Basil Berry Cake (Printable)
Vibrant cake marrying fresh basil with sweet mixed berries. Ideal for summer gatherings and special celebrations.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake Batter
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - ½ cup buttermilk
10 - ¼ cup whole milk
11 - ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
12 - 1 cup mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries), fresh or frozen
→ Basil Berry Frosting
13 - ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
14 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
15 - 2 tablespoons whole milk (plus more as needed)
16 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
17 - ½ cup mixed berries, mashed
→ Garnish
18 - Fresh berries for decorating
19 - Small fresh basil leaves for decorating
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale, light, and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract.
05 - In a small measuring cup or bowl, combine the buttermilk and whole milk.
06 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture, alternating with the milk mixture. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined; avoid overmixing.
07 - Gently fold the finely chopped fresh basil and mixed berries into the batter using a spatula. Fold until evenly distributed without overworking the batter.
08 - Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
09 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
10 - Beat the unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and whole milk, beating continuously until the frosting is light and fluffy. Fold in the chopped basil and mashed berries until evenly blended.
11 - Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the basil berry frosting evenly over the top and sides. Garnish with fresh berries and small basil leaves.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The basil does something sneaky and wonderful, it makes the berries taste more like themselves without announcing it loudly.
- That purple pink swirled frosting earns gasps every single time you set the cake down on a table.
02 -
- Frozen berries bleed more color into the batter than fresh ones, so if you want a cleaner look, thaw and pat them dry first or stick with fresh.
- The cake must be completely cool before frosting, and I mean completely, because even slightly warm cake will melt that beautiful frosting into a translucent puddle.
03 -
- Toss your berries in a spoonful of flour before folding them in. The light coating prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the pan during baking.
- Taste your basil before you chop it because bunches vary wildly in potency, and adjust the amount up or down based on how strongly it smells when you tear a leaf.