Basil Berry Cake (Printable Version)
A vibrant cake combining fresh basil and mixed berries for a unique, moist dessert experience.
# Ingredient List:
→ Wet Ingredients
01 - 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 3 large eggs, brought to room temperature
04 - 1/2 cup whole milk
05 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
06 - 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves
→ Dry Ingredients
07 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
09 - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Fruit
11 - 1 1/2 cups mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, and/or strawberries), fresh or frozen
→ Optional Topping
12 - 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
13 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
14 - Fresh berries and basil leaves for garnish
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter and dust lightly with flour, tapping out any excess.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated before adding the next egg.
05 - Stir in the finely chopped fresh basil and vanilla extract until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
06 - Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet batter in three separate additions, alternating with the whole milk in two additions. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
07 - Gently fold the mixed berries into the batter using a spatula, taking care not to crush the fruit or overwork the batter.
08 - Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden.
09 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks form and dollop over slices. Garnish with fresh berries and basil leaves.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The basil disappears into the batter and leaves behind this gentle peppery sweetness that makes people close their eyes when they take the first bite.
- You can use whatever berries are languishing in your fridge, frozen or fresh, and it always works.
- It looks like something from a bakery window but comes together with one bowl and a wooden spoon.
02 -
- Frozen berries bleed more color into the batter than fresh ones, so toss them in a tablespoon of flour before folding them in to slow that down.
- Overmixing once the flour goes in is the fastest way to end up with a rubbery cake, so stop stirring the moment you no longer see dry patches.
- The basil flavor strengthens as the cake sits, so making it a day ahead actually improves it.
03 -
- If your berries are very tart, add an extra tablespoon of sugar to the batter, because the basil needs a little sweetness to reveal itself fully.
- Strip the basil leaves off their stems and chop them at the very last moment, because bruised basil that has been sitting on your board for twenty minutes loses its punch.