Warming cinnamon, fresh gooseberries and an incredibly rich and moist texture, this gooseberry cake is such a yummy way to use those deliciously tart seasonal gooseberries.
I just love this time of year in Newfoundland! There’s no snow on the ground (yay!) and wild berries are plentiful!
If you go berry picking, you’ll find blueberries to make blueberry bread pudding, gooseberries to make gooseberry crumble, strawberries to make strawberry cake and beautiful red currants (recipe coming soon!) Not to mention, raspberries!
Then, later in the fall, there are partridgeberries to make partridgeberry muffins.
Today I have another delicious recipe using gooseberries: gooseberry cake!
With butter, cream cheese and lots of eggs, this fresh strawberry cake has kinda a pound cake texture.
It’s dense (in the best kinda way), moist and so delicious.
You get little pops of tartness from the fresh gooseberries and a lovely hum of warming cinnamon. So good with your favourite cuppa tea, coffee or milk.
This gooseberry cake is kinda special to me because I picked the berries myself straight off a wild bush growing at my parents. Talk about fresh!
Storytime: upon baking (and just when I was about to flip the cake over onto a wire rack), it slid out of my hands onto the countertop. Typical Dawn.
Time froze. I stood, looking at the inverted pan, wondering what I was about to find. Lucky me, it was okay and I was able to get the cake onto the rack (but there was a moment there, LOL). Have you ever had any baking close-calls?
Green Gooseberries Versus Purple Gooseberries
A combination of green and purple gooseberries was used in this cake.
As gooseberries ripen on the bush, they start green and eventually turn to a purple hue.
The green gooseberries are firmer and more tart than the purple ones. Both are delicious if you ask me!
How To Prepare Gooseberries
Before using gooseberries, you’re going to want to prepare them, meaning “top and tail.”
Top and tail just means getting rid of the top and bottom bits of the berry (as shown on the berry below).
I like to use a pair of scissors here and snip those ends off.
After that, I just give them a little rinse and drain well before using in the gooseberry cake.
Can I Freeze This Cake?
Absolutely! Allow the cake to completely cool before freezing.
Wrap the cooled cake in plastic food wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil (or just two layers of plastic food wrap). Place into a freezer-safe container. Don’t forget to label with the recipe name and date it was made.
When ready to enjoy, remove the cake from the container (but still leave wrapped) and let it thaw in the refrigerator.
The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Tip: Before wrapping and freezing, cut the cake into chunks. That way, you can just pull out a chunk to enjoy and still have the remainder frozen until ready to use.
Tips and Variations
- The cake batter is thick! I like to stir in the gooseberries with a spatula (versus using my stand mixer), so I don’t break them up too much.
- Ovens (and pans) vary so be sure to check on before the full bake time is up. You don’t want to overbake your cake.
- Because this cake is rich and dense, it’s normal for the bottom to crack a little after baking.
- Freshly grated orange or lemon zest is also a great addition to this gooseberry cake.
Serving Ideas
This gooseberry cake is delicious as is or enjoy with any of these:
- Icing sugar dusted over top
- A simple icing sugar glaze
- Ice cream (vanilla or strawberry works lovely here)
- Drizzle of caramel sauce
- Drizzle of chocolate sauce
More Berry Recipes
- Newfoundland Partridgeberry Cake
- Blueberry Cake With Lemon
- Roasted Blueberry Goat Cheese Crostini
- Blueberry BBQ Sauce
If you make this gooseberry recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!
Gooseberry Cake
Ingredients
- Baking spray or butter, to grease cake pan
- 2 cups fresh gooseberries, washed and trimmed (remove and discard top and tail)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting berries
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (250 gram package)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk
- 4 large eggs
- Icing sugar, for dusting over baked cake (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit for baking the cake later.
- Spray a 10-inch fluted cake pan with baking spray or grease with butter and set aside.
- Place gooseberries in a bowl and spoon 2 tablespoons of flour over berries, stirring to coat. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together 2 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.Note: I like to spoon the flour into measuring cups rather than scoop the measuring cup directly into the container of flour.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a mixing bowl using a hand mixer), blend (on medium-high speed) the cream cheese, butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth, combined and fluffy, about 3 minutes (stop to scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice with a rubber spatula).
- Reduce speed and blend in milk.
- Add eggs, one at a time, blending until just combined.
- Blend in reserved flour mixture. Don't overmix.
- Stir in gooseberries with a spatula, being careful not to break them up too much.
- Scoop batter into the prepared pan (it will be thick). Smooth the top with a spoon. Tap the pan down 15 to 20 times on a hard surface to allow it to settle.
- Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a wooden skewer or cake tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.Note: Because ovens/pans can vary, check on at the 55-minute mark.
- Once baked, let the cake cool for 15 to 20 minutes in the pan. Then carefully remove the cake from the pan, allowing it to cool completely on a cooling rack.
- If desired, dust with icing sugar. Note: As the cake sits, the icing sugar will absorb into the cake. You can add more upon serving, if desired. Slice and enjoy!Note: Wrap cooled leftover cake in plastic food wrap and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can wrap the cake in plastic food wrap and aluminum foil (or two layers of plastic food wrap) and place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, remove the cake from the container (but leave the wrapping intact) and thaw in the refrigerator.
Notes
- The cake batter is thick! I like to stir in the gooseberries with a spatula (versus using my stand mixer), so I don’t break them up too much.
- Ovens (and pans) vary so be sure to check on before the full bake time is up. You don’t want to overbake your cake.
- Because this cake is rich and dense, it’s normal for the bottom to crack a little after baking.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
KT
Made this as my husband’s birthday cake. Very tasty! I topped it with lemon glaze. The volume of batter was exactly right for my rose-shaped bundt pan.
Dawn | Girl Heart Food
Happy birthday to your husband!! And what a lovely treat! Lemon glaze sounds like a yummy pairing with the gooseberry cake. So happy you enjoyed the recipe – thank you!!
Valentina
You’ve introduced me to many different berries, Dawn. Love that you picked these yourself, at your parents house no less. The cake sounds and looks so tasty, and it’s SO beautiful! I have a very similar bundt pan and it’s my favorite! 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
So happy to hear that!! Thank you Valentina!! Love that pan too.
Marissa
Somehow I have never had a gooseberry! I grew up blackberry picking (I still have a few scars to prove it, lol!). This cake looks divine, so now I’m on the lookout for gooseberries!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Oh, I hear ya about blackberries! Picked a whole bunch lately and those suckers can be rough to pick. Good luck with the gooseberries!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
What a wonderful time of year to find all that abundance of wild berries! My grandmother used to grow gooseberries when I was a kid, but that’s the only time I have ever found gooseberries. I need to see about growing some so we can harvest those too and then I can make this cake!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
How nice!! They’re delicious, aren’t they??
Gerlinde & Sunnycovechef.com
Gooseberries bring back childhood memories from Germany. We had many bushes in our garden and my mom and aunts would make wonderful cakes and tarts. My favorite was a gooseberry sheet cake with a meringue on top. Your Bundt cake looks delicious and I wish I could have a piece. I have tried growing gooseberries in California where I live but without any luck.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
That dessert sounds lovely! And how nice how food can bring back memories like that!!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
Gimme all the summer berries Dawn! You know how much a love a good bundt! And this one looks and sounds delicious! Pinned.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Mary Ann! Summer berries are the best!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
I don’t think gooseberries grow around here, but I’m sure I can find some at the produce market! This looks fabulous 🙂
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thanks Jennifer! Good luck!
[email protected]
Oh yeah – I’ve had more kitchen mishaps than I can count! 😉 Oh, I’d love a big hunk of this gorgeous cake with my coffee this morning!! Have a great weekend, my friend! XO
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Right there with ya! Thanks Annie! XO
David @ Spiced
Oh, I have definitely had baking close-calls…and baking disasters. There have even been times that I completely forgot an ingredient only to discover it sitting on the countertop…and the item is already in the oven. d’oh. Glad you avoided catastrophe with this cake! And speaking of this cake, it looks delicious. I’ve yet to stumble across gooseberries here, but you know I’ll be making a cake with ’em as soon as I do!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Happy to hear I’m not the only one! 😉 Thanks David! Hope you enjoy!!