A stunning three layer 6-inch Lemon Blackberry Cake.
Ingredients
Lemon blackberry cake
- 315 grams (2 and 1/4 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 250 grams (1 and 1/4 cups) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 230 grams (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, roughly chopped
- Zest of two lemons, freshly grated
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 240 ml (1 cup) full fat or whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 90 grams (3/4 cup) fresh blackberries, chopped into thirds
Lemon crumbs
- 105 grams (3/4 cup) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornflour or corn starch
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Zest of one lemon, freshly grated
- 60 grams (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
White chocolate buttercream
- 230 grams (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 150 grams (1 cup) good quality white chocolate, broken into pieces
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 375 grams (3 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons whole or full fat milk, room temperature
To assemble
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) full fat or whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 130 grams (1/2 cup) blackberry jam
- Fresh blackberries, to decorate, optional
Instructions
- Lemon blackberry cake
Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Grease and line a quarter sheet pan (9 by 13 inches) with baking or parchment paper. - In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk briefly. Add butter and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed, until butter is broken into small pea-sized pieces.
- Next, add lemon zest, eggs, milk and vanilla. Start to beat on low speed and then turn up to medium speed. Add lemon juice and continue to beat just until combine and smooth. Gently fold through the blackberries by hand.
- Pour cake batter into your prepared pan. Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave cake in pan to cool completely.
- Lemon crumbs
Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Line a medium-sized oven tray or cookie sheet with baking or parchment paper. - In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, cornflour, salt and lemon zest. Whisk together. Pour over melted butter, along with the vanilla, stir until crumbs are fully coated. They should look like wet sand.
- Pour cookie crumbs on to prepared tray and spread out into one layer. Bake for 10 minutes, then leave crumbs to cool completely.
- White chocolate buttercream
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and creamy. Meanwhile melt the chocolate in a microwave, stirring in between 20 second bursts, until just melted and set aside. - Add vanilla, half the sugar and one tablespoon of milk to the butter and beat until combined. Add the remaining sugar and beat until smooth.
- Add melted chocolate, ensuring the chocolate is still smooth and melted but is not warm. Beat until the chocolate is completely mixed through. If frosting is too thick, add an extra tablespoon of milk.
- To assemble
Gently remove cooled cake from pan and remove baking paper. Cut out three 6-inch layers using a six inch cake ring. Note the diagram below – you’ll get two whole layers and two semicircles. - Place the six-inch cake ring on a cake board or plate. Line the inside of the cake ring with a sheet of acetate. Place the two semicircles of cake at the bottom. Press down the cake firmly. If there are any gaps, use extra cake scraps to fill in the holes and press down firmly to make one even layer.
- Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the milk soak (milk and vanilla combined) over the first cake layer. Add one third of the buttercream and spread out into one even layer using the back of a dessert spoon. Add 2-3 tablespoons of jam and swirl it into the buttercream. Scatter over a handful of lemon cookie crumbs.
- Add another layer of cake and press down firmly. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the milk soak over the cake layer. Add another third of buttercream and spread into one layer. Add 2-3 tablespoons of jam and swirl it into the buttercream. Scatter over a handful of lemon cookie crumbs.
- Add final cake layer and press down firmly. Add remaining buttercream and spread it out into one even layer. Add 2-3 tablespoons jam and swirl it into the buttercream. Scatter over remaining cookie crumbs.
- Place cake in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set. To serve, remove acetate and add fresh blackberries to the top.
Notes
Blackberries: I recommend using fresh blackberries in the lemon sponge. But if you choose to use frozen ones, do not thaw them. Add them into the cake batter frozen and stir very gently to minimise bleeding.
Cornflour: If you don’t have access to cornflour, replace it with an extra level tablespoon of flour.
White chocolate: I recommend using a block of good quality white chocolate. I find blocks of chocolate tend to melt more easily, compared to chocolate chips, melts or bits. Just make sure your chocolate is lovely and smooth before adding it to your buttercream. If it has seized at all – don’t use it.
Cutting out the cake layers: You’ll need to cut out three layers of cake – but you won’t get three perfect circles. You’ll need to cut out two circles and two half moons that you can then use to create the bottom layer. Don’t worry, no one will know. See diagram below.
MAKE AHEAD
Lemon blackberry cake: Fresh is best but you can make the cake a day in advance. Once it’s completely cooled, wrap it in plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature.
Cookie crumbs: You can easily make these cookie crumbs in advance. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
White chocolate buttercream: You can make the buttercream in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. To bring it back to life, let it come back to room temperature. Add a touch of milk and then beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
