Fraisiers and framboisiers may be two of my favorite cakes. They feature two layers of sponge cake (génoise) with a buttercream filling or even "chantilly" cream, and a layer of fruits (fraises—strawberries, or framboises—raspberries). The cake is traditionally topped with marzipan, dyed a lovely shade of pastel pink, though sometimes it is simply topped with a generous sprinkling of powdered sugar.
The fraisier cake is a layer cake made from two layers of spongecake with a buttercream filling that anchors the fresh strawberries (fraises) between the layers of sponge. Fraisiers are either topped with powdered sugar or a layer of marzipan.
One variation is to replace the strawberries with fresh raspberries (framboises). The raspberry version of the fraisier is called a framboisier cake for this reason.
Below is the recipe to make a framboisier, which is a fraisier cake with raspberries instead of strawberries. It's got a lot of parts, but you can actually make it in an afternoon, so don't freak out on me. This cake is worth the time spent.
You can use any berry you'd like, really, but I much prefer to use raspberries because their tart flavour cuts through the buttery sweetness of the white chocolate buttercream. I applied a little boozy syrup to the layers to moisten them. I went fancy-schmancy and used Chambord, a raspberry liqueur.
Of course, you don't have to add booze to the syrup, but really, the cake is so much better with it. Trust me. Oh and if you are feeling ambitious, you can colour some marzipan to a pastel pink with some food dye, and roll, cut, and top the cake with it to make this layer cake into a true framboisier. I was lazy. So I sprinkled powdered sugar generously over top.
For a more traditional berry layer cake, try this berry cake with cream cheese frosting. And you can always make a funfetti Momofuku Milk Bar birthday cake if you prefer!
Framboisier cake
Ingredients
Sponge layers
- 1 warm milk sponge cake baked in an 8-inch springform for 35 min at 350°F, cooled, then split into two even layers
Soaking syrup
- 50 grams (¼ cup) granulated sugar ~¼ cup
- 85 mL (⅓ cup) water ~⅜ cup, ie less than ½ cup
- 30 mL (2 tbsp) Chambord liqueur or any liqueur you’d like to use
White chocolate buttercream (I used about half of this recipe and froze the rest for another day)
- 1 batch Swiss meringue buttercream I used Sweetapolita’s recipe
- 114 grams (4 oz) white chocolate melted and cooled slightly
Framboisier topping
- 200 grams (½ lb) marzipan optional (you can dye it with a few drops red food colouring)
- icing sugar
Instructions
To make the soaking syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water on medium-high heat. Bring it just to a simmer, and leave it to simmer, swirling often, until all the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat to cool completely.
- When the syrup has cooled, add the Chambord (more or less than suggested above, depending on how flavourful you want the syrup), and stir. Set aside for later.
To make the white chocolate buttercream
- Combine the swiss meringue buttercream with the melted chocolate. You can do this in your mixer with the paddle attachment, or with a spatula by hand. Personally, I like to do this with the mixer. It’s easier. Make sure the two components are roughly the same temperature so that the emulsion doesn't break.
To assemble the framboisier
- Place 1 cake round on your cake turntable, cut-side up.
- Brush on a half of soaking syrup
- Meanwhile, brush the cut-side of the other cake round with the rest of syrup and set aside.
- Top the cake round on the turntable with a scant ⅔ cup buttercream, and spread it to cover the surface of the cake.
- Place the raspberries over top.
- Top with another scant ⅔ cup buttercream, and spread it carefully over the raspberries, without pressing too much.
- Place the second cake round, cut-side down, over the buttercream layer. Press it down very gently.
- If you are topping your cake with a marzipan layer, roll it out to fit the top of the cake. You'll need to spread a thin layer of buttercream over the top of the cake to glue the marzipan down. If not using marzipan, dust generously with powdered sugar just before celebrating.
Lynn says
It looks gorgeous! My parents always used to buy fraisiers for my birthdays too. Love them!
cakewhiz says
A very happy birthday to your blog! i am so glad you have continued blogging! this cake of yours and all your other desserts look outstanding 🙂
Tina @flourtrader says
Happy blogoversary! You did it right too-lovey and elegant cake.
Be glad you are a hobbyist and can enjoy your passion. Some bloggers pressure themselves so much to be famous they lose their passion and blogging becomes work.
Marie says
happy birthday delicious blog! That cake is heavenly!
Adora's Box says
What a lovely and fitting celebratory cake. I love cakes with fruits and cream. They're the best combination. Fantastic photos. Happy blog-versary. Many, many more blogging years to come.
[email protected] says
Happy blogoversary!! And thank you for sharing this gorgeous cake with us!!
Kelly says
Happy Blogoversary! Your cake looks so beautiful!! 🙂
Woo says
Congrats for your hard work. I miss your baking! 🙁
Ann says
I think the cake is just perfect! Happy Anniversary - I like you just the way you are! Keep on baking, girlfriend!
Emily @ Life on Food says
Your cake looks delicious! It is so much fun eating dessert on fancy dishes. Love it! Happy First year!
Mmm... is for Mommy says
I love your cake and love your attitude for your blog 🙂 It should be about your passion, and that comes through. Happy Anniversary!
Carolyn says
This looks phenomenal! Caught my eye on Tastespotting and I was happy to see that it was yours. Your blog is wonderful, so congrats for a year. I don't know if I can put into words why I blog either. Sometimes I love it. Sometimes I hate it (kinda depends on the time of the month, quite honestly). But loving it is the predominant theme so I stick with it!
sophistimom says
This looks so beautiful. My mouth is watering. Such a simple, elegant cake.
Marla says
Such a pretty cake - wish I had some for a bedtime snack.
Valerie says
I love those kind of cake, really pretty and really tasty!
aquariann says
The cake looks *almost* too beautiful to eat! Happy Blog Anniversary! You're doing a lovely job.
Lisa says
Happy Blogiversary! I would go crazy for a cake like that. It's got all my fave flavors. I have a sweet treat linky party going on at my blog till tomorrow night and I'd love it if you'd come by and link your cake up. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2011/07/sweets-for-saturday-25.html
Juanita says
I savoured this post like I would a good meal. It was heart felt and so enjoyable to read. Your photo styling is lovely, and your cake looks divine.
Isn't it amazing how food becomes intertwined with memories? For me, it is a certain chocolate cake my Mom bakes that will forever remind me of family gatherings and birthdays.
Happy bloggily birthday to you! I am so glad that blogger's burn-out didn't stop you from writing, because then this post would never have existed, and that would have been a great loss.
The Mom Chef says
For whatever reason you decide that you did create your blog a year ago, I thank you. For this cake alone I'd give you a hug and beg you to never stop. I wouldn't have even noticed that raspberries were different sizes or some were weeping if you hadn't mentioned those things and I had to search carefully to find them. It's absolutely gorgeous and my favorite kind of dessert; cake, fruit, something gooey, and no milk chocolate!
Jamie says
Oh, congratulations on a year! That's a great achievement and a reason to celebrate with this gorgeous cake! I love fraisier and making it with raspberries is beautiful!
Erin says
Congrats on your 1 year!! Big accomplishment! This cake looks perfect to me! Sounds delicious!
Lucy says
Congratulations on your blogoversary! This cake looks so pretty and the white chocolate buttercream sounds gorgeous.
Carrie Pacini says
This cake looks delightful!