Layered Sorbet Cake with Lemon Shortbread Crust
This post is sponsored by Safeway. All opinions are 100% mine.
Are you planning a party this summer and need a tasty dessert idea? Or, do you need something to bring to a cookout or pool party? If so, I’ve got you covered with this pretty (and so easy!) layered sorbet cake.
Confession time. As much as I enjoy cooking, I pretty much suck at baking. It’s way too much science. There’s no room for a pinch of this or that when it comes to baking. Just lots of following exact recipes, measuring and leveling off ingredients, and preheating the oven. So. Many. Rules!
That’s why, when I have company, and someone offers to bring dessert, I jump at their offer. Or, I head to the grocery store and buy dessert.
Luckily, ice cream and sorbet are more than an acceptable dessert for everyone – especially in the summer. They put a smile on everyone’s face, and, they don’t involve any complicated baking! Scoop out your favorite flavor, add a cookie, and dessert is done.
Or in the case of this layered sorbet “cake,” you just bake one giant cookie, top it with layers of gorgeous fruity-fresh sorbet, and pop it in the freezer until you’re ready to serve.
When it comes to sorbet, I especially love the high-quality, and the fresh and creative flavors of Open Nature® sorbets, which I find at my local Safeway store. They have no artificial colors or flavors, and only clean ingredients. And, they come in SO many yummy flavors:
- Blueberry acai
- Passion fruit
- Prickly pear
- Mango
- Peach
- Lemon
- Raspberry
- Strawberry
I went with Open Nature blueberry acai, mango, and lemon sorbets for my cake, but the sky's the limit here. You can even use all of the flavors and just make thinner layers. OR use two smaller pans and make different flavors. So many options to keep your guests happy!
About Open Nature Products
Open Nature sorbets are a delicious alternative to ice cream. They’re also a great non-dairy option for your friends and the whole family. They’re available at a value here in Arizona, exclusively at Safeway and Albertsons stores.
If you're more of an ice cream lover (you can make this recipe with that too!) Open Nature also makes an extensive line of non-dairy desserts made with almond, cashew, oat, and coconut milk. And if you're looking for a lighter ice cream option, try Open Nature Scandal-less light ice cream products. They're a lower calorie, higher protein guilt-free indulgence.
I know many of you live in other parts of the country, so no worries – Albertsons Companies family of stores includes ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Randalls, Shaw’s, Star Market, Tom Thumb, and Vons. No matter where you live, you can pick up a few containers next time you’re at the store!
And if you're pressed for time, Safeway, Albertsons, and the other Albertsons Companies family of stores also offer Grocery Delivery and DriveUp & Go™ for convenient ways to shop!
The shortbread cookie crust for this “cake” comes together in about 5 minutes flat. It has minimal ingredients and it only needs about 15 minutes in the oven. Easy peasy!
Because sorbet has some sugar, I like to balance things out with a shortbread crust made from almond flour and a confectioner’s sugar substitute. If you want to keep the entire thing dairy-free, use vegan butter instead of regular butter
PS. This recipe looks like it has many steps, but it's really just scoop, spread, freeze, and repeat three times!
Recipe
Layered Sorbet Cake with Lemon Shortbread Crust
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons softened butter
- 2 cups almond flour
- 6 tablespoons sugar-free confectioner's sugar (powedered sugar) or regular confectioner's sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 pints Open Nature sorbet 3 different colors/flavors
- fresh fruit to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set the rack to the middle position. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- In a food processor, combine the butter, almond flour, powdered sugar, salt, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon zest. Pulse about 20 times or until the mixture is combined and looks like damp sand.
- Press the dough into the bottom of the springform pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork to let any steam escape while it bakes.
- Bake the shortbread for 15-20 minutes or until it starts to turn golden brown.
- Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool for about 15 minutes. Then, place it in the refrigerator for another 10-15 minutes to chill. When you place the crust in the refrigerator, take one container of sorbet out of the freezer and let it stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to soften.
- When the crust is chilled and the sorbet is softened enough to scoop and spread easily, scoop it onto the crust and gently spread it over the entire crust. Place it in the freezer for 15 minutes to harden. While it's in the freezer, take the next container of sorbet out of the freezer and let it soften.
- When the second container of sorbet has softened, remove the cake from the freezer and spread the second layer over the first. Place it in the freezer, and remove the last container of sorbet to soften.
- Spread the last container of sorbet over the cake when it's softened, and return the cake to the freezer for about 2 hours to harden.
- Before removing the cake from the pan, run a sharp knife around the entire inside edge of the pan to make sure the sorbet doesn't stick. Unlatch the pan and gently life the sides of the pan away.
- If desired, garnish the cake with fresh fruit.
Notes
Nutrition
What's your favorite flavor of sorbet? Have you ever tasted Prickly Pear?!
Eat well!