Summer Sunshine Cake. A delicious rich vanilla butter cake filled with brightly flavoured orange curd and a mascarpone cheese filling bursting with fresh strawberries.
Originally published July 2012.
I posted a preview photo of this beautiful Summer Sunshine Cake over on our Facebook Page and asked for name suggestions. Summer and sunshine were two popular themes in the suggestions made by our followers.
With such a bright, appealing appearance, Summer Sunshine Cake seemed like the perfect title.
What a perfect dessert this cake would make at a summer barbecue or picnic outing. Take one of these along to your next summer event and you can virtually guarantee invitations to every other gathering in your social circle for the rest of the season.
With a simple homemade butter cake filled with layers of creamy orange curd and a luscious strawberry mascarpone cream filling, this beautiful cake really is irresistible.
You might also like this recipe for White Velvet Strawberry Shortcake:
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Summer Sunshine Cake
Summer Sunshine Cake - a delicious rich vanilla butter cake filled with brightly flavoured orange curd and a mascarpone cheese filling bursting with fresh strawberries.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, , cut in quarters
For the Orange Curd
- 6 extra large egg yolks
- Zest of one large orange, , finely minced
- ½ cup good quality frozen orange juice concentrate
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup butter cut in small pieces
For the Strawberry Mascarpone filling.
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup icing sugar, (i.e. powdered sugar)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
Vanilla Butter Cake
- 1 ½ cups butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups cake flour
- 4 tsp tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
Instructions
To prepare the Orange Curd
- Whisk together egg yolks, orange juice concentrate, orange zest and sugar in a small saucepan.
- Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time until smooth.
- At this point you can press the orange curd through a sieve to remove the zest if desired but I generally don't bother. I find the zest intensifies the orange flavor even more as it cools.
- Chill completely before using to fill the cake layers.
To prepare the Vanilla aButter Cake
- Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans. Smaller pans will not be sufficiently large. If you are using smaller pans reduce the measurements by 1/4.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until very well until light and fluffy.
- Add, the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until light and fluffy:
- Add the vanilla extract.
- Sift together the flour and baking powder.
- Fold dry ingredients into the creamed mixture alternately with a mixture of the milk and whipping cream, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. I warm the cream and milk in the microwave for a 15 -20 seconds.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Rely on the toothpick test to ensure that it is properly baked.
- Let the cake cool in the pans for 10- 15 minutes before cooling completely on a wire rack.
To prepare the Strawberry Mascarpone Cream Filling
- To the bowl of an electric mixer add:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup icing sugar (i.e. powdered sugar)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- Beat together the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract until very well until light and creamy
- Whip the 3/4 cup whipping cream to firm peaks.
- Fold it in to the cheese mixture by hand using a rubber spatula.
- Finally fold in 2 cups chopped fresh strawberries ( I cut them in quarters)
To construct the cake
- Cut both cake layers horizontally to create 4 layers.
- Place the bottom layer onto the cake plate, then cover it with half of the orange curd.Reserve a dollop of the orange curd to garnish the top of the cake.
- Place the next layer of cake on top and add the strawberry mascarpone cream filling followed by the third layer of cake and the remaining orange curd.
- Add the top layer of cake and garnish with a dollop of the orange curd and extra berries.
Recommended Products
Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.
Nutrition Information
Yield
16Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 673Total Fat 43gSaturated Fat 26gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 229mgSodium 462mgCarbohydrates 64gFiber 1gSugar 41gProtein 9g
Cornelia
Sunday 5th of April 2015
Hello
great recipe, just a little question - is it possible to use lemon curd in the place of orange curd?
thanks to share
brgds
Cornelia (France)
Barry C. Parsons
Sunday 5th of April 2015
You sure could.
Terra
Sunday 15th of July 2012
Oh this looks gorgeous! I just made lemon curd today, and now I must make orange curd:-) What a fun, and Summery treat:-) Take care, Terra