The berry basket cake

Have you ever been berry picking? When I was a little girl, I went strawberry picking with my mom and a family friend up in Gilroy, CA, and it is one of my sweetest memories from growing up! We hauled so many strawberries that we didn’t know what to do with them all. But I sure wish I had this berry cake recipe at the time to help me out!

I think we can all agree that one of the best things about summer is the produce, especially the beautiful, ripe, sweet berries that arrive for the season. Before COVID, one of my favorite things to do was to explore the Farmer’s Market on the weekends, trying all the different vendors’ berries, and picking the big heaping basket that I enjoyed the most. Things may be a little different now, but I’m still attempting to recreate that magical basket of berries from a Sunday morning at the market, just in a cake!

In this recipe, I’ve combined moist vanilla almond cake with a vanilla berry swirl frosting and berry compote made from a delicious mix of fresh berries that you can get at any market right now. One bite and you’ll get the brightness from the juicy berries but also the velvety rich flavor from the cake and the frosting. It’s a classic combination, but elevated to include a little marbling that you get from adding some of the compote juice to the frosting when decorating. Check out the recipe below!

The berry basket cake

Yield: (1) 6-inch round cake

INGREDIENTS

For the Vanilla Almond Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp pink himilayan salt

• 1/2 cup buttermilk

• 1/4 cup melted butter

• 1 eggs

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp almond extract

• 1/2 cup water

For the Berry Compote: 

• 2 cups of mixed fresh berries - strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, save a couple of berries for decorations

• 1 cup sugar

For the Vanilla Frosting:

• 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature

• 6 cups powdered sugar

• 4 tbsp heavy whipping cream

• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two 2 inch high x 6-inch diameter round cake tins with a butter spray and a little bit of flour to coat all sides. This will allow the cake to release from the pan easily.

2. For the cake, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Then add the melted butter, buttermilk, water, egg, vanilla, and almond extract to flour mixture. Whisk to incorporate at first, then whisk vigorously for 1 minute until the batter is smooth with no big lumps.

3. Distribute cake batter evenly among the cake tins, about 3/4 of the way high. Bake for about 30-35 minutes on the center rack, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack or somewhere else away from the oven. You can even put them in the refrigerator if you want!

4. While the cake is baking, make the berry compote by adding washed berries and sugar to a small pot on the stove. Heat on medium until sugar dissolves and begins coating the berries. Using a wooden spoon, fold the sugar syrup over the berries for a few seconds to coat them all without breaking up the berries too much, and then set aside to cool completely.

5. To make the frosting, whip the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer. Then, add the powered sugar 1 cup at a time to the butter as well as 1 tbsp of cream at a time, alternating between the two until all is incorporated. Add the vanilla and paste at the end. Whip the frosting on high for 1 minute until the frosting is fluffy and light. If you have piping bags, brush a little bit of the compote around the inside of the piping bag. Insert your favorite piping tip, cut the bottom off, and spoon the frosting into the piping bag. Twist the end to create pressure and seal the frosting in, and set aside until you’re ready to decorate.

6. Once the cakes are completely cool, release them from the pan gently. To help, put your hand on the cake, flip over the pan, and gently pat the tin until the cake releases. Using a serraded knife, level the each cake layer by cutting off the crusty top part about 1/4 inch and set aside. Then, slice each cake layer in half to create four layers altogether.

7. Assemble the cake by putting one layer of cake on a cake plate, cake board, or pedestal. Then pipe your frosting around the edge of the cake in a circle. In the center, take a spoonful of the berry compote and spread out evenly to the edges where the frosting is. Place another cake layer on top, and repeat the process one more time with the final cake layer on top. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes to let the frosting and filling set.

8. Using your piping bag or even an offset spatula, it’s time to crumb coat your cake! Spread the frosting evenly in the sides and top of the cake. Using an offset spatula, knife, or cake scraper, scrape any excess frosting off to ensure even coverage. Put back in the fridge to chill and set for at least 30 minutes.

9. Do the final coating of frosting using your spatula and any remaining frosting that’s left! Top with the rest of the berry compote and the extra fresh berries as a garnish! Place in fridge for up to 1-2 days to serve later or serve immediately!