Here’s a recipe to have some fun with. Shortcakes are typically small and individually sized, but this is an impressive large cake filled with sweetened fresh fruit and whipped mascarpone. And unlike most shortcakes, this one is assembled ahead of time.

Serves 8.

INGREDIENTS

  • for cake
  • 2/3cup chilled buttermilk
  • 1large chilled egg
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2cups cake flour
  • 1/4cup sugar
  • 1tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2teaspoon salt
  • 1/2cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch piecesfor filling
  • 5medium plums, pitted, cut into1/2-inch pieces
  • 2large peaches, pitted, cut into1/2-inch pieces
  • 11/2-pint basket raspberries
  • 1/3cup sugar18-ounce container chilled mascarpone cheese, or one 8-ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1cup chilled whipping cream
  • 1/4cup powdered sugar
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extractadditional powdered sugar

    DIRECTIONS

    Make cake: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Whisk buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract in medium bowl to blend; transfer 1 tablespoon mixture to small bowl and reserve for glaze. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into large bowl; add butter. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 3 minutes. Add buttermilk mixture and blend just until soft moist dough forms. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, gather dough into ball and knead gently for 6 turns. Transfer dough to ungreased baking sheet. Shape dough into 8-inch round. Brush top with reserved 1 tablespoon buttermilk mixture. Bake cake until top is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cake to rack and cool completely.


    Make filling: Toss plums, peaches, raspberries and 1/3 cup sugar in large bowl to blend. Let stand 30 minutes.


    Meanwhile, beat mascarpone, whipping cream, 1/4 cup powdered sugar and vanilla in large bowl until firm peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.


    Cut off top 1/3 of cake. Using small knife and leaving 1/2-inch border at edge, cut out enough of cake bottom to form 1/2-inch-deep indentation. Spread half of mascarpone cream in indentation. Using slotted spoon, remove fruit from bowl;mound onto cream. Reserve fruit juices in bowl. Spread remaining mascarpone cream over fruit. Cover with top of cake. Refrigerate cake and reserved juices separately, at least 3 hours and up to 6 hours.

    Let cake stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into wedges. Drizzle with reserved fruit juices and serve.