This simple fresh Berry Cake recipe includes naked layers of white or yellow cake filled with lemon mousse and fresh berries. It’s beautiful, deceivingly easy to make, and delicious! 

Want more delicious cakes? Try this Lemon Cake, White Texas Sheet Cake, Coconut Cake, or Chocolate Trifle!

A fresh Berry Cake recipe with three tiers of yellow cake, topped with lemon mousse, and fresh berries.

Why I love this cake recipe:

  • Unique – This Berry Cake has fresh and bright flavors you don’t get with popular chocolate cakes, and it’s perfect for spring and summer using the seasons fresh fruit
  • Simple – It’s to assemble and decorate, but it looks impressive enough for a party.
  • Beautiful – It’s is an absolute show stopper on any table thanks to the vibrant color of the berries that make it almost too pretty to eat.

How to Make Berry Cake:

Bake Cake: Make the cake batter then divide it evenly among 3 round cake pans, to make three thin cake layers. Bake as instructed, remove from pans, then allow to cool completely before assembling.

Three thin cake rounds of yellow cake, freshly baked and cooled.

Wash fruit, then pat dry with a paper towel. Slice strawberries.

A bowl of fresh raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and sliced strawberries.

Make Lemon Mousse: Follow my lemon mousse recipe. This can be made in advance, if desired.

Assemble: Place one cake round on a serving plate. Spoon ½ – 2/3 cup mousse onto the cake and smooth it towards the edges, leaving at least 1” of cake uncovered around the edge. Place an assortment of berries on top then repeat with remaining layers of cake. 

Four images showing how to make a lemon berry cake by assembling yellow cake rounds, lemon mousse, and fresh berries.

Serve, or cover well and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

A fresh Berry Cake recipe with one slice cut and served on a plate.

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Recipe

A fresh Berry Cake recipe with three tiers of yellow cake, topped with lemon mousse, and fresh berries.
Prep 30 minutes
Cook 45 minutes
Refrigerate 1 hour
Total 2 hours 15 minutes
Save Recipe

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 baked yellow cake (baked in three 8 inch round pans)
  • 2 cups fresh raspberries , about 12 ounces
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries , about 12 ounces
  • 2 cups fresh blackberries , about 12 ounces
  • 16 ounces fresh strawberries

Lemon Mousse:

  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (3-4 lemons)
  • salt
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions
 

  • Prepare yellow cake (my homemade version, or a box mix). Divide cake batter between three 8 inch round baking pans and bake for about 16-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with few moist crumbs

Make Lemon Mousse:

  • Fill a large saucepan with a few inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
  • In a large heat-proof bowl, whisk together 3 whole eggs, 3 egg yolks (reserve the whites in a separate bowl), 1 cup sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. 
  • Place the bowl over the pan of simmering water and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 15 minutes, or until mixture thickens slightly.
  • Remove from heat and set aside for 15 minutes. Pour into a bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture. Refrigerate for at least 1 – 2 hours or until completely chilled.
  • Place the 3 remaining egg whites in a mixing bowl and beat on high speed for 1 minute. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue to beat until the whites are stiff. Carefully fold the beaten whites into the cold lemon mixture.
  • Add the cream to a bowl and beat on high speed until stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the lemon mixture. Chill for at least 30 minutes before using in cake. (or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.)

Assemble Berry Cake:

  • Rinse all of the fresh fruit and gently pat dry with a paper towel. Slice strawberries.
  • Place one cake round on your serving plate. Spoon ½ – 2/3 cup mousse onto the cake and smooth it towards the edges, leaving at least 1'' of cake uncovered around the edge. Place an assortment of berries on top. Repeat with remaining layers of cake. 
  • Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Chocolate Berry Cake: Bake my chocolate cake recipe and layer the same as directed here, with chocolate mousse and berries.

Nutrition

Calories: 267kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 5gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 272mgPotassium: 179mgFiber: 3gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 212IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 110mgIron: 1mg

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I originally shared this recipe May 2016. Updated April 2021 and March 2024.

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. Hi! Looking to bake this cake, but when I click the link for the mousse, it reroutes me to this page. So all I can find are instructions on how to assemble the cake, but no recipes for the cake or the mousse themselves. Can you direct me to the recipes?
    Thanks

    1. It looks beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing! I’m so happy everyone enjoyed it–it turned out lovely.

  2. This looks delicious and can’t wait to try it this weekend but I have a quick question: this recipe calls for 3 8in round cakes, the attached cake recipe makes 2 8in rounds… do you have a time suggestion if the batter is divided into 3 rounds or is it best to make 2 batches of batter? Thanks so much!!!!

    1. Hi Ashley, I would divide the batter into 3 pans and it will just make thinner layers. Bake for about 20 minutes, and check for done-ness from there. Hope you enjoy it!

  3. Today is special day for my family and i was looking for best dish ever, This blog has perfect guideline for new dish.

  4. Lauren, what a beautiful, beautiful cake! I’ve always liked unfrosted cakes, and I think they’re actually trending right now (I don’t know why I’m even commenting on that fact, though, because I *hate* trends!), even for wedding cakes.