This berry buttermilk cake is a light and tender everyday cake, with jammy berries, a crunchy lid, and all the flavors of summer.
Course brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 25 minutesminutes
Total Time 45 minutesminutes
Servings 8(1 9-inch cake)
Author katiebirdbakes.com
Ingredients
4Tablespoons (56g)unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2/3cup (130g)granulated sugar
1large egg
1/2teaspoonalmond extract
Zest of 1 lemon(about 1 teaspoon)
1cup (125g)all-purpose flour
1/2teaspoonbaking powder
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
1/4teaspoonsalt
1/2cup (113g)buttermilk*
1cup (170g)fresh mixed berries(I used strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries - see tip on frozen berries in notes)
1 1/2Tablespoons (18g)granulated sugar, for topping
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease a 9-inch round cake pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar together with a hand mixer or stand mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. This will take longer than you think it should - keep going until it's quite pale in color.
Beat in the egg at medium speed until fully combined, then beat in almond extract and lemon zest.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add a third of the flour mixture to the batter, and mix at low speed until just combined. Pour in about a third of the buttermilk, then mix at low speed again until just combined. Continue alternating the rest of the flour and buttermilk. Mix just until combined each time - don't overmix. The batter will be quite thick.
Scoop the batter into the cake pan, and spread it out evenly. It will seem a rather thin cake layer, but don't worry, it will puff up in the oven. Arrange the berries evenly scattered over top of the batter. Sprinkle the 1 1/2 tablespoons of granulated sugar over top. Don't skip this step - it produces a lovely crunch when baked!
Bake until cake is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 22-25 minutes. Mine needed 25 - watch carefully, as my toothpick came out wet at 23 minutes but clean at 25!
Cool for 20 minutes in pan, then run a knife along the edges and invert onto a cooling rack or plate to cool completely. Note you'll actually have to invert it 2 times - once upside-down onto a rack, and then back upright again onto another rack or plate.
Serve cooled cake dusted with powdered sugar or topped with whipped cream!
Notes
*Homemade buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk on hand, just put 1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar into a measuring cup, and add regular milk until it measures 1/2 cup. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes - homemade buttermilk!
*To use frozen berries: fully defrost and drain them before using. If you bake while they're still frozen they will sink to the bottom of the cake!
Storage: cake keeps, well-wrapped at room temperature, for up to 1 day. For longer storage keep in the fridge (up to 5 days). Baked cake can be frozen, well-wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.