Tuesdays with Dorie: Berry Surprise Cake

This week's selection comes from Mary Ann of Meet Me in the Kitchen. There was no picture accompanying this recipe in the book, which concerned me because I need a visual when it's something that is supposed to have a certain look to it. Essentially this cake was a genoise cake the middle scooped out and filled with a cream cheese filling, raspberries and frosted with homemade whipped cream.

As you're whipping the eggs and then folding in the dry ingredients you're supposed to be very careful and not 'upset' the eggs. I tried to be careful but I still must have angered the eggs because my cake hardly rose it all. It was almost like I didn't have enough batter. But I trudged on and made the filling, syrup and whipped cream.

Since the cake didn't rise very much I didn't have a lot of space in the middle to cut out but I did what I could with what I had. I used the cut out part to make a little deconstructed cake for me. I put the cut out cake pieces in a bowl, soaked it in some of the raspberry syrup and then added a dollop of the filling, some raspberries and some whipped cream. It was divine. The cake was the excellent 'sponge' for the raspberry syrup and the filling was delicious with the raspberries. The cake itself looked awful, not a pretty picture at all, so all I have to show you is my deconstructed cake, but it tasted SO good. Doug approved. In retrospect this recipe is great but the assembly is not so wonderful. I think it would be much better put together as a trifle in a big glass bowl. Regardless of its appearance it tasted excellent. I would definitely make it again (just as a trifle).

Thanks Mary Ann!