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Sweet berries and buttery cake are perfectly combined in this very easy six-ingredient Berry Cake recipe.
Berry Cake
If you’ve fallen in love with the Cranberry Christmas Cake and then been sad to find that cranberries are out of season the next time you want to make it, this cake is the answer to your cake-loving dreams.
The biggest comment I get when cranberry season ends is – I can’t find cranberries. Can I use blueberries? Will raspberries work? Can I make this cake with other berries? Lucky for you the answer to all of those questions is a resounding “YES”.
But in all seriousness, make a note and pick up extra bags of cranberries to freeze after Christmas. Sometimes you’ll be lucky enough to find them marked down after a holiday, but either way, pick up as many as you think you’ll want and then grab a few more.
No special treatment or preparation is required when freezing cranberries. Just toss the bags into your freezer for safekeeping.
There is no other cake on this site that gets the rave reviews the Cranberry Christmas Cake does and I am giddy to tell you that this berry cake. It has already gotten some of the same raving reviews.
A friend who shall not be named <cough> 365 Days of Baking <cough> may have helped me consume a ridiculous amount of this cake when I made it again to photograph it a while back.
While I love making this to share with my family, friends, and neighbors, I also enjoy savoring a slice with some quiet time, and a cup of coffee mid-morning.
The texture and crumb are just delightful. The sugary crust is so buttery crisp. I could talk nonstop about this cake – it is that good!
Triple Berry Cake
A cake with only six ingredients is a bit unique, I know. I highly suggest reading the FAQs on the original recipe I adapted this one from.
Click here to learn the secret to how just six ingredients make such a delicious cake.
You’ll need to beat the eggs with the sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5-7 minutes. The mixture should almost double in size.
The eggs work as your leavening agent in this recipe, so do not skip this step. This mixture should form a ribbon when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.
This is KEY to this cake. Don’t skip this step. Trust the process.
Berry Cake Recipe
To make this recipe, you will need these six ingredients:
- eggs
- sugar
- butter
- vanilla
- all-purpose flour
- frozen mixed berries
You’ll want to avoid using frozen mixed berries that have huge chunks of strawberries. The larger berries won’t bake up as nicely. My favorite blend of frozen berries for this recipe has blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries.
Mid-devouring the berry cake, the first time I made it, I realized lemon zest would be a tasty addition. So, I added a bit of lemon zest the next time. Oddly enough, I preferred it without the hint of lemon as did both of my friends who tried it as well.
Turns out that the berry combination contributes plenty of tangy flavor on its own. However, if you love lemon (and can’t imagine not adding it) the cake made with lemon zest was excellent as well.
Snack Cakes
Quick and easy snack cake recipes have become something I reach for on a regular basis. With minimal effort, you can have a treat on hand or in the freezer ready to share with friends or enjoy with an afternoon cup of tea or coffee.
Tender buttery Peach Coffee Cake is filled with sweet bites of peach and topped with an irresistible brown sugar crumb topping – what is not to love??
Fresh cranberries and a hint of lemon combine in this incredibly moist brown sugar streusel Cranberry Coffee Cake.
Banana Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing is a super moist banana cake filled with pecans and then drizzled with cinnamon cream cheese icing.
Fresh blackberry frosting and citrusy lemon combine in a delicious way in this ultra-moist Lemon Blackberry Cake. Every bite of this cake reminds me of summer.
Berry Cake
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour*
- 2 cups frozen mixed berries see note below
*Gluten-Free Alternative
- 1¼ cups brown rice flour
- ½ cup potato starch
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. With a mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5-7 minutes. The mixture should almost double in size. The eggs work as your leavening agent in this recipe, so do not skip this step. This mixture should form a ribbon when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.
- Add the butter and vanilla; mix two more minutes. Stir in the flour until just combined. This will be a very thick batter. Add the berries and stir to mix throughout.
- Transfer the batter to a buttered or parchment lined 9×13 pan. (This pan is my favorite!) Use your hands to press it into an even layer.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. (Mine is typically done in around 42 minutes.)
- Let cool completely before cutting into pieces.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This cake was easy and delicious! I’ve made it twice , and it is now in my “favorite recipe” binder.
Thank you so much for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it, Stel230! I’m so glad you did!
Did you not find it strange that there was no baking powder or soda?
As explained above, the extended beating process for the eggs provides the necessary leavening for this recipe.
Please can we have recipes in grams as well. Cups are inaccurate way of measuring if you’re not used to using them.
do I thaw the berries or add them frozen?? also can I use cherries??
Cherries will work fine. I add the berries frozen.
Immediate reply please! Hi Mary, I’m just about to make this and thought hmm..no baking soda or powder…is that correct?
As explained above, the extended beating process for the eggs provides the necessary leavening for this recipe.
loved this recipe. cake was delicious and easy to make. Thank you!
I’m so glad to hear that!
Do you think you could use granulated monk fruit sweetener instead of sugar?
I’m guessing that will work fine, but I haven’t tried it myself.
Good looking cake but waaaay too sweet for me. I love the tartness of berries and wonder it only half the sugar could be used? Would I need to add more flour or another ingredient to ensure the cake still sets properly? Would really be interested in any advice for cutting out sugar to make it less sweet in taste.
You could probably lower the sugar from 2 cups to 1 1/2 cups without an issue, but much less than that could cause a problem. I wouldn’t add more flour though.
Was looking for a way to use up frozen mixed berries in my freezer and found this recipe. Came out really tasty! Would definitely make this again 🙂
My modifications:
– Used 1.5 cups of sugar instead of 2. It was the perfect level of sweetness! If I had used 2 it would have been too sweet.
– Used unsalted butter, added .25 teaspoon of salt.
– Sifted the flour to introduce more air
– My berry mix had strawberries. I just cut them up into smaller pieces and it was not a problem.
Thank you for this recipe!
I’m so glad you like the cake! It’s one of my favorites.
I have made this cake several times. I substitute the butter with plain nonfat greek yogurt since we need to watch our saturated fat intake! It always turns out perfect and is quickly devoured! Wondering, can you use dried cranberries?
That would likely make a tasty cake, but it will change the texture significantly without all the moisture from the berries.
Just found your receipe and want to make it for my bunco group but i was thinking of using fresh berries. Is there any changes i need to make in making it or baking it. Thank you
This should work fine with fresh berries, if you have an abundance on hand.
What if I don’t have a mixer can I mix it by hand?
Unfortunately, the magic of this particular cake is achieved by the very lengthy beating process. (That’s how the cake is leavened.) If you can beat it by hand for as long as it tastes to achieve a ribbon texture with the eggs and sugar, it should be fine. Otherwise, I’d try adding a teaspoon or two of baking powder. It won’t be exactly the same, but it should work.
I’m 13 and this was so easy to make and delicious, the top got a tiny bit crispy and it tasted like melted sugar, the middle was super moist. I used just blueberries and it was still good.
Awe! I’m so glad to hear it!
Do you think sour cherries would work for this
I don’t know why not. If you try it, let me know what you think!
Mary, this is the worst cake I’ve ever had in my life. This is a crime against humanity.
Wow. The worst cake of your life? AND a crime against humanity? That almost feels like an accomplishment in my book. Any other notes to share? What exactly qualifies it for that title, Emma? I’m curious. Did you change anything in the recipe? Any substitutions? This is actually a favorite cake for a number of people, so I’d love to know what might have gone wrong for you. Feel free to provide more detailed feedback, if you’d like more assistance with the recipe.
What is wrong with you? How do you think we are going to take away any advice from you if you do not elaborate on what you didn’t like about the cake? This is by far the most ignorant response to an online baking website I have ever read. You are unhelpful to say the very least.
In the oven now.
I hope that you love it as much as we do!
I accidentally defrosted the frozen berries, so I used a strainer to add the berries without adding the juice. It came out great! Just sharing in case ianyone else makes the same mistake
That’s a great tip, Thanks!