Newfoundland Partridgeberry Cake

This easy partridgeberry cake is chock-full of tart partridgeberries, orange zest and rosemary. Finished with a simple icing sugar glaze, it’s a delicious treat with your favourite cup of tea or coffee!

It’s not partridgeberry season just yet here in Newfoundland. However, lucky me, my mother had some stashed away in her freezer from last season.

I hit my mother up for some partridgeberries to make this cake. But, you know what? She almost didn’t give them to me!

I know, right?

They are precious and can only be harvested for a small period of time in Newfoundland. They are not something that one would typically purchase in the grocery store among other berries.

I knew she had some in her freezer so I asked for some one day while visiting.

Mom went to the freezer, grabbed the bag of gems and then literally held them close to her chest while having a devious little look on her face.

Mom said, “Okay, I’ll give you some, if I get to enjoy some of whatever it is you’re making.”

So, Mom is working her angle. Smart Mom.

I quickly responded, “You’ve got a deal!”

Not a bad trade off, if you ask me.

And fruity cakes? I kinda love them (just like this blueberry cake), so I knew I had to make one out of those delicious bright partridgeberries.

What Are Partridgeberries? What Do Partridgeberries Taste Like?

Partridgeberries are quite similar to cranberries in taste (though smaller). They are super tart and firm and quite tasty. In other parts of the world, partridgeberries are known as “lingonberries.”

Because of their tartness and density, I wouldn’t recommend eating partridgeberries on their own. Every time I’ve enjoyed them, they have been cooked and in something, like jams or this delicious partridgeberry cake. They add such a lovely pop of colour to things and pair beautifully with orange.

Can I Make this Cake Without Partridgeberries?

Of course!

You can certainly substitute with cranberries if you like; they’ll have a similar taste.

Obviously, it won’t be a “partridgeberry” cake, but a cranberry cake.

How To Keep Berries From Sinking in Cakes

Ever bake something and all those berries just sink to the bottom of the pan?

There’s an easy solution to that! Toss them with a little flour before adding to the batter and they’ll stay suspended!

How To Make Partridgeberry Cake

Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:

Before you get going with your mixer, dust partridgeberries with a little flour and set aside.

Next, combine flour with baking powder, baking soda, salt, orange zest and rosemary and also set aside.

Then:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a mixing bowl with a hand mixer), blend together cream cheese, butter and sugar until smooth, combined and fluffy.
2. Blend in orange extract.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, blending until just combined. Don’t overmix.
4. Blend in flour mixture (made of flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, orange zest and rosemary).
5. Add flour-dusted partridgeberries.
6. Fold those partridgeberries in with a spatula. This is gentler than the stand mixer and helps prevent them from breaking up too much in the batter.
7. Scoop the batter into a well greased pan and tap, tap, tap on a hard surface to make sure all batter settles and any excess air bubbles are removed (of course, there still will be some).
8. Bake, then allow the cake to cool slightly before removing from the pan and fully cooling on a cooling rack.
9. Whip up the icing sugar glaze and drizzle over the cooled cake.

Super Simple Icing Sugar Glaze

The orange infused icing sugar glaze makes for a pretty cake, but is totally optional. Some tips to keep in mind: 

Depending on the style of your cake pan, and how sweet you want things, you may use less (or more) of the icing sugar glaze than what is called for in the recipe. Just adjust the quantity to what suits you.

Tip on Icing Sugar Glaze: Less is always more when it comes to adding liquid to icing sugar. A little liquid goes a long way. It’s easier to add than to take away.

If you add too much liquid, the icing sugar glaze will be thinner. Not a big deal, but it just won’t “pop” as much. Just stir the orange juice and orange extract into the icing sugar. Like, really work it.

You may be thinking it won’t liquefy, but it will! It’ll be nice and thick and perfect for glazing.

Allow the cake to fully cool before glazing. If not, it will absorb right into the cake.

Does This Partridgeberry Cake Freeze Well?

Yes, it does!

It’s better to freeze an unglazed cake (as the glaze doesn’t look as pretty after freezing and thawing). However, you can still freeze the cake if it’s glazed. No biggie, just something to keep in mind.

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.

I often make this cake a month before Christmas. The season is busy enough without having to add holiday baking to the list. 

Tips for Making Newfoundland Partridgeberry Cake

• Ensure the cream cheese and butter is softened before using. It blends better that way and makes for a nice consistency.
• I used frozen partridgeberries and didn’t allow to fully thaw before incorporating into batter? Why? Frozen berries when thawed tend to be softer than their fresh counterparts. By not allowing to fully thaw, it meant for less “bleeding” into the cake batter.
• Have fresh partridgeberries? Great! Use those instead of frozen.
• Rosemary is not for everyone. I used some here (about 1 tablespoon or two sprigs), but you could totally omit if you like.

Like this Newfoundland Recipe? You May Enjoy These Too

• Traditional Newfoundland Cod au Gratin
• Newfoundland Salt Cod Fish Cakes
• Homemade Baked Beans With Bacon

Whether you call this a lingonberry cake or partridgeberry cake, I hope you love it as much as we do!

If you make this partridgeberry orange cake, be sure to leave a comment below!