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 â…“ 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 â…“ 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.
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.
Serves 8.
Belinda @zomppa
I love lemon cakes. These are precious. Happy Canada Day and Independence Day!
Memória
Thank you for writing about the history of Canada Day. I love the cakes. They are beautiful.
ajcabuang04
Nice! These look delicious and in time for the holidays. I was actually born on July 1st!! Canada day!! Cool right?! haha
Would you mind checking out my blog? 😀 http://ajscookingsecrets.blogspot.com/
pegasuslegend
how adorable, I just did something similar with a cupcake and same flags...I just love them they are so festive~ this is a great idea for shortcake....love it with your homeland beautiful!
Delishhh
What a great and easy idea. Thanks for sharing. I just did a post on what else to cook for 4th of July instead of hamburgers and hotdogs. http://delishhh.com/?p=1000 I love idea for event and people post them.
Cristie
Love the Canada history. Lemon and berries are like married for me. Your recipe sounds wonderful.
arpante
Just bring me the plate and leave me be, please. 😉 Yum! Love desserts like this.
Kalyn
Such a pretty picture!
Friday Delights
this look so super-delicious!!
niftylite
TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE MINUTES?!?!?! heheh. i'm SOOO making these for the 4th of july party i've decided to throw just so i can make these! ...so i'm british... sowhat! 😛
Drick
these are just darling - like the lemon in the cake and with the fresh fruit, that just says summer desserts...
Tickled Red
I love the way you celebrate 🙂 Those are just adorable!! We hope that you enjoy your double holiday and treats darlin'.
bunkycooks
I did not know about the Canadian holiday, so thanks for the history lesson! 🙂 These cakes are very cute, especially with the flags. Have a great holiday!
SUE FRAUSE
Since it's not yet blackberry season, I'm going to do strawberries and raspberries, freshly picked from our garden. Will do it for our 3rd of July celebration we're having here with weekend guests and friends, starting out with a wine tasting, then dinner, then going to a late night anniversary party at a local bistro. On the 4th, we will rest!
Sarah @ Mum In Bloom
Sniff, sniff, thank you for this. I'm so going to make these Thursday for my kids to give them a taste of their Canadian heritage. Heck, I may even post a picture of the Queen for the day. She actually visited my hometown of Halifax this week & I was sorry not to be there to see her. Sniff, sniff. Happy Canada Day, eh?
cake recipes
That looks simply amazing! I will definitely try this, perfect for 4th of July celebration. What I like most about it is that it looks pleasing to the eyes and scanning your ingredients, I have no doubt that this cake tastes great, too. Thanks for sharing this, I'm quite sure that my twin boys are going to love this! 🙂
bellini valli
IC you haven't lost your Canadian version of shortcake which is made with cake and not a biscuit. I love them both ways. Happy Canada Day and Fourth of July:D
Lea Ann
I l-o-v-e-LOVE this idea. I will be making them this weekend. Dara, I must tell you, I made those Smoky Chipotle Sliders again last week for a group camping trip and people just rant, rave, rant rave...It's my recipie find of the year. Thanks again for that and this new one today.
Anonymous
I am making this Saturday with my neices. They are gonna flip. Will post back to let you know how they turn out. Thanks for the recipe:)
--Eve(vintageretrowife)
tspegar
i made a strawberry cake this afternoon! 🙂 these are darling and sound absolutely, deliciously summer!