwards and around the outside of each cake. Once the cake is frosted, fill a large pitcher with super-hot water. Dip the offset spatula in the water, and shake off the excess water. Run the spatula around the top and rim of the bottom two cakes as well as the outside of each cake. This will smooth out any imperfections on the frosting. If needed, add more frosting to areas that may need it, smoothing it out by using the offset spatula by dipping it in hot water.
Stage 4). Day 3. Decorate the Cake:
Whatever decorations you choose, let your imagination run wild. I used a large gumpaste red rose for the top and small red sugar roses as a border around the base. Red-covered chocolate candies as accents, and a border of fresh raspberries around the middle layer of the cake.
Melt 8 ounces of white chocolate in the microwave-safe bowl. In 30-second intervals, remove the bowl from the microwave and stir. Repeat the process until the chocolate is just melted. Pour the chocolate onto the bottom of a baking sheet, and place it into the fridge to set. Use a small metal cookie spatula and run it along the cooled chocolate, making chocolate curls and shavings.
Using a grater, grate another piece of white chocolate over the top of each layer, so it falls like snow all over the cake.
There you have it, my French Vanilla Birthday Cake.

Notes

1) The "Prep Time", "Inactive Prep Time", "Cook Time", and the"Total Time" have been added together in the recipe card for a total amount of "Prep, Inactive Prep, and Cook Times" combined.

2) Make sure all the ingredients used for the cake batter and frosting are at room temperature, for example, eggs, ricotta, mascarpone cheese, and butter.

3) Cooking Temperature: 350°F. (when using metal pans)

4) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

Keyword 3 tier cake, birthday cake, dessert dishes, desserts, French Vanilla Cake