This Blackberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is an easy, delicious dessert made with fresh blackberries and a hint of lemon. A perfect cake recipe for summer gatherings or anytime you’re craving something sweet and fruity.
Homemade Blackberry Cake
I created and wrote about this amazing Homemade Blackberry Cake with cream cheese frosting recipe years ago. It’s one of the best desserts I have ever made that isn’t chocolate!
This easy blackberry cake recipe with cream cheese frosting is a delicious dessert for anyone who loves lemon cake and blackberries. The fresh blackberries makes it perfect for summer. This cake pairs well with these BBQ Ribs with Blackberry Sauce.
After baking and testing several versions of this cake, I finally made one that was worthy of sharing. It’s a dense cake bursting with fresh blackberries that will remind you of an old fashion homemade cake your grandma might have made.
Homemade Blackberry Cake with a Hint of Lemon
This blackberry cake is a simple dessert bursting with fresh berry flavor. I used lemon pudding mix to make it moist, then topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting. It’s the perfect recipe to celebrate blackberry season.
This is the most fabulous blackberry cake. I made several cakes and finally came up with a version that I LOVE enough to share. Whether you’re baking for a summer gathering or just craving something sweet and fruity, this easy recipe is sure to impress!
Ingredients for Blackberry Cake
Here’s what you’ll need for this simple homemade blackberry cake recipe.
- fresh blackberries
- cinnamon
- sugar
- butter
- vanilla
- eggs
- self-rising flour
- salt
- lemon instant pudding mix
- milk
- cream cheese frosting (store bought or homemade: Print recipe below)
6 Tips for Cake Baking Success:
Here are some helpful tips for making the perfect blackberry cake:
- Use fresh or properly thawed blackberries – Fresh blackberries work best, but if using frozen, thaw and drain them well to avoid adding excess moisture to the batter.
- Don’t overmix the batter – Mix just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can lead to a denser, tough cake.
- Use room temperature ingredients – Ensure butter, eggs, and milk are at room temperature for a smoother batter and even baking.
- Line your pan – Flour the pan well to ensure the cake doesn’t stick.
- Cool completely before frosting – Let the cake cool entirely before adding cream cheese frosting to prevent melting or sliding.
- Add a flavor boost – A splash of lemon juice or zest pairs beautifully with blackberries and adds a fresh, bright flavor.
Step-by-Step Blackberry Cake Instructions with Photos
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and lightly flour three round 8-inch cake pans and set aside. (I use baking spray with flour.)
2. Mix 1/4 of sugar, a pinch of cinnamon and blackberries in a bowl and set aside.
3. Combine flour, pudding mix and salt in a small mixing bowl.
4. Beat butter or margarine with a mixer at medium speed until it’s whipped and fluffy.
5. Add the remaining sugar (2 cups) and vanilla, beat well.
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6. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Add dry flour mixture and milk alternately, beating on low speed after each addition.
8. Place berries in cake pan.
9. Pour batter over the berries and lighting swirl with a spoon.
10. Lightly tap the cake pan on the counter until the batter has spread in the entire pan.
11. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
12. Cool for 10 minutes before removing cake from pans.
When the cake is completely cool, stack layers using the frosting recipe below. You can also use store bought cream cheese frosting if you prefer.
This blackberry cake is so good! Print and save the full recipe below. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Blackberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups fresh blackberries
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- 2 ¼ cups sugar split
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 3 cups self-rising flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons lemon instant pudding mix
- 1 cup milk
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 – 2 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Cake Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and lightly flour three round 8-inch cake pans and set aside. (I use baking spray with flour.)
- Mix 1/4 of sugar, a pinch of cinnamon and blackberries in a bowl and set aside.
- Combine flour, pudding mix and salt in a small mixing bowl.
- Beat butter or margarine with a mixer at medium speed until it’s whipped and fluffy
- Add the remaining sugar (2 cups) and vanilla, beat well.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add dry flour mixture and milk alternately, beating on low speed after each addition.
- Place berries in cake pan.
- Pour batter over the berries and lighting swirl with a spoon.
- Lightly tap the cake pan on the counter until the batter has spread in the entire pan.
- Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- When cake has baked, remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing cake from pans.
- When cake is completely cool, stack layers with the cream cheese frosting. Then cover the entire cake with more frosting.
Frosting Directions
- Beat the butter and cream cheese together in a large bowl using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy (about 2–3 minutes).
- Add the vanilla and salt, beat again to combine.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating on low to start, then increasing to medium-high until fluffy and spreadable. Start with 2 cups and add more if you want a thicker, sweeter frosting.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published July 1, 2009 – updated 2025
More recipes you might love:
- Blackberry Margaritas
- Barbecue Ribs with Blackberry Sauce
- Easy Lemon Raspberry Trifle
- Best Lemon Cookies
- Ultimate Chocolate Birthday Cake
- How To Train Your Dragon Cake
- Key Lime Shortcake
- Better Than Sex Chocolate Cake
Delicious looking cake.
I made 3 layers with this recipe. They were thin layers as you can see in the photo.
Hello, does your recipe make one layer?
Looks SO GOOD!
It, s berry season! YUMMY!
A friend just sent me this link. Yum, we just got back from picking blackberries in GA so I’m all over this yummy looking cake. TFS.
oh yummmmmm
.-= Amy Henderson´s last blog ..English Trifle =-.
That looks sooo good!
That looks absolutely scrumptious!
.-= Tracy P.´s last blog ..Happy Easter! =-.
The little Oklahoma town I live in has a great little farm to go pick blackberries and now I know what the first thing I will make with those fresh berries! YUMMY, thanks for sharing
.-= Jennifer W´s last blog ..It’s Either Her or Me review and giveaway =-.
wait while I get a napkin to wipe the drool off my face….okay I’m back….looks so yummy! =)
.-= teresa´s last blog ..Eye Candy- =-.
Thank you so much for this recipe! Dewberries should be showing their little heads soon around these parts. My kids love to pick these wild berries. And now I have a recipe I can use them in. Yay!
WOW! This cake looks and sounds delicious!
I have realized over the years that I am a total cake snob! I used to not like cake but after having a few homemade cakes, I realized that it was the box, store bought cakes that I didn’t like!
I can’t wait to try this.
Thanks for sharing!
This is NOT the week to be dieting! Looks SO yummy!
THANK YOU FOR THE LINK TO THE FROSTING RECIPE!
@Dawn,
I have updated the cake with the recipe.
I cannot wait to make this….as soon as we pick blackberries this Summer at my parents’ farm! Every Summer I make Blackberry jelly {Lots of it!} but I have never made a Blackberry Cake – but I will! This looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Wow! just wow…. need to make this NOW!!
.-= Lily´s last blog ..NMM: Stone Mountain and Spray Tans =-.
that looks amazing! thanks for sharing!
Would you mind sharing your buttercream frosting recipe?? I made a cake for Easter and made the buttercream frosting recipe on the sugar package, and I did not like it. To me it tasted like it was from a can! I would love if someone would share a foolproof, good, old-fashioned-style buttercream frosting recipe.
Thanks!
P.S. I luuuuuv anything blackberry, so I cannot WAIT to make this!!!!!!!!!!
I HEART BLACKBERRIES and I HEART CAKE so why not put them together!! AWESOME!! I can’t wait for the blackberry pickin
.-= 50centlove´s last blog ..Little Miss =-.
I’m so excited for this week and next on IHF!!!
I’m so glad you posted this again Amy because I forgot I wanted to make this cake!! I have blackberries we picked at the cabin in our freezer!!
.-= TidyMom´s last blog ..Raspberry Filled Vanilla Cupcakes =-.
I can hardly wait for this challenge and next wks dessert challenge! I finally have something I can add “to the pot” 🙂
Your cake looks delish!
~Liz
.-= Liz@HoosierHomemade´s last blog ..April Meal Plan =-.
@Dana-from chaos to Grace,
This is seriously worth it! 🙂
Mmm… looks delish!
.-= Jaclyn´s last blog ..Marshmallow Fondant Recipe =-.
Makes me almost want to bake…..
almost. 😉
.-= Dana-from chaos to Grace´s last blog ..iHeartfaces-My story in Photos: Desserts =-.
Homemade Blackberry Cake http://bit.ly/b0HFn5 Design.alltop.com
Thank you so much for sharing the recipe to your cake! It looks fabulous!
Your photo is incredible as well!
CraftTeaLady (aka Gina)
.-= CraftTeaLady´s last blog ..Sing with me Sunday – 4.4.10 =-.