Season's Best Triple Berry Cake

It's now the middle of summer and the temps are getting higher, so I'm cooling down with this Triple Berry Cake. This cake has light and fluffy vanilla cake layers with fresh blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. I've added a triple berry compote and an oat crumble, and then it is frosted in a vanilla cinnamon buttercream.

If you are needing a great July dessert, this Triple Berry Cake is what you need. I put a new spin on a typical berry cake and then added an oat crumble to it. You will not be disappointed with its delicious crunchy texture. 

If you want more berry recipes, try these:

Strawberry Cheesecake Cake

Easy and Delightful Blueberry Crisp Blondies

Delightful Lemon Blueberry Cake 

Why this recipe works

Layered Cake- Three layers of fluffy vanilla cake baked with fresh berries.

Berries- Is a triple berry threat a thing? Because this cake is threatening you with a good time. I use a mixture of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.

The best summer dessert- With berry season in full swing, this seriously makes the best summer dessert.

Oat crumble- This oat crumble is what pulls the cake together. It has a hint of cinnamon and a crunch from the baked oats.

Ingredient list

I have listed some of the ingredients here, but for a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below:

• Unsalted butter- You will want room temperature butter for this cake. 
• Cooking spray- This might not be in the ingredient list, but you will use it to spray your cake pans. 
• Eggs- You need 6 eggs for the cake batter, and they need to be at room temperature.
• Cake flour- This helps make your cakes light, fluffy, and delicious. 
• Clear vanilla extract- Any brand from your local grocery store will work.
• Buttermilk- This will also need to be at room temperature. Make sure to pull it out 2-4 hours before you start baking.
• Berries- You will use blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries for this cake. You can use fresh or frozen berries. 
• Heavy cream- You will need a heavy whipping cream for the batter.

Step by step- crumble 

Step 1: Preheat the oven and prep your pans. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. 

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together all of the ingredients except the butter. 

Step 3: Add the butter. Add in the softened butter and mix on low until everything is combined.

Step 4: Bake. Spread the mixture on the prepped cookie sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes, then with a spatula, stir the mixture around and bake for another 5 minutes. It's done when the crumble has a light toasted color to it.

Step 5: Store. Let it cool, then store in an airtight container until you're ready to assemble your cake. It can be stored at room temperature for up 5 days.

Step by step - cake 

Step 1: Prep your pans. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Spray the bottom of the pans, line with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.

Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3: Cream the butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on high until fluffy and smooth, about 4 minutes.

Step 4: Add the eggs, and egg whites. With the mixer on medium speed, start adding the whole egg and the egg whites, one at a time, to the bowl, scraping the bottom and the sides of the bowl between each addition. After all the eggs have been added, beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Step 5: Add the dry and wet ingredients. Turn the mixer on low and add half of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk to the butter mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Finally, add the rest of the flour mixture and the rest of the buttermilk, while mixing on low. 

Step 6: Add the berries. With a rubber spatula, fold in the berries coated in flour.

Step 7: Divide and bake. Using a kitchen scale, evenly distribute the cake batter among the three 8-inch or four 6-inch pans (about 18 ounces in the 8 inch, and 12 ounces in the 6 inch) and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it, or until it starts to get a little golden brown on top.

Step 8: Let the cake layers cool. Remove cakes from the oven and let them cool in their pans for 15 minutes before taking them out of the pans and placing them on cooling racks.

Step by step - Berry Compote 

Step 1: Cook the berries. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, combine all the berries, sugar and water. Stir until combined. Let it continue cooking until the berries start to open and it reaches a sauce consistency.

Step 2: Make and add the slurry. Make a slurry by combining the water and the cornstarch. Make sure your berry compote is still hot and bubbling, add the slurry (the heat helps activate the corn starch). Stir until it starts to thicken. When you first add the slurry, it will be a light purple. Cook until it darkens in color. This means you are cooking out the flavor of the corn starch.

Step 3: Let it cool. Set aside and let it come to room temperature. As it cools down, it will thicken even more. Press plastic wrap on the top to help prevent a skin from forming.

Step by step - For the buttercream

Step 1: Beat the butter. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter for about 2 minutes on medium speed. Scape down the sides with a rubber spatula.

Step 2: Add the powdered sugar, Add the sifted powdered sugar and mix on low, just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Step 3: Add the rest of the ingredients. Turn the mixer to medium speed and add whipping cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.

Step 4: Beat the mixture. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for an additional 5 minutes. The frosting will become lighter in color and texture.

Step 5: Add some compote. In a small bowl, add two cups of the vanilla buttercream and about ¼ cup of the triple berry compote. Mix with a rubber spatula. Set aside. 

Step 6: Beat out the air pockets. Before spreading the frosting on your cake, spend a couple of minutes mixing the buttercream by hand with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula to push out the air pockets.

Assembly

• Pipe a small dollop of frosting onto the middle of a cake board to act as a glue and hold the cake in place. Place the first cake layer, top side up, on the cake board.
• Add half of the triple berry buttercream and evenly apply it to the edges of the cake. 
• Pipe an extra rim of frosting around the edge of the frosting. This will help support the cake layers and prevent the blueberry filling from spilling out. Spread about ⅓ cup of the berry filling on the cake layer. Note: Don't overfill with the compote. You can always serve extra on the side.
• Sprinkle about half of the crumble over the berry compote.
• Gently place the second cake layer on top of the filling/crumble and repeat the same process for the second cake layer.
• Place the final cake layer, top side down, on the second layer of filling.
• Apply a small amount of frosting around the entire cake to act as a crumb coat. Freeze the cake for 10 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• After the crumbs are locked in, continue to frost and decorate the cake with the rest of the buttercream.

Expert baking tips

1. When you are making the cake batter, make sure to really cream the butter and the sugar. I can't stress this enough! This helps create air pockets in your cake layers that helps it rise. 
2. Use high quality cake pans. This helps prevent your cake layers from browning on the sides. I always use Fat Daddios cake pans. You can find the ones I use here:
3. I say this a lot because I think it's really important… USE ROOM TEMP ingredients! Making sure all of your ingredients are the same temp is a must!
4. To get a creamy and smooth buttercream, add a Tablespoon of whipping cream once you are done mixing the buttercream. Then beat by hand with a rubber spatula to get all of the air bubbles out. 
5. Do a crumb coat. Don't skip this step. It helps secure the crumbs onto the cake and makes decorating easier.
6. Use a turn table to help decorate your cake. You can find the one I use here:
7. I love using an offset spatula to help spread the buttercream on the sides of the cake. You can find mine here:

Storing 

How to store this Triple Berry Cake

If I am dividing my cake making into multiple days, I bake my cake layers, cool them, and wrap them with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge or freezer. This help reduce crumbs and makes it so the layers don't slide around when decorating. They can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days. 

For the filling, make it the same day you are stacking and assembling. It doesn't hold well. Once you are done making the filling, place it in the fridge to keep cold, and make it stable. 

Here are some other cake recipes you are going to love:

Recipe

Triple Berry Cake

Molly Murphy

This cake has light and fluffy vanilla cake layers with fresh blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. I've added a triple berry compote and an oat crumble, and then it is frosted in a vanilla cinnamon buttercream.

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the oatmeal crumble

• ½ cup butter softened
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

For the cake

• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1¾ cups granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large whole egg room temperature
• 5 large egg whites room temperature
• ¼ cup sour cream room temperature
• 1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
• 3 cups cake flour spooned and leveled
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1¼ cups buttermilk room temperature
• 1½ cup fresh berries tossed in about ¼ cup flour to evenly coat (I use blackberries raspberries, and blueberries.

Berry Compote

• 1½ cup mixed berries ½ cup of raspberries, ½ cup blueberries, ½ cup blackberries
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¾ cup water
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

For the buttercream

• 2 cups unsalted butter slightly chilled
• 5 ½ cups powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

 

For the crumble

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on medium to low speed, mix together all of the ingredients except for the butter.
• Add in the softened butter and mix on low until everything is combined.
• Spread the mixture on the prepped cookie sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes, then with a spatula, stir the mixture around and bake for another 5 minutes. It's done when the crumble has a light toasted color to it.
• Let it cool, then store in an airtight container until you're ready to assemble your cake. It can be stored at room temperature for up 5 days in an airtight container.

For the cake

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Spray the bottom of the pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on high until fluffy and smooth, about 4 minutes.
• With the mixer on medium speed, start adding the whole egg and the egg whites, one at a time, to the bowl, scraping the bottom and the sides of the bowl between each addition. After all the eggs have been added, beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.
• Turn the mixer on low and add half of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk to the butter mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Finally, add the rest of the flour mixture and the rest of the buttermilk, while mixing on low.
• With a rubber spatula, fold in the berries coated in flour.
• Using a kitchen scale, evenly distribute the cake batter among the three 8-inch or four 6-inch pans (about 18 ounces in the 8 inch, and 12 ounces in the 6 inch) and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it or until it starts to get a little golden brown on top.
• Remove cakes from the oven and let them cool in their pans for 15 minutes before taking them out of the pans and placing them on cooling racks.
• When the cakes are completely cooled, wrap each cake layer individually with plastic wrap and stick it in the refrigerator or freezer until you're ready to frost.
• If your cakes have a small dome, level them when they are cool, but before you place them in the fridge.

For the berry compote

• In a small sauce pan over medium heat, combine all the berries, sugar and water. Stir until combined. Let it continue cooking until the berries start to open and it creates a sauce consistency.
• Make a slurry by combining the water and the cornstarch. Make sure your berry compote is hot and bubbling, add the slurry (the heat helps activate the corn starch). Stir until it starts to thicken. When you first add the slurry, it will be a light purple. Cook it until it darkens in color. This means you are cooking out the flavor of the corn starch.
• Set aside and let it come to room temperature. As it cools down, it will thicken even more. Press plastic wrap on the top to help prevent a skin from forming.
• You can put it in the fridge, if you desire, to speed up the cooling process.

For the buttercream

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter for about 2 minutes on medium speed. Scape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
• Add the sifted powdered sugar and mix on low just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• Turn the mixer to medium speed and add the whipping cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
• Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for an additional 5 minutes. The frosting will become lighter in color and texture.
• In a small bowl, add two cups of the vanilla buttercream and about ¼ cup of the triple berry compote. Mix with a rubber spatula. Set aside.
• Before spreading the frosting on your cake, spend a couple of minutes mixing the buttercream by hand with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula to push out the air pockets.

Assembly

• Pipe a small dollop of frosting onto the middle of a cake board to act as a glue and hold the cake in place. Place the first cake layer, top side up, on the cake board.
• Add half of the triple berry buttercream and evenly apply it to the edges of the cake.
• Pipe an extra rim of frosting around the edge of the frosting. This will help support the cake layers and prevent the blueberry filling from spilling out. Spread about a ⅓ cup of the berry filling on the cake layer. Note: Don't overfill with the compote. You can always serve extra on the side.
• Sprinkle about half of the crumble over the berry compote.
• Gently place the second cake layer on top of the filling/crumble and repeat the same process for the second cake layer.
• Place the final cake layer, top side down, on the second layer of filling.
• Apply a small amount of frosting around the entire cake to act as a crumb coat. Freeze the cake for 10 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• After the crumbs are locked in, continue to frost and decorate the cake with the rest of the buttercream.

Keyword berries, triple berry

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