I was out walking Ringo whilst visiting my parents in West Sussex last week, lamenting that I hadn’t had the foresight to bring along a container so that I could pick blackberries when I realised that an unused dog-poo bag would do nicely. I managed to pick over a kilo of berries there were so many; but then I had to decide what to do with them all! I chose to make three things to use them all up, this cake was the first.
This is not a pretty cake, but it is delicious; a little bit of ground star anise gives it a delicate aniseed flavour, but you can easily replace it with ground ginger if you aren’t keen on aniseed. The addition of wholemeal flour creates a heartier crumb which works well with the juicy blackberries and it is scrumptious when served warm with ice cream or custard.
I am participating in Fiesta Friday hosted by Angie from The Novice Gardener, check it out to join the party!
Serves 8.
Ingredients:
- 275g (9.5 oz) blackberries
- 175g (1 cup) light brown soft sugar
- 150g (1/2 cup + 2tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- 50ml (scant 1/4 cup) milk
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 1 star anise/1 tsp ground ginger
- 50g (1/3 cup + 2tbsp) wholemeal flour
- 100g (3/4 cup + 2tbsp) plain flour
- 1tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- pinch salt
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease a 20cm round loose bottomed cake tin, line the base with baking parchment and grease again generously. Sprinkle 2tbsp of the sugar over the base of the tin and arrange the blackberries on top.
Crush the star anise in a pestle and mortar/spice grinder/coffee grinder until you are left with a fine powder, there may be a few stubborn pieces, sift these out.
Cream the butter with the remaining sugar until fluffy. Beat together the eggs, milk and vanilla extract, in a separate bowl mix together the flours, baking powder, bicarb of soda, cinnamon, star anise power and salt.
Mix one third of the egg mixture into the butter, then fold in one third of the dry ingredients, repeat untill everything has been incorporated. Pour the batter on top of the blackberries and level out, bake for 40-50 minutes until well-risen and springy to the touch; if it starts to colour too quickly then cover the top of the tin with some tin foil.
As soon as the cake is cooked, turn it out onto a wire rack and peel off the baking parchment. Best served warm.
(Adapted from http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/aug/30/blackberry-recipes-choux-bun-upside-down-cake-baking-ruby-tandoh1 )
Jess
September 19, 2014 at 2:24 pmI think it’s a very pretty cake- your pictures made me want some. You should share it with us at this week’s Fiesta Friday Link Party: http://thenovicegardener.wordpress.com/2014/09/19/meals-with-mom-fiesta-friday-34/
Good job 🙂
hannahhossack
September 19, 2014 at 10:24 pmThankyou very much! 🙂
Lisa
September 20, 2014 at 12:55 amLove that you added anise and ginger! I grow my own blackberries and will for sure try this!
hannahhossack
September 20, 2014 at 9:00 amI’m glad that you like it 🙂 I wish that I had room to grow my own blackberries so that I don’t have to forage for them with dog-poo bags!
Selma's Table
September 20, 2014 at 8:10 amHello Hannah, welcome to Fiesta Friday! I am one of the co-hosts this week and am delighted that you took up Jess’s invitation to join the party! A wonderful sounding cake made with hedgerow berries foraged in an unused dog poo bag – not sure it could get anymore resourceful or English than that!!! Bravo! If you would like to be considered for a feature in Angie’s post next week, you will need to edit your post to include a link back to her post and a little blurb saying that you are joining the party. Take a look at my post (towards the end and before the recipe for more details). The FF bunch are a really friendly and supportive group, so do try and visit as many of the posts as you can, leave a comment and follow any blogs you like the look of too. Thanks again for sharing this with us – have a wonderful weekend!!
hannahhossack
September 20, 2014 at 8:43 amLink done! Thank you very much for your help Selma 🙂 And I have to say that your plum and cinnamon cake looks amazing!
Selma's Table
September 20, 2014 at 8:46 amNo problem and thank you! Now go and have a mingle and make some new bloggy friends!!
Selma's Table
September 20, 2014 at 8:11 amAnd I forgot to say that I have blog name envy….
Lori
September 21, 2014 at 1:16 amAn upside down cake made with blackberries?! Yes please! Gorgeous!
Hilda
September 21, 2014 at 2:02 amYour cake looks very pretty to me, and I imagine it is delicious with that wonderful mix of spices which go so well with the fruit. And good for you for foraging with your repurposed bag and not letting those gorgeous berries go to waste.
chefjulianna
September 21, 2014 at 5:07 amI love the look of your cake, Hannah! I have a bunch of blackberries hanging out in my freezer just waiting for a recipe, so I think I will just have to try yours! Love the idea of the anise too! Hope you are enjoying FF! 😀
hannahhossack
September 21, 2014 at 9:26 amThanks! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Elaine @ foodbod
September 21, 2014 at 5:55 amHow funny! I keep seeing people with unused dog poo bags full of blackberries when I’m out walking Bob 🙂
hannahhossack
September 21, 2014 at 9:23 amReally?! Everyone I’ve seen out blackberrying has gone fully prepared with baskets and tubs 🙂
Elaine @ foodbod
September 21, 2014 at 9:51 amI think it’s people who didn’t plan to pick any then saw them whilst they were out walking!
Elaine @ foodbod
September 21, 2014 at 5:56 amPS beautiful jewellery!
hannahhossack
September 21, 2014 at 9:24 amThankyou! 🙂
spiceinthecity
September 21, 2014 at 12:02 pmThat looks like a delicious cake! Love blackberries!
Ginger
September 21, 2014 at 6:20 pmGreat example of upcycling! Lovely cake, we have so many brambles here I might give it a try 🙂
Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake
September 22, 2014 at 4:53 pmThis looks so yummy, I’m kicking myself that I haven’t baked with blackberries this summer!
HostessAtHeart
September 24, 2014 at 12:11 amI think your cake and pictures are gorgeous!
hannahhossack
September 24, 2014 at 8:24 amThankyou! 🙂