April 11, 2015
Berry Bakewell Cake!
*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more details!*
A simple, delicious bakewell cake with fresh berries and almonds!
Berry bakewell cake
A couple of weeks ago I posted the recipe I use for my bakewell tart – I adore bakewell tart and its the perfect dessert for a summery evening but I had a thought, sometimes using pastry, or even just making the pastry is effort and I can’t be dealing with that when I am in a rush. Therefore, the berry bakewell cake was born!
This cake is a marriage of a classic sponge, with almonds and fresh berries. It really is that simple! It’s the rare cake that I decided to leave alone, and not decorate with some sort of frosting, because the simplicity of this one really wins!
Sponge
The sponge mix has a standard mix of butter, sugar, flour and eggs, with some ground almonds, vanilla and milk added in. You’d think it might mess with the baking of the sponge, and it just doesn’t! It gives it a wonderfully delicious texture.
I used the milk in the sponge because it’s just the bit of ‘wetness’ that the mix needs. Once you have added in the ground almonds, the mix becomes veryyyy thick, and the milk just helps it! I really would recommend whole milk as mentioned in the ingredients, because less fatty milk can make the mix split!
Berries
For this cake, you can use whatever berry you like really. I went for raspberries and blueberries because they were what I had in the fridge. Raspberry is classic with bakewell, but I have made this cake with all blackberries, all blueberries, all raspberries, etc etc!
It really is entirely your choice! Personally, my favourite mix is the raspberry and blackberry as I have said, but I have made this many times and also mess around with other fruit! I also do use fresh fruit, but you could try frozen.. it may just take longer to bake because of the extra moisture!
Simple recipe
The wonderful part of this recipe is that it is very simple to make – bung all the ingredients for the cake in a bowl and mix until its ready – it takes less than a minute! Spread half the mixture into the tin, plop the fruit on, spread the rest of the mixture and then sprinkle with almonds!
Decoration
The final touch to this cake is a little sprinkle of icing sugar, but that’s obviously optional! It just makes it look very pretty! You can serve this cake with anything you fancy… extra fruit, custard, cream or whatever! As long as you love it!
Berry Bakewell Cake!
Ingredients
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 150 g golden caster sugar
- 150 g ground almonds
- 150 g self raising flour
- 3 medium eggs
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 250 g berries (125g blueberries/raspberries)
- 25-50 g flaked almonds
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/350F and grease and line a 8″/20cm cake tin!
- Add your butter, sugar, flour, ground almonds, eggs, milk and vanilla to a mixer, and beat until smooth!
- Spread half of the mixture on the bottom of the tin – spread the berries on top of the first half of the mixture, then spread the rest of the cake mixture on top
- Sprinkle the cake with the flaked almonds and bake in the oven for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean
- Leave to cool on a wire rack and sprinkle with the icing sugar – serve!
Notes
- This cake will last for 3-4 days at room temperature!
- This cake can be served with whatever you fancy... cream, ice cream, custard etc!
- You can use whatever berries you like, just stick to 250g maximum!
- This recipe is based on one by BBC Good Food found here that I have altered and adapted slightly!
ENJOY!
Find my other Recipes on my Recipes Page!
You can find me on:
Instagram
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Youtube
J x
© Jane’s Patisserie. All images & content are copyright protected. Do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words and credit me, or link back to this post for the recipe.
Hi team jane
Can this be turned into muffins? Using tulip cases??
Absolutely yes.
They also take a lot less time to cook.
This recipe really looks delicious, if I were to use baking spread rather than butter, would it curdle?
Hi! If I were to make this with frozen berries, would I need to defrost them first?
Looks delicious, can’t wait to try this one!!
Hiya! I would just use them from frozen!
Is it possible to make it gluten free please? Would I just swap the flour for gluten free or would I need to add something else? Many thanks!!
Hiya! This should be fine, just be sure to check the other ingredients you’re using too! Hope this helps! x
Hi Jane,
Love your recipes but all of them are with eggs and we don’t eat eggs so never get to try. But i really loved this recipe. Any idea what can I replace the eggs with? TIA
Look up the vegan recipes they are fab! A firm favourite where I work. You won’t know the difference.
There are lots of replacements for eggs, including apple sauce, flax seeds and commercial ones. Google egg replacement for information
She has vegan cakes….
I’ve only got semi skimmed milk – will this be OK to use or not? Thankyou!
Hiya! I always recommend whole milk for the best results. Hope this helps! x
HI, can i use jam instead of the berries?
I make a bakewell cake using raspberry jam in the middle just as Jane has added the berries it always turns out great. I’d give it a go.
Fresh berries not great at the moment, have you tried using frozen berries? I always have a mix in the freeze when fresh are not in season, but wouldn’t want to ruin the cake if frozen is not suitable
Hiya! I personally have not tried this, however it is definitely worth a go! Let me know the outcome! x
Did you try frozen? I have a bag of frozen berries to use up x
I did mine with frozen berries and it turned out well. I have some left so I’m going to make one again but will swap golden sugar with white one.
I’ve just made this cake and I’ve put apple and berries in it I want to keep it for Xmas, what is the best way to keep it fresh and how long will it keep, thanks
Just made this with strawberries Jane absolutely delicious thank you for another amazing recipe .x
You are very welcome xx
Hi Jane when I click for Bakewell tart it says page not found and cannot find on your blog
Hey, unfortunately I had to remove the post but I hopefully will upload it again soon xx
I had some apricots I needed to use up so tried them in this instead of berries and it was delicious! So simple and so delicious! Thank you 😊
Ooo how lovely! I am so glad you enjoyed xx
Hi Jane,
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! I absolutely love it and it is beautifully written.
I didn’t do so great though. Please excuse my essay below.
The only differences I made were I added extra 2 teaspoons of almond extract and also I didn’t have any flaked almonds to put on top because my local store ran out of stock. I baked it for 50mins and the toothpicks came out clean so I thought it was perfect. I waited for it to cool and dusted powered sugar on top, then I began to cut it and it was all soggy in the middle and it was sunk in the middle a bit, but extremely soggy. I think the reason why was I washed the berries before hand and maybe I didn’t dry them well and efficient enough. Do you think that is correct? Please forgive me but I’m not a highly experienced baker. I managed to save a part of it around the outside, and that was absolutely 5* so delicious and moist! Also do you think your recipe would work with glacier cherries?
Hey! Yes it sounds under baked due to moisture and yes you can use glacier cherries xx
Hi Jane
Love the Berry Bakewell cake, so yummy! I love Bakewell tart & clicked the link for your recipe but it just comes up as an error message. Is it possible for you to upload your recipe again for Bakewell tart please?. Thanks very much.
Hi Jane. This is very yummy. Thanks for the recipe.
Can I freeze it (once baked and cooled)?
Yes you can!!
Hi Jane
I want to make this as a celebration cake with 2 8inch tins and perhaps cream in the middle. Any suggestions on how to do this? X
I would double the recipe and split between the two (As one layer is for one 8″ tin anyway) and then fill with whatever you fancy! x
Hi Jane
This is definitely one of my favourite cakes! I would like to make it a square one so do you think a 20cm/8 inch square tin would work? Thank you!
Usually a square tin is equal to a round that is 1″ bigger… so an 8″ round is actually a 7″ square (for best results) or just increase the recipe slightly! x
Hi Jane, could I use fresh cherries in the middle along with raspberries?
X
Yes!! x
Hi Jane, in the recipe you’ve mentioned, Add your Butter, Sugar, Flour, Ground Almonds, Eggs, Milk and Vanilla to a mixer, and beat till smooth!
– Does it mean put them all together at ones and beat? If yes for approximately how long in the mixer?
– or do you mean, in the mixer add butter & sugar mix well, then add egg mix and then flour?
Could you please explain, as I am waiting to bake this cake.
For this one, I just add it all together – but you can do it slower if you wish.
Hi jane
Made this cake the other day.turned out lovely but there was only a hint of almond taste from it.is it ok to add some almond essence
Yes of course, if you want more almond definitely add extract!
Made this to pass a rainy afternoon, used soya butter (lactose intolerant) & gluten free flour (gluten intolerant) had no golden caster sugar so I used the coconut sugar I had oh & forgot the ,vanilla! So basically made this cake on a whim, in a 9inch square pan, it looked very flat & limp going into the oven. But it came out like a golden raspberry & almond goddess! Fab! Defo going to make again
Hi Jane.
Love all your recipes. I’m always torn when I see recipes for cakes that use self raising flour then add baking powder. I follow the recipe and the cake sinks all the time. I should go with my gut instinct as I get disappointed when it doesn’t come out right(any ideas as to why). So glad this recipe doesn’t have the addition of B/P. Can I use a 2lb loaf tin for this with the same cooking times?
The sinking doesn’t usually have anything to do with the baking powder (as I have recipes with those ingredients, and they don’t sink) but if you aren’t measuring it correctly or undertaking, it can. The baking time will likely change with a loaf tin!
can I use a 9 inch tin? what changes would you advise? thanks
You will need about 1/3 more in ingredients, and to bake for longer! x
I made this with frozen raspberries (slightly thawed, took 65 mins to cook). Friends came round for morning coffee and there was none left for afternoon tea! Delicious.
Thank you, will definitely make again very soon
This cake was amazing – simple but delicious when you just want a treat with a cup of tea – can’t wait to make it again thank you 😊💅🍰🎉
I only have large eggs . What would you suggest ? Crack them , beat and take some out? Can’t wait to try it out !
Thanks
Zoe
Hey! I would just raise the butter, flour, almonds and sugar to 175g each – it then matches the three large eggs! X
Break and weigh your eggs…… then use same quantities of butter, flour, sugar and almonds
You should always weigh your eggs in the shells, rather than out.
Hi Jane
Do you think sprinkling a crumbling topping on this cake pre baking would work ?
Love your recipes!
Hey! Yes it would – can make it take a bit longer to bake though x
Hi would it be ok to use white caster sugar instead or would this affect the taste?
Thank you
Changing sugars will change the taste, but it’s only marginal!
Awesome
Hi Jane! Hoping to make this at the weekend – just wondering if you think it would work to dollop jam in the middle instead of/as well as the fresh berries? Thanks!
The jam may sink somewhat but it should be tasty!!
Made this today and i did swap out the vanilla extract for almond extract it was very easy to make and it tasted lovely not sure what I be making next thank you
I made this cake for my Mom’s 60th birthday as Bakewell Tart is one of her favourite desserts! I was over the moon when I saw you had a recipe for a cake version. It was a MASSIVE hit with her and with the whole family – so so simple to make and so delicious!
Hi,
Love your site and am working my way through the recipes.
Could I use almond extract instead of vanilla?
Thank you.
Yes you can!
Could I do this as a tray bake?
Theoretically yes – however, it’s not a large cake at all so you’d probably have to double it at least!
This cake was fab. We had it still warm with some clotted cream. Yum. Thanks for the receipe.
Hi Jane
planning to bake this as a friend has got a lot of blackberries from the allotment haha! recipe doesnt say it so i presume in this one we dont melt the butter? Many thanks for all your yummy cakes 🙂
Hiya! No – room temp would be perfect though! Hope this helps! x
Hi if added grated marzipan to the top before cooking do you think it would turn out ok? Have you tried this before?
I’m afraid I haven’t as I’m not a big marzipan fan! X
Hi Jane! Bakewell tart is my absolute favourite so I am really keen to try this! Have you tried this with frozen fruit or do you think fresh fruit is best? Thank you!
Paula
I haven’t personally tried frozen, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work!
Thank you! 🙂
Hi- I tried it with Frozen fruit and it worked really well! Absolutely love this cake!
Hi Jane, I can use something instead of the almonds as have a nut allergy?
Unfortunately “Bakewell” cakes are based around almonds, so maybe try a different recipe? It’s quite core to this one. Have a look at my Eton Mess Traybake or Wimbledon Strawberry Cupcakes for fruity cake!
I love rasberries and berries generally! And the recipe looks so yummy <3 🙂 will try it!
Thank you! ☺️
Okay, this just looks and sounds AMAZING <3 I love mixing almond and fruity flavors together. The taste and texture is just incredible. And thank you so much for taking a look at my blog and liking my post 🙂
Its such a wonderful combination isn’t it!! And thank you! And don’t worry about it, I loved your post 🙂 x
Hey, can I ask you to re-subscribe to http://www.urbanmonique.com? Lost all our subscriber data in relaunch, dangit!
This looks so beautiful and so delicous. I may have to bake this sometime in the very near future!!
Awwh yay thank you Sarah!! Let me know how it goes if you do!!
This cake is beautiful! The berries look so fresh and the cake so moist. Yum!
Thank you so much! That means so much to me 🙂 x
I love cakes with berries – looks delish! 🙂
Me too!! Thank you so much 🙂
This looks great, I’ll try it!
Thank you!! Let me know how it goes if you do 🙂
Oh, my. Some friends are going to get this for dessert tonight.
Awww yay! Thank you! Let me know how it goes if you do make it!! 🙂
So beautifully spring like, love the berries. YUM!!
Thank you so so much! Love this sort of cake when fruits start coming in to season so well!
Me too!
This cake looks so moist; and warmed up with a scoop of vanilla on top? Perfect.
Thank youuu! I literally just had a piece with vanilla icecream, so delicious!
mmm! mm! . . . .MMM! this looks delicious! ?
Hehehe thank you so much Nikki!! 😀
nothing like berry and cake to celebrate spring !!!!
I completely agree!! Such a good combination!