Few things beat a simple Berry Cake, and this version is absolutely delicious! This recipe is for a fluffy vanilla cake filled with juicy berries and topped with flaked almonds.
Serve it plain, with a drizzle of creme anglais, or with a dollop of whipped cream and you’ll have yourself a winning bake!
I love making this easy cake recipe as a summer dessert, or when you are short on time and expecting some friends over for a catch-up. It is also perfect for people who love simple cakes that aren’t covered in heavy frostings.
If you love berry recipes that celebrate fresh fruit, then have a look at this recipe for Strawberry Cupcakes, these Chocolate and Blueberry Muffins, or this recipe for a Hot Milk Sponge Cake that can be made with strawberry jam instead.
Ingredients
To make this easy berry cake you will need the simple ingredients listed below. Remember always to use fresh room temperature ingredients when baking.
- Unsalted butter
- Caster sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Cake flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Sour cream
- Berries
- Lemon zest
- Flaked almonds
- Powdered sugar
Unsalted butter – use room temperature butter for this recipe, and choose unsalted for the best results.
Caster sugar – this recipe uses superfine sugar for a finer cake texture.
Cake flour – choose to use cake flour for this recipe, you can also use all-purpose flour. This recipe can also be made using self-raising flour, just omit the baking powder if using this.
Sour cream – this adds a really rich flavor to this butter cake and gives it a moist crumb.
Berries – use a mixture of berries for this cake like raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. I used a packet of mixed frozen berries but fresh berries will also work.
Flaked almonds – flaked almonds are sprinkled over the top of the cake before baking. If you can't find any you can leave these out.
See the recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
Follow the simple steps below to make this delicious summer berry cake.
STEP 1: Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 22cm (9 inches) round cake tin with vegetable oil and parchment paper. Line the sides and bottom of the cake tin.
STEP 2: Combine zest and sugar. Add the sugar and lemon zest to a bowl of a stand mixer. Use your fingers to massage the lemon zest into the sugar to release its oils and flavor.
STEP 3: Cream butter and sugar. Add the butter to the sugar mixture and beat at medium-high speed using a paddle attachment until creamed, about 3 minutes.
STEP 4: Add eggs and vanilla. With the mixer at medium speed, add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture one at a time, be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between each addition. Add the vanilla and beat again.
STEP 5: Sift dry ingredients. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
STEP 6: Add sour cream and dry ingredients. Add the wet and dry ingredients to the cake batter by alternating between the two. Starting with the flour mixture and ending with the sour cream.
STEP 7: Add berries. Add the berries to the cake batter and mix through using a rubber spatula.
STEP 8: Add almonds. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth over the top with an offset palette knife. Sprinkle the flaked almonds evenly over the surface of the cake.
STEP 9: Bake. Bake the cake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
STEP 10: Cool. Allow the cake to cool in its tin for 10 minutes before turning it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, transfer it onto a serving plate and dust it with icing sugar. Serve and enjoy.
Hint: Make sure you are using room temperature butter, otherwise creaming the butter and sugar together will be difficult.
Variations
This is the perfect recipe to get creative with, if you can only find one type of berry that’s perfectly fine! You can also choose to add other fruits to this recipe like apricots, or even pears.
If you’re the kind of cake lover that only enjoys cakes covered in frostings then go ahead and use this recipe for a Raspberry Buttercream to spread over the top of this cake. Or whip up some heavy cream, vanilla extract, and icing sugar and top with the cake slices with a dollop of chantilly cream and extra fresh blueberries.
Equipment
For this buttery moist cake, you will need one 22cm (9 inches) diameter round cake tin, a cooling rack, and an electric stand mixer or hand mixer.
I recommend using an accurate kitchen scale when baking for the best results, rather than relying on cup measurements.
When it comes to cake tins, I prefer using a straight-sided plain tin rather than a springform pan. This is because I find them easier to line and they bake a better-shaped cake! Either will work but I do recommend giving traditional cake tins a try!
Storage
Butter cakes are always best fresh from the oven! But if you do have leftovers store them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days.
To freeze this cake, cut it into slices then wrap each slice in a piece of plastic wrap, and freeze for up to two months. Defrost at room temperature before consuming.
Top tips
Follow these top tips to ensure your mixed berry cake comes out perfectly.
- Ensure your eggs, sour cream, and butter are at room temperature before baking.
- Use an oven thermometer to test the true temperature of your oven, and adjust accordingly before placing the cakes into the oven.
- Bake the cake in the middle rack of the oven.
- Allow the cake to cool slightly before removing it from its tin.
FAQ
The eggs I use weigh 56 grams, if you aren’t sure if you have the same eggs – weigh the eggs you have and adjust accordingly.
I always recommend using a kitchen scale rather than cups when baking, this way you can ensure you’ve measured properly and that your baked goodies come out perfectly.
Check the temperature of your oven and make sure you have checked the expiry date of your flour and baking powder, as this will affect the rise of the cake.
Yes, you can just remember that the baking time may need to be adjusted. Smaller, deeper cakes will need more time in the oven while larger shallower cakes will need less time.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
This berry cake recipe is all the things a good cake should be, easy to make, moist and flavourful, and let’s not forget pretty! It is the perfect cake to make to end a great meal or when you want to make the most of the berry season.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave a comment and star review below – I would love to hear from you!
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Happy Baking
With Love,
Kitty
📖 Recipe
Berry Cake
Equipment
- 1x 22cm round cake pan 9 inches
Ingredients
- 175 g castor sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 175 g unsalted butter
- 3 eggs extra large
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 230 g cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 180 g sour cream
- 160 g mixed berries
- 20 g flaked almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 22cm (9 inches) round cake tin with vegetable oil and parchment paper. Line the sides and bottom of the cake tin.
- Add the sugar and lemon zest to a bowl of a stand mixer. Use your fingers to massage the lemon zest into the sugar to release its oils and flavor.
- Add the butter to the sugar mixture and beat at medium-high speed using a paddle attachment until creamed, about 3 minutes.
- With the mixer at medium speed, add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture one at a time, be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between each addition. Add the vanilla and beat again.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the wet and dry ingredients to the cake batter by alternating between the two. Starting with the flour mixture and ending with the sour cream.
- Add the berries to the cake batter and mix through using a rubber spatula.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth over the top with an offset palette knife. Sprinkle the flaked almonds evenly over the surface of the cake.
- Bake the cake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in its tin for 10 minutes before turning it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, transfer it onto a serving plate and dust it with icing sugar. Serve and enjoy.
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