If you’d told younger me that I’d one day be writing a recipe for a fruit cake, I would’ve rolled my eyes and offered you literally anything else sweet — a custard tart, a Chomp bar, even stale biscuits before I reached for a slice of fruit cake.
Growing up, fruit cake was always there around Christmas. Sitting on the kitchen counter like a guest nobody invited but who still manages to dominate the room. My gran loved the stuff. And I love my gran, may she rest in peace, but I couldn’t for the life of me understand how she voluntarily chewed through what I can only describe as a brick of raisins, booze, and regret.
So imagine my confusion years later when I bit into a fresh berry cream cake and went, “Wait. This has fruit in it… and I like it?”
It was like God said, “See? I’m still in the business of transformation.” 😂
Turns out, fruit in cake doesn’t have to be tragic. It can be light, creamy, fresh, and actually delicious. So today, I’m sharing a recipe that’s now one of my go-to feel-good bakes — a Fresh Berry Cream Cake that tastes like sunshine and second chances.
🍓 Fresh Berry Cream Cake Recipe
This one’s soft, fluffy, a little tangy, and ridiculously good. It’s perfect for summer days, birthdays, or just because you deserve something nice.
✨ Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 1 ½ cups cake flour (or all-purpose + 1 tbsp cornflour)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temp
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk (or buttermilk if you’re feeling fancy)
For the whipped cream:
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 3 tbsp icing sugar (or to taste)
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
For the berry filling:
- 2 cups mixed fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries — whatever you vibe with)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
🧁 Instructions:
1. Bake the cake:
Preheat your oven to 175°C. Grease two 8-inch cake tins (or one and slice it in half later, if you’re brave).
In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until it’s fluffy and pale — like clouds if they were edible. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients alternating with milk, starting and ending with dry. Don’t overmix. Bake for 25–30 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool completely.
2. Prep the berries:
Toss berries with sugar and lemon juice. Let them sit for about 10 mins so they get juicy and dramatic.
3. Whip the cream:
Whip cream, icing sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Not stiff — we’re not making meringue, just vibes.
4. Assemble:
Layer your cake:
- Cake
- Whipped cream
- Berries
Repeat. Finish with more cream and a dramatic crown of berries on top. You deserve drama.
Pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes if you can wait. Or just grab a fork and go in.
Final Thoughts
It’s funny how things change. What used to be a symbol of \”Eish, not this again\” has now transformed into a sweet reminder that maybe fruit in cake just needed a glow-up.
This cake feels like healing. Like forgiveness. Like realising maybe my gran was onto something — even if her version was… a bit intense.
Try it. Share it. Or make it just for yourself with zero guilt.
Because fruit cake walked so berry cream cake could slay. 💅🏾
💛 If this post made you smile, helped you heal, or just made you hungry — you can support me with a small love offering here. Every little bit helps me keep baking, writing, and sharing from the heart.