Ingredients
- Yield: Makes about 5 1/2 cups; enough to fill and frost a double 9-inch layer cake or triple 8-inch layer cake.
- 2 cups (4 sticks/452 grams) unsalted butter, softened (or 2 sticks salted & 2 sticks unsalted)
- 1/2 8-ounce container (113 grams) chilled fine-quality mascarpone cheese
- 6 tablespoons (113 grams) Strawberry-Raspberry Sauce, recipe by Wicked Good Kitchen™
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 4 to 4 1/2 cups (480 to 540 grams) confectioners’ sugar, spooned in cup, leveled off & sifted
- Natural pink food coloring, such as ChefMaster, optional
Preparation
Step 1
Using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer and large bowl, beat butter on medium speed until creamy. Add mascarpone cheese, Strawberry-Raspberry Sauce and vanilla, if desired; beat until fully incorporated. Gradually increase mixer speed to high and continue beating until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary with rubber spatula.
Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating on low speed (stir), until well combined. Beat on high speed until well combined and smooth while scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, about 2 minutes. If desired, tint buttercream with pink food coloring.
Strawberry-Raspberry Sauce:
8 ounces (227 grams) hulled fresh strawberries, about 1½ cups quartered
8 ounces (227 grams) fresh red raspberries, about 1½ generous cups
½ cup (100 grams) organic granulated cane sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Preparation
Sort, rinse and dry berries before measuring and using in recipe.
Using a food processor, purée the berries. Press berry purée through a fine mesh sieve into medium saucepan; discard the seeds. Stir in sugar and lemon juice.
Bring fruit pulp and juices to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes while skimming foam from sides of saucepan using a slotted spoon.
Once the foam has been skimmed, reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook stirring frequently until bright in color, thickened and reduced by half, about 10 minutes. When done, there should be ¾ cup of sauce or about 225 grams.
Set sauce aside to cool completely before using in recipes or serve warm as an ice cream sundae topping.
Notes
Tips:
Strawberries should weigh 227 grams after being hulled.
After puréeing and straining the strawberries and raspberries, there should be about ¾ cup purée of each or a total of 1½ cups.
While cooking, stir often with a silicone (heatproof) spatula to prevent scorching and burning.
Notes
Tips:
If not using immediately, the buttercream can be refrigerated for up to 2 to 3 days in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature before beating smooth again.
If using the buttercream to pipe details, be sure to use chilled hands when handling pastry bag as warm hands can melt the buttercream.
Before filling, frosting, icing and piping cakes, rebeat buttercream to ensure smoothness.