Blackberry Lime Cake Recipe

Blackberry Lime Cake Recipe

Description: Tender cake infused with lime zest, frosted with blackberry buttercream, topped with fresh blackberries and edible flowers.

Ingredients

• For the Blackberry Lime Cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons organic lime zest
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• For the Blackberry Reduction:

• 12 ounces fresh blackberries
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

• For the Blackberry Buttercream:

• 6 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons blackberry reduction

• For the Assembly:

• 12 ounces fresh blackberries
• Edible flowers (micro pepper, alyssum, micro mint), washed and dried

Instructions

Make the Blackberry Lime Cake:

Preheat Oven:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and lightly flour three 8-inch round pans. Line with parchment paper circles.

Prepare Dry Ingredients:

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Stir in lime zest and set aside.

Prepare Buttermilk:

In a small bowl, combine milk and lime juice. Stir and let sit to curdle.

Cream Butter and Sugar:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed using the paddle attachment until pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes).

Add Eggs:

With the mixer on low, add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Add Vanilla and Dry Ingredients:

Mix in vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed.

Bake:

Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Bake for 25-27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Blackberry Reduction:

8. Cook Blackberries:

In a pan over medium heat, combine blackberries, sugar, and lime juice. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the berries are soft and the mixture is bubbly.

Strain and Reduce:

Press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl, discarding seeds. Return the strained puree to the pan and cook on medium heat until reduced to a few tablespoons (about 10 minutes). Cool and cover with plastic wrap.

Make the Blackberry Buttercream:

10. Prepare Meringue:

- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine egg whites and sugar. Place the bowl over a simmering water bath (double boiler) and whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 160°F (71°C). Transfer to the stand mixer.

Beat Meringue:

Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg white mixture on high speed for 8-10 minutes until it is fluffy, glossy, and holds stiff peaks.

Add Butter:

Switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, gradually add cubed butter until incorporated. Add vanilla extract and beat on medium-high until smooth (about 3-5 minutes).

Add Blackberry Reduction:

Mix in blackberry reduction until fully incorporated. The buttercream may look curdled; keep mixing until smooth.

Assemble the Cake:

14. Layer Cake:

- Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread about one cup of blackberry frosting over the layer. Repeat with remaining layers, applying more frosting between layers.

Crumb Coat and Frost:

Apply a crumb coat to seal in crumbs. Chill the cake for 30 minutes to set the crumb coat. Frost the top and sides with remaining buttercream.

Decorate:

Decorate with fresh blackberries and edible flowers. Arrange blackberries in a crescent shape, add micro mint and alyssum, and fill in with micro pepper blooms. Reserve extra berries and flowers for individual slices if desired.

Enjoy your beautiful and delicious Blackberry Lime Cake!