Blackberry Cake with Greek Yogurt and Vanilla

This family-favorite Blackberry Cake is made with fresh blackberries and has a light, fluffy texture thanks to the Greek yogurt. With just 15 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of baking (idle) time, it’s a quick and effortless Summer dessert (also great for breakfast or brunch). Serve it with plain vanilla ice cream or a dusting of confectioners' sugar.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword blackberry cake

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 268kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour or cake flour (sifted or aerated)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar
2 oz salted butter melted (¼cup)
2 eggs
1 and ¼ cups plain low-fat Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
16 oz blackberries
1 tablespoon flour

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. If you have a convection setting, opt for convection bake. Line the bottom and sides of a 9x3-inch springform pan with a large piece of parchment paper. This eliminates the need to grease the pan or parchment.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, melted butter, and eggs until the mixture becomes light, smooth, and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in Greek yogurt and vanilla extract until just combined.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, whisking in one cup at a time until fully combined. Be careful not to over-mix.
In the same bowl used for the flour mixture, gently coat ⅔ of the blackberries with 1 tablespoon of flour. Carefully fold the flour-coated blackberries into the batter.
Transfer the cake batter into the prepared springform pan.
Arrange the remaining ⅓ of the blackberries on top of the cake batter.
Place the springform pan on the middle rack of your oven. Bake for approximately 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. I baked this cake using a convection bake setting for 45 minutes at 350°F. A regular oven might take a little longer (up to 1 hour). If needed, bake for an additional 5 to 15 minutes, checking every 5 minutes.
Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the springform pan on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. After cooling, carefully release the cake from the pan. Using the parchment paper edges, transfer it to a cake platter or large plate. To remove the cake from the parchment paper, I would let it cool longer (about 40 minutes total) so that the cake doesn't fall apart when you move it.
Just before serving, dust the cake with powdered sugar.
Above the recipe card, I've included helpful step-by-step photos to guide you through the process.

Notes

What baking pans can I use?

I used a 9x3-inch round springform baking pan. I prefer to use parchment paper to line the bottom AND the sides of the springform pan, which helps ensure the cake releases cleanly and evenly.
9x13 rectangular baking pan. Pour the cake batter into the greased cake pan and bake for about 40 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
10-inch or 12-inch round high-sided cast-iron skillet. Baking in a cast iron skillet will yield crispy, golden-brown edges while keeping the center soft and moist. I especially recommend using a cast iron skillet if using gluten-free flour.
Use a 12-cup muffin pan. You can turn this recipe into muffins or cupcakes. Mix all the blackberries into the cake batter. Fill the muffin pan ⅔ of the way with the cake batter and bake for about 20 or 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Use the bundt pan that measures 9 inches in diameter and holds 10 to 12 cups.

Storage tips

Store blackberry cake at room temperature for up to 4 days.
You can freeze the cake after it has completely cooled by tightly wrapping it in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost it overnight in the fridge.

Other tips

To make this recipe gluten-free, it has been tested with Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and King Arthur gluten-free measure-for-measure flour. If the cake batter turns out too thick, add an additional ¼ cup of Greek yogurt.
You can substitute Greek yogurt with plain Kefir, regular yogurt, buttermilk, or sour cream. For the best results, I recommend using plain Kefir or Greek yogurt as they are light and add a pleasant tang to the cake.

Nutrition