Blackberry Strawberry Lemon Cakes

Serve up these bright, fruity blackberry strawberry lemon cakes for Fourth of July or Canada Day. The spongy lemon cakes are layered with whipped cream and fresh berries. Flags optional.

Fourth of July celebrations evoke images of chilled watermelon slices, burgers on the grill, ice cream cones melting as quickly as you can lick them, and spectacular fireworks displays that fill even the most jaded party-goer with awe.

If you are firing up the barbecue this weekend, look for some inspiration in 15 Healthy Barbecue & Grilling Recipes from the blogging world. Top the list off with a refreshing Fresh Strawberry Tom Collins or Kamikaze Cocktail, and these lemon cakes, stacked with fresh berries and whipped cream, and the celebration is well on its way. In the midst of the preparations for the Fourth of July, many people in the lower 48 states do not realize that their neighbors to the north are partaking in their own revelry a few days before.

Canada Day celebrates the institution of the British North America Act (now called the Constitution Act) on July 1, 1867, when two British colonies and a province were joined to form Canada. Despite Canada's formation nearly 150 years ago, my homeland did not take complete political control from Britain until 1982. This explains why Canadians still take an unsettling interest in the Royal Family. I would be willing to wager my first born and a wheel of Brie (that's serious stuff) that I can name at least 10 people in the line of the succession to the British throne. Sad, isn't it? My family looked askance at me when I belted out God Save the Queen, the national anthem of the United Kingdom, at the start of the England vs. Germany World Cup game. Maybe that is what jinxed England's chances.

These mini lemon cakes, are filled with whipped cream and fresh berries. Depending on which country's flag you wish to emulate, you can use all strawberries or a mixture of strawberries and blackberries. Flags are optional.

The cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer, combine 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons softened butter, 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind, 3 tablespoons thawed lemonade concentrate, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until well combined and fluffy.

Add 2 large eggs and 2 large egg whites, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon baking soda.

Beat flour mixture and 1 ¼ cup fat-free buttermilk into the butter mixture, a little bit at a time, alternating between the two. Begin and end with the flour mixture.

Spray a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Pour the batter in the pan, spread evenly with a spatula, and sharply tap the pan on the counter. This will help to remove air bubbles.

Bake the cake for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes on a wire rack, in the pans, for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan by inverting the pan onto a wire rack. Cool completely on rack.

Putting it together:

Using a 2 ½ to 3-inch round cutter, cut out 8 circles of cake.

Cut each circle in half horizontally and lay the bottom halves on a serving platter or individual plates.

Prepare the fruit by slicing 12 medium-sized fresh strawberries. You will also need about 30 fresh blackberries.

Whisk to combine 1 ½ cups whipping cream and 2 tablespoons powdered (confectioner's) sugar into to a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer fit with the whisk attachment. Beat until stiff peaks form.

Spread approximately 2 tablespoons whipped cream on the bottom halves of the cakes. Top them with three-quarters of the strawberries. Lay the top halves of the cakes on the strawberries. Spread approximately 2 tablespoons whipped cream on the top of each cake and arrange remaining strawberries on 4 of the cakes, and the blackberries and the other 4 cakes. Top with a small dollop of whipped cream and garnish with flags, a sprig of mint, or a piece of lemon peel. Serve.

Lemon Cakes with Blackberries & Strawberries
Lemon Cake recipe from Cooking Light Magazine

Cake:
1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoon butter, softened
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
3 tablespoon thawed lemonade concentrate
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ¼ cup fat-free buttermilk

1 ½ cups whipping cream
2 tablespoon powdered (confectioner's) sugar
12 medium-sized strawberries, sliced
About 30 fresh blackberries

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer, combine granulated sugar, butter, lemon rind, lemonade concentrate, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until well combined and fluffy. Add eggs and egg whites, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Beat flour mixture and buttermilk into the butter mixture, a little bit at a time, alternating between the two. Begin and end with the flour mixture.

Spray two (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Divide the batter between the two pans and sharply tap each pan on the counter. This will help to remove air bubbles.

Bake the cake for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes on a wire rack, in the pans, for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan by inverting the pans onto the wire rack. Cool completely on rack.

Putting it together:
Using a 2 ½ to 3-inch round cutter, cut out 8 circles of cake. Cut each circle in half horizontally and lay the bottom halves on a serving platter or individual plates.

Whisk to combine whipping cream and powdered sugar into to a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer fit with the whisk attachment. Beat until stiff peaks form.

Serves 8.

Printable recipe