The Best Fresh Fruit Cake Recipe (with Whipped Cream)
If you're looking for the best fresh fruit cake recipe with whipped cream, you've come to the right place. This recipe features moist cake layers and a generous amount of fresh, seasonal fruit on top of the cake. It's the perfect dessert for any occasion, offering a beautiful and tasty treat.
Servings: servings
Equipment
- 1 Electric mixer
- 2 8-inch cake pans
- 2 sheets parchment paper
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- 1 ¾ cup cake flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 large yolk room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup full-fat yogurt room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
Whipped topping
- 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream chilled
- 1.5 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 cup fresh fruit
Instructions
Sponge Cake
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lining the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Avoid greasing the sides of the pan.
- Next, measure and sift your dry ingredients, then set them aside.1 ¾ cup (414 ml) cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer or using an electric hand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and yolk, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until they triple in size, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to overbeat the eggs; just whip them until they reach the right volume. If the mixture becomes too stiff, the cake won’t rise properly.To check if the batter is ready, lift the whisk and make a figure-eight with the dripping batter. If the figure-eight holds its shape on the batter, it’s ready.4 large eggs, 1 large yolk, 1 ¼ cup (250 g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the flour into the wet ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a light and fluffy batter and preserve the air bubbles created by whipping the eggs, ensuring an airy cake.
- In a small bowl, mix the yogurt and melted butter together. Fold this mixture into the batter similarly to how you folded in the flour. Divide the batter equally between the two pans and place them in the oven immediately to bake.1/2 cup (118.3 ml) full-fat yogurt, 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the cake is golden brown.
- Once baked, remove the sponge cakes from the oven, place them on a wire rack, and let them cool for 5 minutes. Loosen the sides by inserting a knife between the cake and the pan.Invert both cake tins onto the cooling rack and remove the parchment paper from the bottom.Finally, allow the cakes to cool completely upside down on the wire rack for approximately 2-3 hours. While they cool, you can start preparing the whipped cream.
Whipped topping
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer with the whipping attachment to beat together the cream and sugar at high speed until stiff peaks form. Cut the fruit into small pieces.1.5 cups (354.9 ml) heavy whipping cream, 1.5 tablespoons powdered sugar, 2 cup (474 g) fresh fruit
- Place the first cake layer on a large plate. Add a thin layer of whipped cream on top, arrange half of the fruit, add another thin layer of whipped cream on top of the fruit, and then place the second layer on top.Spread the remaining whipped cream over the top layer and decorate with the remaining fresh fruit. Serve immediately and store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Notes
Add-ins and Substitutions
Below are a few additions and alterations you can try to customize this recipe to your liking.Add-Ins:
- Orange Zest or orange juice: Add orange peel or juice to the cake batter for a citrusy aroma and enhanced flavor.
- Lemon Zest or lemon juice: Like with oranges, lemon adds a fresh and zesty flavor.
- Almond Extract: Substitute or combine with vanilla extract for a nutty twist.
- Coconut Flakes: Mix into the batter for added texture and a tropical flavor.
- Chopped Nuts: Fold Almonds, Walnuts, or pecans into the batter for a crunchy element.
- Chocolate Chips or Chunks: Add to the batter for a touch of chocolate.
Substitutions:
- Cake Flour: Substitute with all-purpose flour (1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons, plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch).
- Full-Fat Yogurt: Use sour cream or buttermilk for a similar tangy and moist texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Substitute with light brown sugar for a deeper, caramel-like flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: Use salted butter but reduce the added salt in the recipe by half.
- Powdered Sugar: Make your own by blending granulated sugar until fine.
Expert Tips
- Skip greasing the sides: Instead, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Leaving the sides ungreased helps the cake climb up, resulting in a light and fluffy texture.
- Use room temperature eggs: Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before using them. This allows for better whipping, creating a stable and voluminous egg foam crucial for achieving a light and airy texture in your sponge cake.
- Don’t over-mix your eggs: Perform a figure-eight test with the batter. If the figure-eight holds for 10 seconds, the batter is ready. If not, beat a bit more to ensure a spongy texture.
- Fold in flour and butter gently: When adding flour and butter, use a gentle folding motion to mix them into the wet ingredients. This prevents air bubbles from popping and the cake from deflating.
- Bake immediately: Preheat the oven and have your cake pan ready before starting. Bake the batter immediately to prevent air bubbles from popping and to avoid the cake deflating during baking.
- Avoid opening the oven: During baking, keep the oven door closed to prevent the cake from sinking. Only check for doneness near the end of the baking time.
- Cool inverted: After baking, cool the sponge cake by inverting it onto a cooling rack. This helps prevent the cake from collapsing as it cools.
