Description
A moist and tender single-layer strawberry almond cake topped with creamy mascarpone frosting, perfect for any occasion and ready in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- ½ cup (50g) almond flour, finely ground
- 1 tsp (4g) baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup (80ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 1 cup (150g) fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 8 oz (225g) mascarpone cheese, chilled
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream, cold
- ½ tsp almond extract (optional)
- Fresh strawberries for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour an 8-inch cake pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk in two parts, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Fold gently or mix on low speed.
- Gently fold in the sliced strawberries to distribute evenly without breaking them.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and tap lightly to release air bubbles.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- In a chilled bowl, beat mascarpone cheese with powdered sugar and almond extract until smooth. Slowly add cold heavy cream and whip until light and fluffy.
- Spread the mascarpone frosting evenly over the cooled cake and garnish with fresh strawberry slices.
Notes
Do not rush the creaming of butter and sugar to ensure a tender crumb. Fold strawberries gently to avoid breaking them and turning the batter watery. Keep mascarpone and cream cold for best frosting texture. Check cake doneness 5 minutes before minimum bake time to avoid overbaking.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of cake
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
Keywords: strawberry cake, almond cake, mascarpone frosting, easy cake recipe, single-layer cake, homemade dessert, quick cake