Summer Berry Layer Cake

Summer berry cake is everything I crave when the days turn warm and the fruit stalls brim with color. This beautiful two-layer cake overflows with juicy berries in every bite, gets an extra burst from a fresh berry coulis, and looks stunning with its berry-studded buttercream finish. If you love celebrating summer produce or need a showstopper for gatherings, you will adore this vibrant and fruity dessert.

Every time I serve this berry cake at family picnics or summer birthdays it disappears in minutes and always gets requests for the recipe.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter: for richness and moisture in both the cake and the lush buttercream select the freshest blocks with a clean aroma for best flavor
• Caster sugar: for fine texture and sweet crumb look for sugar with sparkling fresh grains that pour smoothly
• Self raising flour: helps the cake rise light and fluffy check your flour for freshness and a soft feel with no lumps
• Medium eggs: bind everything together and add richness pick eggs with clean uncracked shells for optimal results
• Summer berries: a mix of strawberries raspberries blueberries and blackberries bring color moisture and a tart pop use firm plump berries that smell sweet
• Icing sugar: gives the buttercream a smooth and fluffy texture sift to remove lumps if needed
• Fruit coulis: a simple sauce made from fresh berries and sugar that adds moisture and extra berry flavor to the cake and frosting use ripe berries and pure white sugar for a vibrant sauce

• Tips for choosing great berries: shop at local farmers markets when possible and look for berries with lively color and no soft spots

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prep the Cake Tins:

Butter and line two deep twenty centimeter round tins with parchment pressing the paper smoothly all the way up the sides

Mix the Batter:

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer add your butter sugar self raising flour and eggs Beat until completely smooth and the color is pale yellow Alternatively you can cream the butter and sugar first then add the eggs one at a time and fold in the flour For an extra light cake spend a few extra minutes on this step

Fold in the Berries:

Gently fold about four hundred grams of fresh mixed berries through the batter Use a spatula and be careful not to crush the berries so you get lovely bursts of fruit in every slice

Bake the Cakes:

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared tins Level the tops and place in the center of an oven preheated to one hundred eighty degrees Celsius or one hundred sixty Celsius if using a fan oven Bake for forty to forty five minutes or until the cakes are golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean Listen for a quiet cake with no crackling or bubbling noise

Cool Completely:

Remove cakes from the oven and allow them to cool in their tins for about thirty minutes Gently lift onto a wire rack keeping the baking paper underneath to help prevent sticking and let them cool completely

Make the Berry Coulis:

While cakes cool combine three hundred grams of mixed berries and one hundred grams of caster sugar in a medium saucepan Remove the tops from the strawberries and chop them to roughly match the size of your other berries Heat gently stirring often and mashing the berries as they soften When everything is syrupy and sweet blend until smooth then pass through a sieve for a silky sauce Cool fully and refrigerate if not using right away

Prepare the Buttercream:

Beat two hundred grams of room temperature unsalted butter until it is very light and fluffy Slowly mix in four hundred grams of sifted icing sugar until combined then add three to four tablespoons of cooled berry coulis and continue to beat until fully mixed and pale pink

Assemble and Decorate the Cake:

Place one cake layer onto a serving platter or cake stand Spread half the berry buttercream evenly to the edges Lay the second cake layer on top and cover with the remaining buttercream Arrange a generous heap of fresh strawberries raspberries blackberries blueberries and red currants on top Drizzle with the extra coulis for a dramatic finish

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The house always smells like sweet berries when I make this cake and strawberries from our garden are my favorite part nothing beats their scent swirling up with the buttery batter

Storage Tips

For best freshness keep this cake in the refrigerator especially if your kitchen is warm The high moisture from all those berries helps keep the cake soft but also means it is best eaten within two or three days Let your slices come to room temperature for the creamiest texture before serving

Ingredient Substitutions

Any summer berries work beautifully If you have only blueberries or just raspberries use those Frozen berries are a handy swap but you might need to bake the cake a touch longer due to extra liquid If you are short on time or berries you can use a good quality store bought berry coulis without sacrificing flavor

Serving Suggestions

This cake is beautiful with a scoop of vanilla ice cream beside it on a hot day For a brunch treat try thin slices with yogurt and extra fresh berries left over For simple elegance serve on its own with a cup of hot tea or iced lemonade

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Cultural Joy of Berry Cakes

Summer berry cakes like this tradition echo the joyous mood of berry picking season across Europe and North America Using what is ripe and bursting with flavor turns humble pantry ingredients into a celebration Nearly every family I know has some version of a berry cake recipe and each bite feels like summer

Frequently Asked Questions About Recipes

→ What types of berries work best for this cake?

A mix of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and red currants delivers the best flavor and contrast in the layers and decoration.

→ Can I use frozen berries instead of fresh?

Frozen berries can be used, but expect the cake to be slightly moister and to require a longer baking time due to extra juice released during baking.

→ How do I prevent the berries from sinking to the bottom?

Tossing berries lightly in flour before folding into the batter helps distribute them evenly and limits sinking.

→ How long can the cake be stored?

Because of the fresh fruit, the cake is best enjoyed the same day but can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Chilling may firm up the texture slightly.

→ Is homemade coulis necessary or can I use store-bought?

Homemade coulis delivers the freshest taste, but store-bought versions work well too if you’re short on time.

→ Can the cake be made in advance?

You can prepare the sponge layers one day ahead and store well wrapped. Frost and decorate just before serving for the best freshness.