Wild Blackberry & Lemon Cake with Blackberry Fool
From the amount of blackberry recipes I have seen recently, it seems that there is an abundance of wild blackberries growing everywhere. Everywhere that is except here. Despite keeping an eye out when taking the dog for a walk, our hedgerows seem to be full of amber and russet coloured unripe fruit, not juicy black berries. I have been waiting to make this cake for weeks, I just need some of those elusive berries. For the first time this week, it is sunshine rather than rain that greets me when I open the front door. Confident that there must be some blackberries somewhere and I am not looking in the right places, I set off with an optimistically large basket.
I wander along my usual route following the paths along the edge of fields, but other than the occasional lone berry, I feel destined to be disappointed. After about three quarters of an hour I have barely enough blackberries to put in a muffin, let along a cake. I am just about to give up my quest when I spot one of the villagers coming towards me with his two bouncing terriers. He eyes my paltry gatherings and says 'You won't find blackberries worth having here'. I fully expect to go home empty handed at this point, but to my surprise as he passes by, he adds ' If you go up through the gate at the top of this field into the next, the hedge is full of them'. I thank him and reluctantly trudge back up the hill, now feeling hot and bothered with the midday sun beating down on me. Convinced I am on a fools errand, my expectations are pretty low, but as I head through the gate and round the corner, there is the living proof that its not what you know, its who you know. Sadly the rain has spoilt many of the largest berries, but there are plenty enough to make this lovely cake and possibly a small crumble.
This Wild Blackberry & Lemon Cake is not just good, it is beyond good. I realise that is quite high praise, but if I had to chose one cake recipe that is guaranteed crowd pleaser, this it. The juicy berries dotted throughout the citrus infused sponge are a delight, but you could substitute the blackberries for blueberries or raspberries if you prefer. Be sure to serve the cream fool alongside as it is the perfect accompaniment, transforming this simple cake into an indulgent autumn desert.
Wild Blackberry & Lemon Cake with Blackberry Fool
Recipe Type: Baking
Author: Women's Weekly
Prep time: 50 mins
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 50 mins
Serves: 8
Ingredients
125g unsalted butter, softened plus a little extra for greasing the tin
165g caster sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
2 eggs, lightly beaten
150g self raising flour, sifted
60g ground almonds
125g sour cream
150g blackberries, fresh or frozen (or blueberries/raspberries)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
75g caster sugar
1 tablespoon icing sugar
250ml double or whipping cream
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/Gas mark 3.
Grease and line a 11cm x 26cm loaf tin with baking paper.
Place the butter, sugar and lemon rind in a mixer and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the beaten egg, little by little, beating well after each addition until combined.
Gently fold in the sifted flour, ground almonds and sour cream.
Spoon half the mixture into the tin and spread evenly.
Add a third of the blackberries pressing lightly into the mixture, top with the remaining mixture and smooth surface.
Tap the tin on the worktop to settle the mixture.
Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and leave the cake to cool slightly in its tin for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile heat the lemon juice, water and remaining caster sugar in a small pan over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
Bring the syrup to the boil and then turn down the heat to a simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Pour the hot syrup over the cake in the pan and stand for 20 minutes before removing from the tim and allowing to cool completely.
Add the icing sugar to the remaining blackberries and crush lightly with a fork.
Whisk the cream until soft peaks form and lightly fold in the crushed blackberries.
Serve the cake in slices, with a large dollop of the blackberry fool.