Easy Berry Cake (With Fresh or Frozen Mixed Berries)
Scrumptious and works well with other seasonal fruits too. Easy! Kathy
Buttery cake tops a pile of juicy berries in this easy, rustic dessert – just add ice cream. It’s made with a mix of fresh or frozen berries, an orange-scented batter, and (if you like) a quick berry compote on top.
This delicious recipe was passed down to me by my sister’s friend, and despite some digging, I couldn’t track down the original author. I suspect it’s an old one, but definitely a keeper.
Use any berries you like – it’s simple, flexible, and seriously good.
What to expect
The recipe is not quite a cobbler or a cake – it’s a bit of both – sweet berries and a buttery crumb. The optional berry compote adds extra fruitiness and a touch of flair.
I tested and tweaked the recipe several times: with fresh and frozen berries (both work), less sugar and maple syrup (the original was too sweet), and by hand and with an electric mixer (the mixer helps, but isn’t essential). I also added orange zest to brighten the flavors.
This is a low-fuss dessert. Dump in the berries. Top it with a simple batter made in one bowl. And cook the 3-ingredient berry compote in the microwave for a few minutes.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
Berries: Use any type or mix of berries you like. The original recipe used strawberries and rhubarb. I often use a bag of mixed frozen berries (no thawing needed), especially off-season – they are less expensive, frozen at their peak ripeness, and very convenient. Fresh fruit in-season is great too, of course.
Substitutions
- Sugar: Replace the white sugar with brown sugar for a bit more caramel-like depth.
- Flour: Replace up to ¼ cup (30g) of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for extra nutrition. You can also use 1:1 gluten-free flour like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill for a gluten-free version.
Variations
- Toppings:
- Instead of a berry compote, make a simple maple drizzle (see recipe notes)
- Top with ice cream, whipped cream, or yogurt.
- Sprinkle toasted sliced almonds, chopped pecans, or unsweetened coconut flakes on top of the batter before baking for a little crunch.
- Flavoring: Try adding a little chopped mint or basil to the berries before baking.
Step by step instructions
Tips
- If using frozen berries, toss them with a teaspoon of flour before adding to the baking dish. This helps absorb excess liquid and prevents the bottom of the cake from getting soggy. A 600-gram (21-ounce) bag of frozen berries is enough for the cake and compote.
- It’s best to use room temperature ingredients. For example, cold eggs can curdle the batter. If you’re short on time, run them under warm water for a minute or two. But don’t worry if your batter curdles – it won’t affect the final taste or texture of this cake.
- Gluten-free cakes tend to brown faster, so if you’re using gluten-free flour, check at the 30-minute mark and tent with foil if needed.
Shortcuts
- No time to soften butter? Microwave it in 5-second bursts (or use the ‘soften’ button if you have one), grate it on a box grater to soften quickly, or run it, wrapped, under warm water for several minutes.
- To bring eggs quickly to room temperature, run them under warm tap water for 1–2 minutes.
- Use frozen berries straight from the freezer. No thawing needed, and no washing/drying fresh berries – just toss with a bit of flour to absorb extra moisture.
- Skip the compote
What to serve with berry cake
All you need is a simple topping or garnish like the berry compote (as per the recipe), a dusting of powdered sugar, a drizzle of maple syrup, vanilla or maple ice cream (or any kind!), whipped cream, or a dollop of plain or Greek yogurt.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely you can add rhubarb, but you may want to add a touch more maple syrup to balance the tartness.
Yes. The berry cake is best served warm, but you can bake it a few hours ahead and reheat in the oven or microwave. The compote (if using) can also be made in advance. You can also freeze leftovers – just defrost them in the fridge and microwave them for a minute.
Yes – bake it in a 9×13-inch (23×33 com) pan. Add about 5–8 minutes to the bake time and check with a toothpick.
More berry recipes
- Berry compote recipe on store-bought pound cake (30 min)
- No-bake berry crumble (10 min)
- Banana blueberry muffins (
- Biscuit strawberry shortcake (20 min)
Or check out our collection of homemade sweet snacks with quick prep.
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Simple Berry Cake Recipe
Ingredients
You will need ~600 grams(4 cups) berries and 1 orange in total for this recipe – divided
Cake part (top)
- ½ cup butter, softened (one stick of butter/8 tbsp)
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature (run under warm water if needed)
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest (optional but good!) (from about 1/2 medium orange)
- ¾ cup all purpose flour (scoop into measuring cup and level)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Berry part (bottom)
- 3 ¼ cups berries, fresh or frozen, Note 1
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon flour (only if using frozen berries)
Berry Compote (optional garnish)
- ¾ cup berries, fresh or frozen
- 2 tablespoons orange juice (from 1/2 medium orange)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- HEAT OVEN to 375F/190C.
- MAKE CAKE BATTER: Using an electric hand mixer (or a fork), blend soft butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in eggs, vanilla and orange zest. Combine flour and baking soda in a bowl (and a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter), then fold flour mixture into the wet ingredients gently with a rubber spatula just until fully combined. Don't overmix.
- PREPARE BERRIES: Grease the bottom and sides of an 8 x 8 inch (20×20 cm) pyrex or baking dish with butter or spray it with oil. Add berries (a little more or less won't matter). Sprinkle on 1 teaspoon flour if using frozen berries. Drizzle on 2 tablespoons maple syrup and give the berries a toss to coat evenly.
- ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Spoon cake batter over the berry filling, spreading it evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes for fresh berries or 35-38 minutes for frozen berries until the cake is golden brown. Insert a toothpick or cake tester into the cake part – if it comes out clean, it's done.
- MAKE BERRY COMPOTE (OPTIONAL): While cake is baking, place ¾ cup berries in a microwave-safe small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons each, orange juice and maple syrup. Microwave 3 minutes, mash up berries, then microwave another 1 minute (or a bit more if it's too loose). It will thicken on standing a bit.
- SERVE: Let the cake cool for 10 minutes. Spoon a serving into a bowl or plate and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or other ice cream, then a drizzel of berry compote if using.
Recipe Notes
- Berries: Any kind of frozen or fresh berries will work well. A 600 gram (21 ounces) bag of frozen berries is enough for the cake and compote. If you include rhubarb with your berries, you might need to add a little more sugar.
- Substitutes
- Sugar: Swap white sugar for brown for a hint of caramel flavor.
- Orange zest: Replace with lemon zest if you prefer.
- Flour: Sub ¼ cup (30g) with whole wheat for extra fiber, or use a 1:1 gluten-free blend. Check at 30 minutes and tent if needed if gluten free cake is browning too fast.
- Compote: Instead, try a maple drizzle. Whisk until smooth: 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1–2 tsp plant-based milk or lemon juice. For thicker glaze, use less liquid.
- Variations
- Toppings: Serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or yogurt. For crunch, sprinkle nuts or coconut on top of the cake before baking.
- Flavoring: Add chopped mint or basil to the berries for a fresh twist.
- Make-ahead:
- The berry cake is best served warm or at room temperature, but you can bake it a few hours ahead and reheat in the oven or microwave.
- It will still taste great the next day or two after storing it in an airtight container in the fridge and then reheating it. Store the compote separately.
- The compote (if using) can also be made in advance.
- You can also freeze leftovers in an airtight container (freeze compote separately) – just defrost in the fridge and microwave for a minute.
Scrumptious and works well with seasonal fruits too. Easy!
Glad you liked it! Thanks for leaving a comment – much appreciated 🙂