Lemon Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

This cake is so refreshing with lemon flavor and has an extra kick with the black berries. Black berries have become one of my favorite berries these days.

Last sunday, me and my hubby went on a picnic to the near by park. We had spent a very relaxing time there. On our return from the park, I got to see a black berry tree which I had never expected to. There were lot of berries hanging from the tree. I was very much amazed with the sight and couldn't resist myself from plucking some of them.

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated white sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs, at room temperature
zest of 1 large lemon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
2/3 cups pistachios, chopped

For frosting:
2/3 cup mascarpone, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup black berries

Method
Cake:

• Preheat the oven at 180 deg centigrade. Grease a baking pan and set aside.
• Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Beat in vanilla extract.
• Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt. Add lemon zest and mix well.
• Add 1 tbsp of flour mixture to the pistachios, and mix well. (This prevents pistachios from sinking to the bottom)
• Add the flour mixture (in three additions) alternately with the lemon juice (in two additions), mixing until you have a smooth batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon.
• Bake about 30 -40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Place on a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes, then gently remove the sides and bottom of the pan.

Frosting:

• Mash the blackberries using a fork and set aside.
• Cream the mascarpone and sugar until it becomes light.
• Add the mashed blackberries and mix well.
• Spread the frosting over the cake.