I’ve been savoring the last gasp of summer with blackberries I picked and froze during the warmer months. This recipe is an adaptation of Nigella Lawson’s lemon polenta cake which I whipped up after one of my many blackberry picking excursions, when all those beautiful blackberries were still fresh. With the wonders of frozen fruit, you can enjoy this recipe year round, not just after going out blackberry picking.
This cake is delightfully simple and the blackberries make for a mildly tart, almost jammy, topping. It’s an excellent afternoon snack or sweet breakfast. Have it with an iced green tea for a truly delightful experience.
Ingredients
- Blackberries
- Brown sugar
- Butter, salted or unsalted (I like using salted) and softened to room temperature
- Granulated sugar or, if you can find it, caster sugar
- Almond flour
- Finely ground polenta or a corn meal such as Pan
- Baking powder
- Eggs, room temperature if possible
- Lemons
- Powdered sugar
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- One 10-inch cake pan
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Microplane or other fine grater for zesting the lemons
Method
Preheat the oven to 350oF, then prep your pan and ingredients.
Wash all of the fruit (blackberries and lemons) and then zest and juice both lemons.
Optional 2nd step: combine the lemon zest with the sugar and rub between your fingers to distribute the lemon zest and release the oils for a more fragrant cake.
Trace the bottom of a 10-inch cake pan onto a sheet of parchment paper and cut the circle out. Butter the cake pan and then place the parchment paper circle on the bottom, pressing down so that it sticks to the butter.
Melt the brown sugar together with two tablespoons (28g) of the butter over medium heat.
Once they have melted, add in the washed blackberries and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until the blackberries have started to break apart. Turn off the heat and allow to cool while you make the cake batter.
Weigh out your flours into a medium bowl, add the baking powder and salt, and whisk to combine.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the lemon zest, butter, and sugar together until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add one egg to the butter mixture and beat until combined, then add roughly 1/3 of the flour mixture. When the flour has mostly incorporated, repeat the process, alternating egg and flour until both are fully incorporated. The batter will be thick and look slightly rough from the polenta and almond flour.
Pour the cooled blackberry mixture into the prepared pan. Spread the clumps of blackberry out so they are distributed evenly over the parchment paper lining and there are no areas of parchment paper visible.
Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out so it touches all the edges and the surface is flat and even.
Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
When the cake comes out of the oven, make the lemon syrup. Combined the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and heat until the powdered sugar dissolves completely, whisking to break up any clumps.
Poke holes in the cake with a toothpick (see the pattern of holes below), then gently pour the syrup over the cake, making sure to coat the entire surface. It might look like there’s too much liquid on the cake, but the syrup will completely soak into the cake over the course of a minute or two.
Wait to remove the cake from the pan until it is entirely cool. Slide a knife around the edge to release the cake, then invert onto a serving plate. Peel the parchment paper off the bottom of the cake and serve. Enjoy!
Blackberry Lemon Upside Down Cake
This cake is delightfully simple and the blackberries make for a mildly tart, almost jammy, topping. It's an excellent afternoon snack or sweet breakfast. Have it with an iced green tea for a truly delightful experience.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Grease a 9 inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
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In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar with 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of the butter on medium-low until the butter melts.Â
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Add in the blackberries and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the blackberries have partially broken down, 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool while preparing the batter.
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Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and set aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest together until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
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Add one egg and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add half of the flour mixture and beat until combined. Repeat with the rest of the eggs and flour mixture, alternating between the eggs and flour for each addition.
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Pour the blackberry mixture into the prepared pan and gently spread with a spoon until it evenly covers the bottom. Spoon the cake batter on top of the blackberry mixture, then spread out the batter to entirely cover the blackberries.
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Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
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While the cake is cooling, combine the lemon juice and powdered sugar together in a small saucepan. Heat over med-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, then remove from the heat.
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Using a toothpick or skewer, poke holes in the cake 1-1.5 inches apart, then gently pour the syrup over the cake. Let cool completely, then invert the pan onto a plate, peel of the parchment paper, and serve.