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    Where Is My Spoon > Sweet Recipes > Cakes

    Published: Jul 16, 2020 · Modified: Mar 4, 2022 by Adina · 20 Comments

    Black Currant Cake

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    pinterest image of small cake with berries on an old platter with title written in white.

    Soft black currant cake, easy to make and full of flavor. This rustic-looking currant cake is what you need if you happen to get your hands on some berries. Only 6 ingredients.

    Jump to Recipe
    cake made with black currants served on a vintage platter

    Or try this easy black currant jam, it is one of my favorites, it has a really special flavor. You could also make Creme de Cassis, Black Currant Cordial or Black Currant and Apple Crumble.

    Black currant cake – easy to make actually, but not that easy to plan to make it. Finding black currants can be a challenge, I know that I was never able to buy them. I do have a bush in the garden, but I am afraid that the crop hasn't been that impressive during the past two years, no idea why...

    All I managed to get this year were the currants I used to make this cake... Not much... But the cake was all worth it! Soft and sweet and of a really special flavor, the black currants have their own specific and a rather strong flavor and you will really be able to taste them. And that is the point of it, isn't it?

    sliced soft cake slice on a small plate

    What are black currants?

    Black currant is a shrub growing in the temperate zones of central and northern Europe and in northern Asia.

    They have an intense tart flavor, yet they are sweeter than the red or white currants. Tart, yet somehow heartier, smokier, more aromatic.

    They are full of vitamins, especially Vitamin C. Actually, during World War II children in the UK were given a cordial of black currant and water as a Vitamin C supplement in order to avoid scurvy.

    While these particular currants have always been popular in Britain and Europe generally, they are pretty much unknown in the US. The reason for that is a decades-long ban starting in the early 20th century. Black currants bushes were apparently spreading a fungus that was affecting white pine trees, which were vital for timber production in the country. However, some states started to lift this ban in 2003 and black currants are grown again in the US.

    What do you need?

    Berries:

    • About 250 g/ 8.8 oz/ about 2-3 cups black currants. The exact amount is not vital, a little more or less is fine.
    • The berries can be replaced with red or white ones. As you might notice in the pictures I used a tiny amount of white currants as well. That was all I manage to get from an entire bush this year... about 20 berries...

    Alternatives:

    • Just in case you cannot get enough or any black currants, you could still bake this cake with pretty much any kind of berry you like: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries.
    • You can use fresh, frozen or canned berries.
    • Other choices would be sweet or sour cherries, chopped peaches or nectarines, actually pretty much anything, the cake is very versatile.

    Other ingredients: soft butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder.

    close up slice currant cake on a dark platter

    How to make?

    • This currant cake is super easy to make.
    • Preferably, use a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients, it is the best thing you could do to ensure that your cakes turn out right.
    • Take the butter out of the refrigerator in time to allow it to get soft.
    • Mix the butter and the sugar until creamy.
    • Add the eggs one by one and stir well.
    • Mix the flour and baking powder, sift them over the mixture and mix in shortly.
    • Get the batter into the baking dish.
    • Cover with berries.
    • Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
    • Let cool slightly in the springform, remove, and let cool on a wire rack.

    prepare springform, mix batter, cover with berries

    Tips and FAQ

    How to serve?

    The black currant cake can be served warm or at room temperature.
    When served warm, I like to top it with some vanilla ice.
    Otherwise, sprinkle it with a little icing sugar before serving.
    For a really decadent treat, serve it with whipped cream or a mixture of creme fraiche sweetened with a little brown sugar, I love that mixture.

    How to store?

    The cake keeps well for a couple of days at room temperature. Keep it wrapped in a clean kitchen towel or in an airtight container.
    If refrigerated (in an airtight container) it will keep for 4-5 days, it will become denser, but it will still taste very good.
    You can also freeze leftover slices. Wrap them in cling film, place them in airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

    What other cakes to make with black currants?

    All the following cakes are made with other berries, but you can replace those, either partially or entirely, with black currants, if you happen to have lots of them.
    Marzipan Pastries
    Fresh Blackberry Cake
    Blackberry Crumble Pie
    Blueberry Sour Cream Cake
    Cherry Loaf Cake

    Do you like this recipe?

    Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Don’t forget to tag me #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!

    vintage platter with sliced cake

    berry dessert served on a platter and decorated with currant leaves.

    Black Currant Cake

    Soft black currant cake, easy to make and full of flavor. This rustic looking currant cake is what you need if you happen to get your hands on some berries. Only 6 ingredients.
    4.39 from 60 votes
    Print Pin Share GrowSaved! Rate
    Course: Cakes
    Cuisine: German
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 282kcal
    Author: Adina
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients 

    • 250-300 g/ 8.8-10.6 oz/ 2-3 cups black currants
    • 75 g/ 2.7 oz/ ⅓ cup unsalted butter soft
    • 175 g/ 6.2 oz/ ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 3 large eggs
    • 175 g/ 6.2 oz/ 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder

    Instructions

    • Remove the butter from the refrigerator a few hours before baking to allow it to get soft. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter and flour a springform (20 cm/ 8 inches) or line the bottom of the springform with parchment paper.
    • Clean and dry the black currants. Set aside.
    • Cream the butter and the sugar, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs, one by one, mixing well in between. Mix the flour and the baking powder and sieve them over the mixture. Mix shortly again.
    • Place the batter into the prepared springform. Cover with the berries. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, remove and let cool on a wire rack. Serve as suggested above.

    Notes

    I recommend using a kitchen scale in baking, it ensures the best results.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice | Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alma says

      August 23, 2020 at 2:04 am

      No where in the recipe do you say when to put in the currants.....Also I'm wondering if I could substitute black currant jelly some how?

      Reply
      • Adina says

        August 23, 2020 at 7:03 am

        Sorry Alma. Place the berries on the batter. There is no way of combining jelly into the batter. What you could do is to slice the baked and cooled cake and sandwich that with jelly.

        Reply
    2. nikki says

      April 20, 2021 at 5:26 pm

      can I use dry currants?

      Reply
    3. nikki says

      April 20, 2021 at 5:58 pm

      hi can i use dry currants instead?

      Reply
      • Adina says

        April 20, 2021 at 8:47 pm

        Hi Nikki. It would not be same, this cake relies on the fresh berries. You can use other fresh berries instance.

        Reply
    4. Zita Listy says

      July 04, 2021 at 8:56 pm

      Thank you for sharing this recipe as I just harvested my Black Currants.
      Cake was delicious ?and definitely will be making again

      Reply
      • Adina says

        July 05, 2021 at 7:05 am

        Thank you for the feedback, Zita, I am glad you liked it.

        Reply
    5. Di says

      June 29, 2022 at 4:02 pm

      I've literally just got this out of the oven, so haven't tried it, but it looks lovely. Can I ask about the + 2 tablespoons of sugar? I thought it strange to ask for the grams of sugar, plus 2 tablespoons. I couldn't see what to do with the extra sugar, so sprinkled it over the cake on top of the blackcurrants before baking it. The cake has a lovely crispy top. Is that what one is supposed to do, or is it supposed to go in the cake?

      Thanks

      Reply
      • Adina says

        June 29, 2022 at 4:37 pm

        Hi Di. I am glad you baked the cake. The cake contains 175 g sugar which is 3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons sugar when converted to cups. But I am sure everything is great with the crispy sugary topping.

        Reply
    6. Jacqui says

      July 09, 2022 at 7:53 pm

      Hi, I haven’t made this cake yet and was wondering if you could use red currants instead. I’ve just harvested a lot from my tree and not sure what to do with them?

      Reply
      • Adina says

        July 10, 2022 at 9:13 pm

        Yes, sure.

        Reply
    7. Janice says

      July 22, 2022 at 10:17 pm

      Are you supposed to press the currants down into the batter or just sprinkle and let them rest on top?

      Reply
      • Adina says

        July 23, 2022 at 11:15 am

        Just sprinkle.

        Reply
    8. Paige says

      July 31, 2022 at 5:09 am

      5 stars
      Love this recipe! Combined the black currants with some fresh sliced strawberries, 10/10 recommend.

      Reply
    9. Gill says

      August 09, 2022 at 10:22 pm

      5 stars
      My family loved this cake! I sprinkled it with sugar after baking and served it with a creme anglaise. I will definitely make it again… perhaps tomorrow! We have a lot of currants this year. Do you think it would freeze well?

      Reply
      • Adina says

        August 09, 2022 at 10:30 pm

        Hi Gill, I am happy to hear it. Freeze will be fine, just wrap the cake well.

        Reply
    10. Gill says

      August 11, 2022 at 12:12 am

      5 stars
      My family loved this cake, it certainly didn’t last long! Do you think it would freeze? I have a lot of blackcurrants this year.

      Reply
      • Adina says

        August 11, 2022 at 8:37 am

        Hi Gill. Yes, you can freeze it.

        Reply
    11. Karen says

      December 01, 2022 at 1:58 am

      5 stars
      Excellent! I added the zest of one lemon and that gives a nice extra flavor contrast. I'd like to know also how it might be with a little milk to thin the batter. Will trythat next time. Otherwise, very tasty!

      Reply
      • Adina says

        December 01, 2022 at 6:57 am

        I am so happy to hear it, Karen. Thank you.

        Reply

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