Summer’s Sweet Secret: Indulge in a Decadent Vanilla Bean Mulberry Cake
Here in the lush landscapes of southeastern Wisconsin, mulberry trees grow wild and in generous abundance. Every summer, these forgotten gems burst forth with sweet, juicy berries, practically begging to be transformed into something delicious. While muffins often come to mind for fresh fruit, I envisioned a more elegant creation: a delightful cake. As a self-proclaimed vanilla enthusiast who always favors a rich yellow or white cake over chocolate, the path was clear. I set out to craft a truly special vanilla cake, utilizing my precious last vanilla bean, perfectly complemented by the incredible flavor of these freshly picked mulberries. This recipe promises a harmonious blend of classic vanilla notes and the unique sweetness of seasonal mulberries, creating a dessert that’s both comforting and sophisticated.
My fondest memories include picking mulberries with my children when they were small; though back then, the berries rarely made it past the yard! These ripe mulberries are truly a burst of natural sweetness, offering a subtle yet distinct flavor profile that sets them apart. They bear a striking resemblance to blackberries, yet they thrive on trees, unlike their thorny bush-dwelling cousins. Mulberries are distinctly oval, while blackberries tend to be rounder, and mulberries maintain a vibrant, though less intensely dark, hue than blackberries. Their season is fleeting, making them a true summer treasure. It’s often the birds that savor these natural gifts most, which is a testament to how sadly overlooked this exquisite fruit has become in our modern kitchens. But for those in the know, mulberries are a delicious secret, waiting to be rediscovered and celebrated in dishes like this incredible cake, adding a unique fruity twist to a classic vanilla base.
Beyond baking, mulberries are incredibly versatile. I’m already planning to pick more to make a delicious pie filling for canning, perhaps to pair with the sour cherries I gathered yesterday. I can easily imagine how spectacular a mulberry pie filling would be in a recipe like these blackberry pie squares!
For the foundation of this delightful creation, I adapted Dorie Greenspan’s Perfect Party Cake. Her white cake recipe is renowned for its tender crumb and reliable texture, making it an ideal canvas for introducing the fresh, vibrant flavor of mulberries and the luxurious notes of vanilla bean. It’s a base I trust implicitly, having also used it for my checkerboard cake, always yielding consistently excellent results. This adaptation ensures a moist and flavorful cake that beautifully showcases the seasonal fruit.
Vanilla Bean Mulberry Cake
by Amanda Formaro
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 egg whites
1 1/2 cups vanilla sugar* or white sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, scraped**
1/2 cup fresh, ripe mulberries
Syrup
* Making your own vanilla sugar is incredibly simple and adds an unparalleled depth of flavor to your baking. After you’ve scraped the seeds from a vanilla bean for this recipe (or any other), simply tuck the empty pod into a jar of white sugar and seal it tightly with a tight-fitting lid. Over time, the sugar will absorb the rich aroma and flavor of the vanilla, creating a fragrant ingredient perfect for cakes, cookies, and more. My vanilla sugar has been patiently infusing for two months, resulting in an exceptionally aromatic and potent sweetener that truly elevates this cake. If you don’t have vanilla sugar, regular white granulated sugar will work perfectly fine.
** For those new to using fresh vanilla beans, don’t be intimidated! It’s an easy process that adds incredible depth. Use a sharp paring knife to carefully cut the bean pod open lengthwise. Then, with the tip of the knife, gently scrape or lift out the tiny, flavorful black seeds. These precious seeds are where the majority of that intense vanilla flavor resides.
Make the Cake
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans by buttering them generously. Line the bottoms with parchment paper circles, then butter the parchment as well. This extra step ensures your cakes release cleanly and beautifully. Set these prepared pans aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until they are thoroughly combined and no lumps remain. Set this mixture aside.
In another medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg whites, pure vanilla extract, and the scraped vanilla bean seeds. Ensure the vanilla seeds are well dispersed. Set this wet mixture aside.
In your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the unsalted butter (which should be at room temperature for optimal creaming) and vanilla sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and visibly pale. This aeration is key to a tender cake crumb, so don’t rush this step—it typically takes about 3 minutes of beating on medium speed. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually incorporate the dry ingredients, adding about one-third at a time, followed by one-third of the wet buttermilk mixture. Continue this alternating process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until all ingredients are just combined and the batter is homogenous. Finish by beating the batter for another two minutes on medium speed; this final aeration step further enhances the cake’s light and airy texture, ensuring a delicate crumb.
Divide the batter evenly between your two prepared cake pans. Gently place the fresh mulberries on top of the batter in each pan. As the cake bakes, these berries will sink slightly, infusing flavor throughout.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake edges will begin to brown slightly and pull away from the sides of the pan when done. Once baked, remove the pans from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. This allows the cakes to set before handling. Carefully remove the cakes from their pans, peel off the parchment paper, and let them cool completely on the wire rack before frosting. This is crucial to prevent the frosting from melting.
Make the Syrup
To create the luscious mulberry syrup, begin by mashing the 3 cups of fresh mulberries with a potato masher in a bowl. Once mashed, push the berries through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing firmly with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice and pulp as possible. You should yield approximately one cup of vibrant mulberry juice. Transfer this juice and any accompanying pulp into a medium saucepan. Stir in the 1/3 cup of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the syrup cool completely to room temperature. As it cools, it will continue to thicken, resulting in approximately 1/3 cup of intensely flavored, thickened mulberry syrup.
Make the Frosting
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room-temperature cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. Ensure there are no lumps of cream cheese. For the whipped cream component, thoroughly clean your mixer bowl and then fill it with ice water to chill it down. Let the bowl sit with the ice water for a few minutes to get properly cold. Drain out the ice water completely and wipe the bowl bone dry. Now, fit your mixer with the whisk attachment. In the chilled mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream on medium-high speed until firm, stiff peaks are formed. Be careful not to over-whip. Gently fold about half of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until just combined. Then, fold in the remaining whipped cream. Once most of the cream cheese and whipped cream are incorporated, whisk the ingredients together briefly to ensure a perfectly smooth, airy, and homogenous frosting.
Assemble the Cake
Now for the exciting part – assembling your beautiful Vanilla Bean Mulberry Cake! First, reserve 2 tablespoons of the prepared mulberry syrup and set it aside for garnishing later. Place your first cooled cake layer on your serving platter or cake stand. Spoon about half of the remaining mulberry syrup evenly over the top of this first cake layer, spreading it out but leaving about an inch clear from the edge. Next, add approximately one cup of your creamy, dreamy cream cheese frosting on top of the syrup. Using a light hand and an icing spatula, carefully spread the frosting to gently cover the syrup layer.
Carefully place the second cake layer directly on top of the first, aligning it as best as possible. Gently press down and twist slightly to ensure it’s firmly set. Repeat the same process with the remaining mulberry syrup and another cup of frosting, spreading them evenly over the second layer. Finally, use the remaining frosting to generously cover the sides of the cake, adding more to the top as needed to create a smooth, appealing finish. For an extra touch, you can create lovely swirls on the top with your spatula.
To complete the masterpiece, take the reserved 2 tablespoons of mulberry syrup and drizzle it artfully over the top of the cake. Then, using an icing spatula or the back of a spoon, gently swirl through the drizzled syrup to create a beautiful marble effect, adding visual appeal and an extra burst of fruit flavor. Garnish the top with a few fresh mulberries for a final, inviting touch. Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving. This chilling time allows the flavors to meld beautifully and the frosting to set, making for cleaner slices. Remember, this exquisite cake should be refrigerated when not being served to maintain its freshness and integrity.
Vanilla Bean Mulberry Cake
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Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
- 4 egg whites
- 1 ½ cups vanilla sugar* or white sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean scraped**
- ½ cup fresh ripe mulberries
Syrup
- 3 cups mulberries
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Frosting
- 8 oz package cream cheese room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whipping cream
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter two 9″ round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment circles and butter the parchment. Set aside.
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Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
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Whisk together buttermilk, egg whites, vanilla extract, and the vanilla bean seeds in a medium bowl. Set aside.
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In mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and vanilla sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then 1/3 of the wet ingredients. Continue alternating until homogenous. Beat 2 minutes more on medium speed to aerate the batter.
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Pour batter into prepared pans. Place mulberries on top of batter in each pan.
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Bake for 30-35 minutes, cake edges will begin to brown and pull away from the edge of the pan. Cool in pan on wire rack for about 15 minutes. Remove from pans, peel off parchment, and let cool completely.
Syrup
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Mash the berries with a potato masher. Push the berries through a strainer by pressing with the back of a spoon. You should end up with approximately one cup of juice (and any pulp that makes it through). Put the juice and pulp into a medium saucepan. Add the sugar and vanilla and cook on medium high, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Turn heat down to medium low and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. You should end up with approximately 1/3 cup of thickened syrup.
Frosting
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In mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Thoroughly clean mixer bowl and fill with ice water to chill the bowl. Let sit with ice water for a few minutes to get cold. Fit mixer with the whisk attachment. Drain out the ice water and wipe dry. In the chilled mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream on medium-high until stiff peaks are formed. Gently fold into the cream cheese mixture. When most of the cream cheese and whipped cream are incorporated, whisk the ingredients together to make smooth.
Assembly
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Reserve 2 tablespoons of the syrup and set aside. Spoon about half of the remaining syrup onto the first cake layer, spreading to within an inch of the edge. Add one cup of the frosting to the top of the syrup. With a light hand, using an icing spatula, carefully cover the jam with the frosting.
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Place the second cake layer on top of the first and carefully press down and twist a little to set. Repeat the same process with the syrup and frosting as with the first layer. Use remaining frosting on sides and add more to the top as well.
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Drizzle the reserved syrup on top of the cake, then swirl an icing spatula through the syrup to add the marble effect to the top of the cake. Garnish with a few fresh mulberries. Refrigerate cake for 2 hours before serving. Cake should be refrigerated when not being served.
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
This Vanilla Bean Mulberry Cake isn’t just a dessert; it’s a celebration of summer’s bounty and the simple pleasure of homemade baking. The delicate vanilla bean infused cake, the luscious mulberry syrup, and the creamy, tangy frosting combine to create a symphony of flavors that is both sophisticated and comforting. Whether you’re gathering fresh mulberries from your backyard or finding them at a local market, this recipe is a beautiful way to savor their unique charm. Share this delightful treat with loved ones, or simply indulge yourself in a slice of this seasonal masterpiece. It’s sure to become a cherished recipe in your baking repertoire, bringing a taste of summer to any occasion.
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You might also like these delightful dessert recipes:
Amanda’s 4 Layer Chocolate Dappled Pumpkin Cake
Classic Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Fresh Sour Cherries and Cherry Almond Cake
From the interwebs, more delicious mulberry inspirations:
Mulberry and Cinnamon Cake – from Cook Almost Anything
Mom’s Mulberry Tart – from Viva Cindy
Wild Mulberry, Cherry and Pistachio Clafoutis – from Cannelle et Vanille
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