3-Tier Summer Cake: Vanilla raspberry, chocolate, & lemon Chantilly
Servings: 12
Ingredients
For the Lemon Chantilly Cake:
- 1 batch Lemon Chantilly Cake* click for recipe
- Optional Lemon Curd, for layering
For the Vanilla Raspberry Cake:
- 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp. Fine Sea Salt
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Granulated Cane Sugar
- 1 large Egg
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
- 1/3 cup Buttermilk
- 1 cup Frozen Raspberries
- Optional Raspberry Jam, for layering
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. Fine Baking Salt
- 1/3 cup Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Granulated Cane Sugar
- 1 large Egg
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
- 1/3 cup Buttermilk
- Optional Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, for layering
For the Vanilla Bean Buttercream:
- 1 1/2 cups 24 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, softened
- 6-7 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 tsp. Vanilla Bean Pastę
- 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Instructions
For the Lemon Chantilly Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Bake the cake layers according to recipe instructions. Let cool in the pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a baking rack to completely cool.
For the Vanilla Raspberry Cake:
- Generously butter and line the bottom of two 6" baking pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, vigorously whisk the sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla for 2 minutes. Whisk in the buttermilk until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt). Mix well, then add to the buttermilk mixture. Mix just until smooth.
- Fold in the raspberries. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the baking pan 10 minutes then turn out to a baking rack to completely cool.
For the Chocolate Cake:
- Generously butter and line the bottom of two 6" baking pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, vigorously whisk the sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla for 2 minutes. Whisk in the buttermilk until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt). Mix well, then add to the buttermilk mixture. Mix just until smooth.
- Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
For the Vanilla Bean Buttercream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the softened butter to beat for 2-3 minutes, until smooth.
- Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until well incorporated.
- Alternate adding more powdered sugar and heavy cream until a very light and fluffy buttercream. Whisk in the vanilla and vanilla bean paste at the end for 30 seconds.
To Assemble:
- Use a serrate knife to level off the tops of each cake layer for a plate surface. Slice the lemon Chantilly cake layers in half lengthwise for 4 even cake layers.
- Layer 3-4 of the cake layers with the vanilla bean buttercream and (optional) a generous slather of lemon curd in between each layer. Add a layer of buttercream on top of the very last layer (but no lemon curd).
- Add the first layer of chocolate cake, buttercream, and then a generous slather of chocolate hazelnut spread. Add the second chocolate cake layer and buttercream.
- Using a large cookie cutter that's slightly smaller than the chocolate cake layers, evenly trim both of the vanilla raspberry cake layers for the top tier. If desired, you can swap the chocolate and vanilla raspberry layers (depending on preference).
- Add the first vanilla raspberry cake layer, buttercream, then (optional) thin layer of raspberry jam, followed by the last vanilla raspberry cake layer.
- Insert 2-3 skewers in the center of the cake to add support. Frost the outside of the entire cake with the remaining vanilla bean buttercream.
- Decorate with fresh golden berries and edible flowers to be enjoy!
Notes
*Click here for the Lemon Chantilly Cake recipe.
