Mixed Berry Orange Naked Cake

*This post is sponsored by Eggland’s Best. Thank you for supporting brands that enable me to bring you great, new recipes! As always, all opinions are my own. 

This Mixed Berry Orange Naked Cake is light, fluffy, and filled with a creamy orange whipped cream cheese frosting. This pretty homemade naked cake is an orange cake with fresh berries between the layers and on top, making this the perfect spring dessert! 

This gorgeous Mixed Berry Naked Cake recipe begins with a fluffy vanilla cake that has fresh berries in between each layer. A whipped cream cheese frosting completes this spring cake!

The time change has been killing me.

Realistically, it shouldn’t be this difficult, but I think the extra darkness in the morning is completely throwing me off. That and the fact I still haven’t changed one of the clocks in my bedroom. It’s one of those clocks that only syncs with my iPod or phone, but for the life of me, I can never remember which button does what. Of course, that inevitably leads to me changing a million things on the clock before I finally find the right button. It’s also consistently 15 minutes ahead no matter what I do.

So… that one often stays at the wrong time until I either have time to mess with it, or get so fed up that it’s displaying the wrong time I have to fix it NOW (and then I ask myself why I didn’t do this in the first place). Of course, until I do actually change that clock, I’m confused each morning for a solid 15 seconds about what time it actually is.

Despite how difficult it is to get used to, I do absolutely L-O-V-E the extra sunshine. It makes me think of summertime, homemade strawberry ice cream, and all the spring-like, summery cakes you can imagine, like Lemon Coconut Cake, Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes, and, of course, this Mixed Berry Orange Naked Cake.

Guys, this Mixed Berry Orange Naked Cake recipe might be my best cake yet. It’s incredibly moist, and  full of citrusy orange flavor and fresh berries.

Also, I’m crazy over the frosting. It’s a whipped cream cheese frosting that is to-die for! It’s lighter than buttercream, a little less sweet, and has the best creamy texture.

In the recipe, I use 4 Eggland’s Best eggs, which have fives times more vitamin D and ten more times vitamin E than ordinary eggs. They contain 25% less saturated fat and are filled with Omega-3s. Additionally, Eggland’s Best eggs have stronger shells, helping the eggs to stay fresher than other eggs. Plus, Eggland’s Best uses all-vegetarian hen feed filled with wholesome ingredients, including healthy grains, canola oil, and supplements of rice bran, alfalfa, sea kelp, and vitamin E.

When it comes to baking, each ingredient is extremely important to the overall process. Using quality eggs yields a richer flavor and a better texture.

What Is A Naked Cake?

A naked cake is a cake that leaves the outside layers of the cake exposed. 

Some naked cakes are entirely exposed, but I prefer to spread a very thin layer of frosting around the layers. Apart from flavor, frosting helps lock in the moisture of a cake. Naked cakes can dry out quickly (or at least the edges can dry out quickly) so having a thin layer helps slow down that process. 

How Do I Frost A Naked Cake?

Spread the frosting on the bottom layer all the way to the edge of the cake. Top with the second layer and repeat. Top with the final later and repeat. Then, using a knife, rubber spatula or offset spatula, smooth the frosting on the sides of the cake until it’s a smooth layer all the way around the sides and the top.

Can I Leave This Mixed Berry Naked Cake at Room Temperature, or Does it Need To Be Refrigerated?

This cake is made with an Orange Whipped Cream Frosting, which is a combination of whipped cream cheese, fresh orange zest, powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream. 

The whipped cream cheese helps to stabilize the whipped cream, so this cake can sit at room temperature for a few hours.

However, if the cake is made ahead of time, it should be refrigerated and then allowed to come to room temperature before serving (you can serve this berry naked cake cold; however, cold cakes are much denser than room temperature cakes). 

Learn How to Make this Vanilla Naked Cake with Fresh Berries:

• The cake batter is split between three 9″ cake pans, so each cake layer will be thinner than a traditional 2-layer cake (look to the photo above). 
• Yes, you can make this a 2-layer cake. Yes, you can use 8″ cake pans. However, the bake time will be longer if you use two 9″ cake pans and it will be different if you use 8″ cake pans, as both will have more batter. 
• Why do you use cornstarch? I use cornstarch because it creates a richer yet more tender cake crumb. When it’s paired with all purpose flour, it acts like cake flour.
• The cakes are baked at 325 degrees because the lower temperature keeps these cakes extra moist. 
• The frosting must be made with whipped cream cheese. Brick cream cheese is too heavy and the frosting will not be light and fluffy.

Get ready to meet the cake of your dreams.

5 from 1 vote

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Mixed Berry Orange Naked Cake

Prep Time

1 hr

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

1 hr 30 mins

 

This Mixed Berry Orange Naked Cake is light, fluffy, and filled with a creamy orange whipped cream cheese frosting. This pretty homemade naked cake is an orange cake with fresh berries between the layers and on top, making this the perfect spring dessert!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Mixed Berry Orange Naked Cake

Servings: 10 -12 Large Slices

Author: A Latte Food

Ingredients

Mixed Berry Orange Naked Cake

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large Eggland's Best eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all-puporse flour
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp orange zest (about the zest of one large orange)
• 1/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed (about the juice of two large oranges)
• 3/4 cup milk (whole milk or 2% work the best)
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Orange Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 8 oz whipped cream cheese (it must be whipped cream cheese--regular cream cheese is too dense)
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp orange zest
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup mixed berries (I used fresh raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries)

Topping

• berries
• orange slices

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease three 9" cake pans (8" would work too) well. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add in granulated sugar and mix until well combined. Add in Eggland's Best eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition (scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary).
3. In a separate bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Add in orange zest and stir flour mixture a couple of times.
4. In another bowl, mix orange juice, milk, and vanilla extract together.
5. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
6. Add in sour cream, and mix the batter until combined.
7. Dive the batter evenly between the 3 cake pans and spread batter in an even layer.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
9. Allow the cakes to cool 10 minutes, then remove from the cake pans and allow them to continue cooling on cooling racks.*

Orange Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

1. With a mixer, whip heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form (the cream is thick but not yet the consistency of whipped cream).
2. Add in powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form (the consistency should look and feel like whipped cream).
3. Add in whipped cream cheese, 4 oz at a time, whipping until just combined.
4. Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or plate. Spread about 1 cup of whipped cream cheese frosting on top of the cake, making sure to spread all the way to the edges. Add about 1/3 cup of berries on top of the frosting, spacing them somewhat evenly.
5. Top with the second layer of cake, and repeat the above step.
6. Top with the final layer of cake, and use the remaining whipped cream cheese frosting to cover the top of the cake. Run a rubber spatula or knife around the sides of the cake, scraping and smoothing any excess frosting away from the sides of the cake (this gives the cake a cleaner naked cake appearance).
7. If desired, top the cake with orange slices and berries.
8. Enjoy!
9. *The whipped cream is stabilized with the addition of cream cheese, thus it can be left out at room temperature for a few hours. However, leftovers (or if the cake is being prepared the night before) should be stored in the fridge.

Recipe Notes

*Baking the cakes at 325 yields a moist cake with a nice crumb texture. However, due to the lower oven temperature, your cakes may look slightly sticky on top as they cool.