Many of you asked me for a vanilla and red fruit layer cake recipe. It is now done with this fairly easy-to-make layer cake, especially if you opt for fresh red fruits instead of the compote.
It is composed of a chiffon cake, my favorite sponge for this type of cake, a white chocolate and mascarpone whipped ganache, and two discs of red fruit compote which can be replaced by fresh red fruits.
I added a little vanilla to my whipped ganache, but this remains optional.
I advise you to use quality white chocolate, since it is a central element of the recipe here. Many “low-end” chocolates do not use enough cocoa butter (a relatively expensive ingredient), which makes the ganaches much softer.
I use Valrhona Ivoire white chocolate.
My other layer cake recipes:
- Chocolate Layer Cake
- Exotic Layer Cake
- Mojito Style Layer Cake
- Hibiscus Raspberry Layer Cake
Vanilla and red fruit layer cake
(for 10 people)
Preparation: 1 h 30 min | Baking: 1 h | Difficulty: Medium
Equipment:
- A stand mixer or an electric whisk
- A mold or an 18 cm ring (minimum 6 cm high)
- A 14 cm ring for the inserts
- A whisk
- A spatula
- A precision scale for small measurements
Ingredients:
The White Chocolate and Mascarpone Whipped Ganache:
- 420 g liquid cream (30% fat)
- 310 g white chocolate (Valrhona Ivoire)
- 1 vanilla pod
- 500 g mascarpone
The Red Fruit Compote (or 300 g fresh red fruits):
- 320 g red fruits (fresh or frozen)
- 60 g sugar
- 5 g Pectin NH (or 20 g Vitpris)
The Chiffon Cake:
- 3 eggs
- 80 g + 30 g sugar
- 140 g flour
- 5 g baking powder
- 2 g salt
- 45 g grapeseed oil (or a neutral-tasting oil)
- 70 g milk
Decoration:
- 200 g red fruits
Preparation:
I advise you to prepare everything the day before assembly. The ganache needs to rest well in the fridge before being whipped.
Store the chiffon cake at room temperature in an airtight box so it doesn’t dry out.
The Red Fruit Compote:
You can skip this step if you are using fresh red fruits instead of the compote.
You need two discs of red fruit compote to make this layer cake. If, like me, you only have one ring of the right size, you can make it in two batches.
I summarize the ingredients for one disc: 160 g of red fruits, 30 g of sugar, and 2.5 g of pectin NH.
Cover the bottom of your 14 cm ring with plastic wrap to prevent the jelly from leaking.
Heat the red fruits to about 60°C (it can be more, but certainly not less).
Mix the pectin and sugar together, pour them into the coulis/fruit, and mix immediately with a whisk. Pectin forms lumps if the coulis is too cold, which is why it must absolutely be hot enough.
Bring to a boil for about 1 minute then remove from heat.
Pour into your ring then let your compote set in the freezer for about an hour. Unmold then repeat the operation for the second insert.
Keep the discs in the freezer until the layer cake is assembled.
The White Chocolate and Mascarpone Whipped Ganache:
Melt the white chocolate in a bain-marie (double boiler).
Heat your cream (with the seeds of the vanilla pod if you are using one) then pour it in 3 times over the white chocolate, mixing well each time.
Finish by mixing with an immersion blender (if you have one) to obtain a beautiful emulsion and a perfectly smooth ganache.
Place a plastic wrap directly touching the surface of the ganache and refrigerate it for the night. The mascarpone will be used at the time of assembly.
The Chiffon Cake:
Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F) fan/convection.
Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
Mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, and the 80 g of sugar.
Beat the egg whites until stiff, gradually adding the 30 g of sugar. Be careful, your whites must still be a little frothy; if they are too firm, you risk breaking them when mixing.
Mix the yolks with the oil and milk.
Add this liquid preparation to the dry preparation (flour, etc.) and mix using a spatula.
Then add the beaten egg whites and mix them delicately without crushing them, always with a spatula. Stop as soon as the mixture is homogeneous.
Pour the batter into your ring or mold and bake for 1 hour at 150°C.
Do not grease your ring, the chiffon cake must stick to the sides of your mold so as not to collapse after baking.
Let the chiffon cake cool completely before unmolding by passing a small knife or spatula along the ring.
Assembly of the Vanilla and Red Fruit Layer Cake:
Whip the ganache in the bowl of your stand mixer equipped with the whisk.
When the ganache starts to thicken: add half of the mascarpone and continue mixing.
Finally, add the rest of the mascarpone and let your mixer run until you get a firm cream with good hold.
Keep one-third of your whipped white chocolate ganache aside to smooth and decorate your layer cake.
Cut your chiffon cake into 3 layers. If the top is very domed, I recommend cutting it off to have regular layers.
Keep the bottom of the chiffon cake, which should be the smoothest, for the top of your layer cake.
Place a disc of chiffon cake directly on your serving platter to avoid having to move your layer cake later.
Add a portion of whipped ganache, smooth roughly, then place a disc of frozen red fruit compote.
If you use fresh red fruits, scatter about 150 g, pressing them into the whipped ganache.
Add a second portion of cream then smooth again before placing the second biscuit.
Repeat the operation and finish by placing the smoothest side of the last chiffon cake disc facing upwards.
Fill the gaps with the ganache you kept aside. Smooth using a spatula.
I used the rest of the ganache to decorate the top of my cake, using a simple star nozzle.
Place red fruits to decorate.
Then place your vanilla and red fruit layer cake in the refrigerator to harden the whipped ganache. Wait a good two hours before tasting, to be sure that the inserts are fully thawed.
Tips and advice for a successful vanilla and red fruit layer cake:
- Which sponge for a layer cake?
I recommend chiffon cake. It is quite easy to make and does not require soaking because it is naturally moist.
It is important not to overbeat the egg whites. If they are too firm, you will have to overmix the batter and they will collapse. - What baking method for my layer cake sponge?
Remember to preheat your oven before baking the chiffon cake. You should not wait before putting it in the oven, so as not to let the whites collapse, once your batter is finished. For an 18 cm layer cake, count one hour at 150°C.
If your layer cake is larger, you will need to extend the baking time, without changing the temperature. - How to easily whip my ganache?
If it is hot, remember to place the bowl and whisk of your mixer in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before whipping the milk chocolate ganache. The ganache will thus suffer less from the ambient heat and will whip up more easily.
Imperatively watch your ganache, because it can turn grainy very quickly, especially once the mascarpone is added. - The crust of the layer cake doesn’t hold, why?
The crust of the biscuit can tend to crumble a little. Do not hesitate to rub it very gently with your hand to remove as many crumbs as possible. It will be largely masked by the cream anyway. - How to assemble a layer cake easily?
You can use a piping bag to fill the layer cake with whipped ganache; this allows for easier dosing and damages fresh red fruits less if you choose that option. If you don’t have one, it also works with a simple spatula.
