Last Updated on June 22, 2024 by Lisa Keys
This summer berry brunch cake is sure to add some star spangled sweetness to your 4th of July festivities. Whether you're picking berries at a local farm or lucky enough to pluck them from your own backyard start your day with this fruity light cake. Heck, just go buy the berries at the grocery store. It's all good.
And while you're at it grab a friend to bake with you. This recipe is super child friendly and so fun to decorate with the berries. Let your little sous chef be creative and place those berries any which way. After baking one cake with my grand-daughter she decided she needed a chef's hat for our future endeavors. Teaching her is such a joy. She's a total sponge and cleans as she goes. That's my girl.
Summer Berry Brunch Cake Options
Back to this easy summer berry brunch cake. It's just a basic coffee cake, but with options. Choose a square pan or a deep dish pie plate to bake in. Then choose your favorite berries. Berries are one of the best crops to grow in your very own back yard. I love to garden, so I am growing strawberries, blackberries and those tiny French strawberries known as frais. They are like little super sweet jewels. Just for the record, I have been a complete failure at growing blueberries. Do you have a garden?
Finally, choose your edge. Sometimes I like slivered almonds for the crunch, but then husband loves a cinnamon kissed pecan streusel. Truthfully, going naked is just fine, too.
I hope you all have kicked off the summer surrounded by those you love most. It has just been too long. Let me know if you bake this summer berry brunch cake. Happy Independence for all. Celebrate with cake.
Summer Berry Brunch Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon or lime
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup buttermilk
- Assorted fresh berries large ones cut in half, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries
- Optional: slivered almonds or streusel see note
Instructions
- Heat oven 350F. Butter an 8-inch square pan or 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and zest for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. Add egg and vanilla; blend well. Add buttermilk and flour mixture; blend well.
- Pour batter into desired pan. Top with berries, placing cut sides down. Most of the batter should be covered in berries.
- Sprinkle almonds or streusel just around edge of cake, if desired.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325F and continue baking 45 to 50 minutes or until golden and cake springs back when touched with the tip of your finger.
- Serve warm topped with yogurt or whipped cream.
Lisa Keys
So damn good.