September is a merging of seasons, where the haze of late summer unfurls into the honeyed glow of Autumn. It’s one of my favourite months to forage wild flavours, for the hedgerows are heavy with jewel-toned fruits just waiting to be bottled, stewed or baked.
This recipe is perfect for enjoying with a cup of tea after a morning foraging in the crisp Autumn air. For the jammy layer I used my homemade wild blackberry jam that I made last Autumn, but you can use any dark fruit jam.
Ingredients:
225g butter – plus extra for greasing the tin
225g golden caster sugar – plus 1 tbsp extra for sprinkling
3 medium eggs
275g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
50g ground almonds
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 tbsp dark berry jam of your choice
150g blackberries
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C and butter a small cake tin.
Beat 200g of butter and 200g of sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, until well combined. When smooth, add 225g flour followed by the vanilla, baking powder, almonds and milk.
Scrape the mix into the prepared tin and level the surface. With a spatula spread the jam on top. Then scatter over the blackberries pressing them in slightly.
Make the crumble topping with the remaining butter, flour and sugar by rubbing together until crumbly then scatter over the surface of the cake before sprinkling 1 tbsp sugar on top.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden. Enjoy!
