Bakewell Cake

The blackberries are starting on our allotment - especially fat and juicy this year because of the hot sun in June followed by all that rain in July. Blueberries have become new favourites everywhere but blackberries are free, local, organic and packed with vitamin C, so just as healthy as those (usually imported) fashionable ones.

They are delicious eaten raw if you choose the most swollen ones; they freeze beautifully for blackberry and apple crumbles in the winter; and they can be used in this quick cake. It keeps for a few days improving all the time.

Bakewell Cake


5 oz SR Flour
5oz ground almonds
5oz butter
5oz castor sugar
2 eggs

1. If the butter is soft, mix all together, in the processor for speed and preference. Add a spot of hot water or milk if it seems too stiff.
2. Put half into an 8''/20cm loose bottomed tin which you have greased and best of all, lined.
3. Put blackberries over - for maximum deliciousness you want to cover the mixture with at least one berry everywhere without putting so many that it leaks too much - not that it will be a disaster if it does.
4. Spread the rest of the mixture over, not worrying about the edges too much - it will spread itself.
5. Sprinkle flaked almonds on top.

Bake at No 4 for up to one hour, checking carefully after 50 minutes to make sure it is pale golden and cooked in the centre without being dry.

If you have a 18cm/7in tin, it will take a little longer, maybe 1hr 20 - it only needs to be golden, not brown.


Next time I make it, I am going to try putting the berries on top with a streusal topping instead of the almonds and serving it as a pudding. Let me know if you try this too.

You could use raspberries of course - or even good jam.


Streusal topping - optional


3oz P Flour
1 & 1/2 oz butter
1oz sugar
2oz almonds - flaked and chopped mixed or just use flaked


Make into a crumble mixture and sprinkle on top of the cake.