Vanilla Cake with Cherries and Mascarpone

vanilla cake with mascarpone balsamic cherries.

5 from 4 votes

Vanilla Cake with Cherries and Mascarpone

This vanilla cake with cherries and mascarpone is a beautiful, easy-to-assemble dessert that tastes as impressive as it looks. A boxed vanilla cake serves as the base, but it’s the juicy balsamic cherries and creamy mascarpone topping that take it to the next level.

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Total Time55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Krissy Allori

Ingredients

Cake:

16 ounces vanilla cake mix see note
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter melted
1 cup whole milk

Topping:

16 ounces sweet red cherries pitted with stems removed, fresh or thawed frozen can be used
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
8 ounces mascarpone cheese room temperature

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉.
In a large bowl, combine 16 ounces vanilla cake mix with 2 eggs, 1/2 cup butter (melted), and 1 cup whole milk. Stir well.
Pour cake batter into a greased or parchment lined 9x9 or 8x8 inch baking pan and bake 25-35 minutes until an inserted toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
In a large bowl, combine 16 ounces sweet red cherries with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar. Allow the mixture to soak and macerate for at least 2 hours.
Combine half of the liquid from the cherries with the 8 ounces mascarpone cheese and blend well using an electric mixer. Spread on top of the cooled cake.
Using a slotted spoon, add the macerated cherries to the top of the cake. Drizzle the remaining liquid over the cherries.
Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

I used Trader Joe's vanilla cake mix which made an 8x8 inch cake. Sadly, that specific mix has since been discontinued. Other cake mixes might result in a larger cake.

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