This moist and fluffy summer berry cake is loaded with fresh berries and finished with the most magical, crackly, sugar topping. Serve it with a scoop of ice cream for the best summer dessert!

You are going to love this amazing cake! It’s a one-bowl recipe that is so easy to make and makes the most of fresh summer berries. That sweet sugar crust on top is to-die for!

Square of cake with blueberries and raspberries on white plate.

Why You Should Make This Cake

The first thing one of my kids said to me after digging into this cake was “Well, this is amazing…can you make it again tomorrow?” It is such a delightful cake! Here are four other reasons you should make it:

  1. It is a one-bowl cake that is mixed by hand. No need for extra bowls or electric mixers!
  2. The cake crumb is tender and moist and ultra-fluffy.
  3. I could wax poetic about the crackly, sugary top. But it is definitely one of the main selling points of this cake. SO GOOD.
  4. This cake holds up well to outdoor summer gatherings and is even delicious the next day.
  5. It is other-worldly served with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream (but plenty delicious served on its own, too!).
Piece of sugar-topped cake on white plate with small piece on fork.

Important Ingredients Notes

  • Butter: I always use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt in the recipe by 1/4 teaspoon. The butter is melted, which makes it super easy to mix everything together by hand. You can experiment subbing in neutral-flavored oil for the butter (if doing so, increase the salt by 1/4 teaspoon).
  • Granulated sugar: You’ll use most of the granulated sugar in the cake batter. The remaining sugar is sprinkled on top of the cake before baking creating that beautiful crust.
  • Lemon zest: This ingredient adds a delightful hint of fresh citrus that compliments the berries so well. You can leave it out if you don’t have it, but I encourage you to use it if you can.
  • Sour cream: Use full fat sour cream for the best result.
  • Eggs: Make sure to use large eggs. Smaller or larger eggs can affect the texture of the cake.
  • All-Purpose Flour: If you don’t have a kitchen scale to weigh the flour, measure it by fluffing the flour really well, scooping in a measuring cup and leveling off with a straight edge utensil.
  • Blueberries + Raspberries: Fresh berries work best in this cake since they are more firm than frozen berries and don’t give off as much liquid. (See the note in the recipe below about using frozen berries.) You can experiment with other types of fresh berries, like blackberries or strawberries. Other fruits like peaches and nectarines might work well in this cake also.

A few other every day ingredients like baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract are also used in the recipe, but I’m guessing you don’t need me to give you the ins and outs of those. 😉

Glass bowl with cake batter, fresh blueberries and fresh raspberries.
Glass bowl with cake batter with fresh berries mixed in.
Cake batter with fresh berries spread in 9X13-inch pan and topped with sugar.
Baked cake with fresh berries spread in 9X13-inch pan and topped with sugar.

Last Thing…

This sugar-topped summer berry cake is perfect when you need just the right dessert to wow family and friends at the next summer get together. It’s easy, it’s stunning, it’s crazy delicious.

And while it is decidedly a cake-cake, this fluffy confection also gives off some serious breakfast-coffee-cake vibes, so if you decide to serve it for the first meal of the morning, who I am to dissuade you?

Take it to the next level with a spoonful of sweetened whipped cream or a bit of vanilla ice cream served on top or alongside. It’s even delicious lightly warmed before serving (especially if serving with ice cream).

Square of cake with blueberries and raspberries on spatula over cake pan.
Piece of berry cake on white plate with bite taken out with fresh raspberries on the plate.

Crackly Sugar-Topped Summer Berry Cake

Yield: 12 to 15 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
5 stars (20 ratings)
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

Cake:

  • ¾ cup (170 g) salted butter (12 tablespoons), melted
  • 2 cups (371 g) granulated sugar, divided
  • ¾ cup (180 g) sour cream
  • 3 large (150 g) eggs
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest (see note)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ¼ cups (320 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ cups (235 g) fresh blueberries
  • 1 ½ cups (235 g) fresh raspberries

For Serving (Optional):

  • Vanilla ice cream
  • Whipped cream
  • Additional fresh berries

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a light-colored metal 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray (can line with parchment and grease parchment, if desired). If using a glass pan, preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  • In a large bowl, add the melted butter, 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, sour cream, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Whisk together until well-combined.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir with a spatula until the dry ingredients are mostly combined but a few dry streaks still remain (don't over mix in this step).
  • Add the fresh berries. Gently fold and mix until the berries are evenly combined and no dry streaks remain. It's ok if the berries break apart a little bit, but try to mix slowly and carefully to keep the berries from disintegrating into the batter.
  • Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
  • Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 (to 1/3) cup granulated sugar evenly over the top of the batter.
  • Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the cake is lightly golden and puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Add additional time, if needed (may need extra time for a glass pan).
  • Let the cake cool in the pan. Serve squares of cake at room temperature with fresh berries, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Notes

Butter/Oil: The melted butter can be replaced with a neutral-flavored oil. If doing so, increase the salt in the recipe to 3/4 teaspoon.
Lemon Zest: This ingredient adds a delightful hint of fresh citrus that compliments the berries so well. You can leave it out if you don’t have it, but I encourage you to use it if you can.
Berries: Fresh berries work best in this cake since they are more firm than frozen berries and don’t give off as much liquid. However, you can experiment with frozen berries. I would recommend adding them frozen, but you could also try thawing and patting dry before using. You can experiment with other types of berries, like blackberries or strawberries. Other fruits like peaches and nectarines might work well in this cake also.
Author: Mel Gunnell
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Method: Bake
Serving: 1 serving (1/15th of the cake), Calories: 306kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 68mg, Sodium: 244mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 29g

Recommended Products

9X13-inch Metal Baking Pan
Silicone Spatula
Measuring Cups
Wire Whisk

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

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