With its bright lemon flavor, plush texture, and over-the-top size, this elegant Savarin cake is perfect for feeding a crowd. The fabulous, fine crumb of the cake comes from a fun trick: Instead of relying on butter or oil for richness, this cake starts off with whipped cream, which makes it simultaneously light and luscious. Fresh berries and even more whipped cream are loaded into the center of the cake for a beautiful presentation and a built-in topping for every slice.
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Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center. Thoroughly spray a Savarin pan or a Bundt pan with a 10-cup capacity with nonstick spray.
To make the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream, extracts, and lemon emulsion or zest just until the mixture reaches stiff peaks, being careful not to overwhip. Add the sugar all at once and beat on medium-low speed until combined, 30 seconds. (It’s OK if the mixture looks lumpy at this point.)
Scrape down the bowl, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well on medium speed after each addition, until you have a billowy, creamy mixture. Switch to the flat beater attachment, add the dry ingredients, and beat until almost no dry bits remain. Add the Lemon Crumbles and white chocolate; finish mixing with a flexible spatula until fully incorporated.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.
Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes for a Savarin pan or 45 to 50 minutes for a Bundt pan, until the cake is set and springs back lightly when prodded. Remove the cake from the oven, and let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes for a Savarin pan or 10 minutes for a Bundt pan, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the filling: In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar and Instant ClearJel until thoroughly combined. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream until just aerated, about 20 seconds. Sift the confectioners’ sugar mixture into the cream, then continue to beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form, taking care not to overwhip.
Transfer the cooled cake to a platter and fill the hole with whipped cream. Top with the berries and dust with additional confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
Storage information: Store the unfilled Savarin or Bundt cake, airtight at room temperature, for up to 3 days. Once filled, store the cake in the refrigerator for 1 day.
Tips from our Bakers
Looking for more whipped cream cakes? Try our Whipped Cream Dream Cake, which has a crunchy-sticky caramel-coconut topping and fudgy cocoa ripple.
