This ultra tender and moist Mixed Berry Breakfast Cake is bursting with sweet-tart raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries in a buttery cake topped with plenty of crumble topping. It’s an easy berry coffee cake that can be enjoyed in the morning with a glass of milk or as an afternoon treat!
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My husband and I took our girls on a vacation with my parents a while back and my mom had planned ahead by throwing the dry ingredients for my blueberry muffins in a ziploc bag so we could easily make them on the trip. But when we got to our Airbnb there wasn’t a muffin pan and we realized our raspberries were starting to go soft faster than anticipated.
So we threw everything together with all the mixed berries we had and baked it in the one 9-inch baking dish in the cabin. And it turned out AMAZING. Somehow we loved this even more than classic muffins, and that’s saying something!
I’ve made this mixed berry breakfast cake multiple times since that trip so I could try it with frozen mixed berries from the store and it’s just as delicious every time. Serve it with some scrambled eggs and bacon and you’ve got a fantastic brunch situation that will please everyone in your family!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour results in a soft, tender crumb. I always use unbleached flours.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness in the cake and the crumb topping.
- Eggs – For binding and flavor.
- Milk – Room temperature whole milk gives the best results for baking.
- Butter & oil – I like using a combination of the two for the best of both worlds in terms of a really moist but also flavorful crumb.
- Vanilla extract – You can use pure vanilla extract from the store or make your own homemade vanilla extract to always have on hand.
- Baking powder – There is a good amount of baking powder to provide lift for a fluffy, tender breakfast cake.
- Salt – So that your baked goods are never bland or boring!
- Mixed berries – I like buying the large bags of mixed berries from Costco that have frozen raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. But you can use any combination of mixed berries (some frozen strawberries or rhubarb would be excellent too) just as long as you stick to roughly the same amount of fruit.
How to Make a Berry Snack Cake
- Whisk dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. This helps ensure you don’t end up with pockets of baking powder that didn’t get mixed in properly.
- Combine wet ingredients. Whisking the eggs, milk, melted butter, and oil together in another bowl make it less likely that you will overmix the cake batter. The less you mix your cake batter after adding the wet and dry ingredients, the more likely you are to have a light, moist, fluffy cake.
- Gently mix wet and dry ingredients by hand. Use a spatula or large spoon to stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined. It’s okay for some streaks of pockets of flour to remain since you will continue to mix the batter together a bit after adding the fruit.
- Add mixed berries. Gently stir in the mixed berries. If using frozen berries, they should be pretty much straight out of the freezer, not thawed, or they will cause the batter to be streaky and discolored. It will still taste the same, but it just won’t be as pretty. Fold them in just until evenly dispersed. Transfer the cake batter to a greased 9-inch cake pan (round or square work just as well).
If you are worried about the berries sinking to the bottom of the cake, you can toss them with 2 tablespoons of additional flour before adding to the cake batter to help prevent this. I usually skip it because I find it doesn’t make a huge difference and I consider this a quick snacking cake recipe, but it’s a good trick to keep in mind!
- Make crumb topping. Combine flour, sugar, a pinch of salt, and melted butter until crumbly and evenly moistened. I like to squeeze handfuls together to create larger clumps. Sprinkle over the top of the cake.
- Bake. Place the cake pan in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 40-45 minutes until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
- Cool, then enjoy! Let the cake cool for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, you can use the cake as a base and replace the berries with sliced peaches, apples, cherries, or other fresh or frozen fruit. Another fun option is to use chocolate chips for a chocolate chip snacking cake!
This is usually one of three things. The first is simply adding too much flour. If you tend to scoop flour into measuring cups, it can result in more flour than is actually needed for the recipe. I have a whole post on how to measure flour for the most accurate results. The second is overbaking. I like my cake tester to come out with crumbs on it rather than perfectly clean so I know the cake isn’t overbaked and dry. The third potential issue is overmixing the batter. With this kind of batter it’s best to mix it by hand as little as possible. Never use a hand mixer for muffin batter.
Yes, you can assemble the cake batter and crumb topping the night before and refrigerate overnight, then bake the morning you plan to serve it. The only real issue with this is that sometimes the berries will bleed in the cake and it won’t be quite as pretty, but it will taste just fine.
Tips for Success
- We like to serve this simply: family-style straight out of the pan with a spatula for serving.
- You can also plate it beforehand for a more formal presentation. Another option is to turn the cake out onto a plate, then invert it onto a cake stand for a pretty presentation on a brunch table.
What to Serve With Berry Breakfast Cake
- Scrambled Eggs
- Crispy bacon or savory sausage
- Additional berries or fresh fruit
- Cold milk
- Easy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
- Green Chili Egg Casserole
- Eggs Benedict
Store & Freezing Instructions
Store any leftover cake by letting it cool completely first before wrapping the cake in plastic wrap and storing on the counter at room temperature for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze cake slices or the whole cake. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe airtight container or ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw on the counter before serving. We recommend warming slices in the microwave for a few seconds or in a 350 degree F oven for a few minutes to refresh before serving.
More Quick Bread and Muffin Recipes
- Nutella Swirl Banana Bread
- Moist Coconut Bread
- Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Best Double Chocolate Chip Muffins
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Berry Breakfast Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup salted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
Topping
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (83g)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (66g)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup salted butter, melted (57g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch round or square pan with baking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla until combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir just until most of the streaks of flour are incorporated.
- Fold in the mixed berries, being careful not to smash them. If using frozen mixed berries, do not defrost them before adding them to the batter. Transfer the cake batter to the prepared cake pan.
- Make the crumb topping by mixing the flour, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter using a fork until evenly moistened and crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the cake batter.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until done. Cool for at least 10-15 minutes before serving.
The cook time or temperature is wrong. I’ve made this cake twice and it takes an extra 10 minutes to book but the centre is always still raw. I’m torn between overcooking it or leaving it raw