Simple Berry Cake Recipe
Buttery cake tops a pile of juicy berries in this easy, rustic, cozy 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.
Servings (change as needed): 6 (or 9 small servings)
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 (20x20 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.
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.
Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 148mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 617IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1mg