Almond Berry Cake
 
Makes 1 (8×4-Inch) Cake
Ingredients
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • Vanilla-Cream Cheese Mousse (recipe follows)
  • Fresh mixed berries
Vanilla–Cream Cheese Mousse
  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
  • 1¼ cups cold heavy whipping cream
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Spray sides with baking spray with flour.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing top.
  4. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Remove cake from pan. Using a serrated knife, trim ½ inch off each side. Cut cake into 3 (8×4-inch) rectangles.
  5. Place Vanilla–Cream Cheese Mousse into a large piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip. Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Pipe large dots of Vanilla–Cream Cheese Mousse in 3 rows on top. Place second cake layer on top of mousse. Repeat piping and layering once. On top of third cake layer, use any remaining mousse to decorate as desired. Top with fresh berries.
Vanilla–Cream Cheese Mousse
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese on medium-low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add sugar and vanilla bean, beating until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl to make sure it is completely smooth. With mixer on medium-low speed, slowly add one-third of cream until incorporated. Add remaining cream, beating on medium until thickened. Use immediately.
Recipe by Taste of the South at https://tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/almond-berry-cake/