Bramble Crumble Cake
When I was young my father used to take us along the side of a disused railway track not too far from the terraced house where we lived. The experience stuck in my head; we were collecting our own food and it was delicious, messy and fun. Now I am “grown up” and have my own daughter (Mia) and I want to share the experience with her.
Brambles grow in hedgerows and on unused ground and are exactly the same as the blackberries you buy in the shop. It always astounds me why people would choose to buy them from supermarkets when I can almost guarantee everyone in England has a bramble patch close to where they live. Still, the fear of being “different” seems to put most people off – they somehow think the ones in the shop must be better – purer, tastier, or whatever.
So, my aim this bank holiday weekend is to encourage you all to go out and pick some brambles, take them home and eat them. You don’t have to do anything fancy; a bowl of brambles with cream is delicious, as is a bramble and apple crumble. You could also try – as I am going to very soon – making your own bramble liqueur. My final suggestion is of course this cake; one which is so simple to make and combines a cake and crumble together, giving the best of both experiences.
Recipe: Bramble Crumble Cake
Summary: A “bramble” is another name for a wild blackberry, a fruit which can be found growing in hedgerows everywhere. This cake combines two delicious desserts into one, for those who can’t decide which to bake!
Ingredients
- 120g / 1 cup Self Raising Flour
- 120g / 1/2 cup Caster Sugar
- 120g / 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- 2 Handfuls Brambles (Blackberries), washed and dried
- 2 Eggs
- 120g / 1 cup Plain Flour
- 50g 1/2 cup Diced Unsalted Butter
- 50g / 0.25 cup Golden Caster Sugar
Method
- First turn your oven on at 180c (355f) and butter the inside of a 500g loaf tin.
- Next mix together the butter and caster sugar (120g) for about 5 minutes until pale.
- Add the eggs one at a time with a spoonful of the self-raising flour, mixing in. Finally mix in the remaining flour.
- Empty your cake mix into the tin, smoothing it a little with the back of a spoon, Cover the surface of the cake batter with the brambles, a single layer deep.
- Put the remaining ingredients into a bowl, then begin to push the butter into the flour with your fingertips. Keep doing this until it resembles breadcrumbs, then empty on top of the brambles, covering evenly.
- Put the cake tin into the oven for about 45 minutes until the top is slightly golden and crispy.
Quick notes
The recipe source erroneously said to use plain flour for the cake, without stating to add any raising agent like baking powder. That has been fixed in this recipe.
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Cooking time: 45 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 8