There is something particularly satisfying about an almond cake. It is denser than a classic sponge, slightly chewy around the edges and rich enough to feel indulgent without becoming heavy. Add fresh blackberries and the balance changes completely.

Their sharp, juicy flavour lifts the buttery almond base, while a bright purple glaze gives the finished cake a little drama without requiring complicated decorating. The charm of this cake is in the contrast: rich nuts, tart berries and a soft crumb that stays moist for days.

What You’ll Need

180 g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

180 g caster sugar

150 g ground almonds

80 g plain flour

1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp fine sea salt

500 g blackberries, washed

3 large eggs

1½ tsp vanilla extract

200 g icing sugar

Serves 8–10.

Preparation takes about 10 minutes, while baking takes 45–55 minutes, plus cooling time.

1. Prepare the Tin

Heat the oven to 190°C, or 170°C fan.

Grease a 20 cm springform cake tin and line the base with baking paper. This cake is naturally moist because of the ground almonds and berries, so lining the tin properly makes removal much easier once it has cooled.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients

Add the caster sugar, ground almonds, plain flour, lemon zest, baking powder and sea salt to a large bowl.

Whisk everything together until evenly distributed.

Add 300 g of the blackberries and gently toss them through the dry mixture.

Tip: coating the berries before adding the wet ingredients helps distribute them more evenly through the batter instead of letting them sink immediately to the bottom.

3. Make the Batter

In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold gently until everything comes together into a smooth, thick batter. Avoid vigorous mixing. Ground almonds already give the cake plenty of structure and richness, so there is no need to beat the mixture heavily. The batter should look soft but substantial, with whole berries scattered throughout.

4. Bake Until Set

Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 45–55 minutes.

The cake is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top begins to colour too quickly before the centre is baked, loosely cover it with foil for the final part of the cooking time. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.

Why it works: allowing an almond-based cake to cool before moving it gives the crumb time to firm up, reducing the risk of breaking.

5. Make the Blackberry Glaze

While the cake cools, mash 150 g of the remaining blackberries in a small bowl. Push them through a fine sieve to separate the juice from the seeds and pulp.

Place the icing sugar in another bowl and add 3 tablespoons of blackberry juice. Mix until smooth. If the glaze feels too thick, add up to 1 extra tablespoon of juice. You are looking for a texture similar to thick cream: loose enough to pour, but not so thin that it disappears into the cake.

6. Decorate Slowly

Once the cake has completely cooled, remove it from the tin and transfer it to a serving plate. Pour the blackberry glaze slowly over the top, letting some of it naturally move toward the edges. Finish by gently pressing the remaining 50 g of fresh blackberries into the glaze. There is no need for perfect placement. The deep colour of the berries already makes the cake look impressive.

Serve and Store

Slice the cake once the glaze has settled slightly. It works well on its own, but a spoonful of plain yoghurt or lightly whipped cream makes a good addition if you want something softer alongside it. Stored in the refrigerator, the cake keeps for up to 3 days.