Celebratory mulberry cake recipe

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the redevelopment of the Conference Centre and the relocation of our black mulberry tree, Hinxton Hall's chefs prepared a mulberry cake recipe!

The cake is vibrant, moist, and naturally sweetened. So, if you have a mulberry tree in your garden, why not skip the jam and bake this cake instead?

To make a moist and delicious mulberry cake, you will need the following ingredients.

For the cake:

• 3 large eggs
• 250g self raising flour
• 250g caster sugar
• 250g margarine
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 125g mulberries - rinse gently and dry well before using.
• 30g demerara sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease and line a 10-inch cake tin with baking parchment.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and caster sugar until pale, light and fluffy.
3. In a separate bowl, sift the self-raising flour and baking powder together to ensure they’re well combined. Set aside.
4. Gradually beat the eggs into the creamed mixture, one at a time. Between each addition, fold in a little of the sifted flour mixture, continuing until all of the eggs and flour have been incorporated.
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl clean, then smooth the surface of the batter.
6. Evenly scatter the mulberries over the top, pressing them gently into the surface. Sprinkle with demerara sugar.
7. Bake for 30–35 minutes. Check after 30 minutes, the cake should be golden, springy to the touch, and beginning to shrink away from the edges of the tin.
8. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then run a palette knife (or rounded butter knife) around the edge and carefully turn out onto a wire rack.
9. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Chef's tips

• Freshly picked mulberries give the best flavour. Go for the ripest, darkest berries. Mulberries can vary in sweetness depending on how ripe they are. Taste them first; if they’re particularly sweet, you may want to reduce the sugar slightly.
• Once the flour goes in, mix lightly. Over-mixing can make the cake dense or tough. Fold the berries in gently with a spatula rather than using a mixer.
• Before baking, give the tin a gentle tap on the worktop. This helps release any big air bubbles and levels out the batter.
• Allow the cake to cool fully on a wire rack before slicing. This keeps the texture light and prevents it from crumbling.

Storing your cake 

If you have leftovers store your mulberry cake in an airtight container

• At room temperature for up to 2 days
• In the refrigerator for up to 5 days
• Freeze for up to 2 months (wrap tightly in clingfilm and foil). Thaw at room temperature for 2–3 hours before serving cake.