Buttermilk Butter Cake with Berry Compote

Buttermilk Butter Cake with Berry Compote is a show stopper!

‘Mom, I want a strawberry cake but with all the berries for my birthday!’  Goes to show that my newly 5 year old really is his mother’s child, lol.  Nothing is ever simple.  But I accepted the challenge, and my Buttermilk Butter Cake with Berry Compote was created and loved.

What first came to mind was the old fashioned jell-o poke cake that we all grew up on.  I also thought about classic pound cake with fruit on top.  But of course, I couldn’t make something that everyone has already had or something so stinking easy!  Oh, the horror!

I did like the idea of poking the cake, though.  The thought of berries and juice dribbling into and over the sides sounded very appealing.  And who doesn’t love a rich, buttery slice of pound cake?  And so my creation was born.

I started with the cake.  I’m a huge fan of this recipe.  This buttermilk and butter cake makes for an extremely flavorful, moist, rich cake.  The consistency is more like a pound cake then a traditional cake, which I especially loved in this situation.  It is also the best the second day which can really free up time if you are using it for entertaining.  I made the cake the day before and the berry compote and whip cream about an hour before the party guests arrived.  Lets just say that it makes a big impression, literally!

Start by mixing the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla together in a small bowl.  In a standing mixer or large bowl, mix the dry ingredients.  Add the room temp butter to the dry ingredients one cube at a time until you have a crumb like mixture.  Add half the buttermilk mixture and beat for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add the remaining buttermilk mixture and a packet of dry instant vanilla pudding and beat just until combined.

One important step that I forget that day, is that you have to use either cooking spray and flour or parchment paper as these puppies do not come out of the pan easily.  I had just used cooking spray and one of my layers broke into two.  I think you can see it in one of the pics.

Cool cakes before removing from pans.

This batter makes enough for three 9″ round cake pans.  It would also be fine for a 9×13 cake pan.  You could reduce the recipe by 1/3 if you would like a 2 layer cake.

Now, on to the berries…

For my sons ‘strawberry but with all the berries’ cake, I chose strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.  My goal for this compote was to keep a fresh, whole berry look but to have a sauce that would seep into the cake and dribble over the sides.  Keep a few specimen berries to use as a garnish if you choose.  A small amount of the compote may also be used.

Start by removing the tops from the strawberries and then slice them.  The blueberries and raspberries I left whole.

Run cold water over all the berries to rinse and to add just the right amount of water for creating the sauce.  Place in a medium sized sauce pan.  Add cornstarch, sugar, and the zest from a half a lime. Turn on low.  Stir and bring to a gentle simmer.  Cook for no longer then 10 minutes as you don’t want the berries to cook down too much and deflate.  Turn off heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Cool berries completely in refrigerator.

Meanwhile, beat 2 cups of heavy whipping cream in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form.  Add 3/4 to 1 cup of powdered sugar and continue to beat until you have stiff peaks.  Add 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and mix in.

To build the cake, start by poking holes in all the layers so the berry juice can seep into the cake.  Place a layer on your cake stand and top with one third of the berry mixture.  Add one third of the whipped cream.   Repeat the second and third layer in the same order.

Take your reserved specimen berries and squeeze a small amount of lime juice from the lime you zested for your berry compote and sprinkle sugar on the berries.  Place in the center of the cake to complete.  Enjoy!

If you have tried my Buttermilk Butter Cake with Berry Compote, leave me a comment.  I’d love to hear from you!

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Buttermilk Butter Cake with Berry Compote

This buttermilk butter cake makes for an extremely flavorful and moist cake with a mouth watering berry compote that dribbles into and over the edges.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Buttermilk Butter Cake with Berry Compote

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 12

Author Jennifer Grissom

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla for the cake
• 3 1/3 cups flour
• 2 1/4 cups sugar for the cake
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups room temp butter
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 envelope instant vanilla pudding
• 1 pint blueberries
• 1 pound strawberries
• 4 oz raspberries
• 1/2 cup sugar for the compote
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• half of a lime zested
• 1 teaspoon vanilla for the compote
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 to 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla for whipped cream

Instructions

• Preheat over to 350 degrees.
• Use flour and cooking spray to grease cake pans.
• In a small bowl, mix eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
• In large bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• Add butter to dry ingredients, one cube at a time until mixture looks like course crumbs.
• Add half the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Add remaining buttermilk mixture and contents of pudding envelope and mix just until combined.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool completely and run a knife around edges to loosen.
• Remove stems from strawberries and slice.
• Run cold water over all the berries to rinse and to add just the right amount of water for creating the sauce.
• Place in a medium sized sauce pan.
• Add cornstarch, sugar, and the zest from a half a lime.
• Turn on low.
• Stir and bring to a gentle simmer.
• Cook for no longer then 10 minutes as you don't want the berries to cook down too much and deflate.
• Turn off heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• Refrigerate to chill.
• Beat 2 cups of heavy whipping cream in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form.
• Add 3/4 to 1 cup of powdered sugar and continue to beat until you have stiff peaks.
• Add 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and mix in.
• To build the cake, start by poking holes in all the layers so the berry juice can dribble in.
• Place a layer on your cake stand and top with one third of the berry mixture.
• Add one third of the whipped cream.
• Repeat the second and third layer in the same order.
• Take your reserved specimen berries and squeeze a small amount of lime juice from the lime you zested for your berry compote and sprinkle sugar on the berries.
• Place in the center of the cake to complete. Enjoy!

Jennifer Grissom

Mother, Gardener, Book Devourer, and Food Obsessor. I love being inspired with fresh, seasonal ingredients and relish every opportunity to elevate my home cooking. Join me!

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