Blackberry Recipes!

This time of year the hedgerows are beginning to drip with blackberries. This year we seem to have a bumper crop! But I don't seem to be able to find any gorgeous blackberry recipes! When I was small we used to be 'sent out blackberry picking' and I used to dread it because I really didn't like blackberries and don't like blackberry jam. Yet all winter every tea time the jam would be lurking on the table. But this year I made it my mission to use our native blackberries as if they were raspberries, A berry to be loved and celebrated! I've been eating them all week! Here is the first recipe I tried: Blackberry Sponge.



Blackberry Sponge
This is adapted from Leila Lindholm's recipe for Blackcurrant Sponge.


Ingredients:
3 eggs
8oz caster sugar
2oz butter
100ml buttermilk
7 1/2 oz plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
110g blackberries tossed in 1 tablespoon plain flour

Method

• Preheat the oven to 175c / 350f.
• Beat the eggs and caster sugar together until white & fluffy.
• Melt the butter and stir in the buttermilk. Mix into the egg mixture.Add the juice & zest.
• Mix the flour & baking powder. Carefully fold into the egg mixture.
• Pour half the mix into a ring mould that has been buttered and dusted with flour.
• Add the blackberries on top
• Top with the remaining sponge mix.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 25-30 mins.
• Leave the sponge cool in the tin, then turn out onto a rack or plate.
• Sprinkle sugar and a few berries over the top and serve!

I made a little posy of flowers and brambles and placed it into the centre of the cake, so unnecessary but so cute! This cake was gorgeous! So simple and made the blackberries the star of the show, I'll definitely make it again.

Lilly x