This soft black currant cake is easy to make and bursts with flavor. This rustic-looking cake is made with only 6 ingredients, and it's perfect if you have some blackcurrants on hand.
This black currant cake is so easy and quick to make, flavorful, and satisfying—all great things! But it is not that easy to plan to make it. Black currants have a short season, and they can be challenging to find; I know that I was never able to buy them.
But if you, like me, planted a bush in your garden or have access to a good farmer's market, then make sure you try this amazing cake with black currants this summer; it's so worth it! The cake is soft and sweet with a unique flavor. The black currants have a distinct, strong taste that shines through. And that’s the point, isn’t it?
And if you have a glut of black currants this year (not every year is the same), make this easy Blackcurrant Jam; it is one of my favorites; it really has a really special flavor. You could also make Black Currant Freezer Jam, Creme de Cassis, or Black Currant Cordial; they are all amazing recipes using large amounts of berries.
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Why will you love this recipe?
It uses only 6 ingredients!
You can whip up the black currant cake in about 10 minutes, then bake it. The whole process takes just 1 hour.
It stays fresh for several days, and you can freeze it.
It's super versatile! Is black currant season over? No matter; you can still make this easy and delicious cake with practically any other berry, fresh or frozen.
Try this Black Currant and Apple Crumble, too; it's an amazing dessert perfect for the season.
What are black currants?
Black currant is a shrub growing in the temperate zones of central and northern Europe and northern Asia. Its flavor is intensely tart, yet it is sweeter than that of red or white currants. It is tart yet somehow heartier, smokier, and more aromatic.
Black currants are rich in vitamins, especially Vitamin C. During World War II, the UK used them as a supplement to prevent scurvy in children.
While popular in Britain and Europe, black currants were largely unknown in the US due to a ban in the early 20th century. This ban was due to black currant bushes spreading a fungus harmful to white pine trees, which are crucial for timber production. The ban started lifting in 2003, allowing black currants to be grown in the US again.
Recipe ingredients
Fresh black currants: About 2-3 cups 250 - 300 g/ 9 - 10.5 oz. The exact amount is not vital; a little more or less is fine.
The berries can be replaced with red currants or white ones if you have them. As you might notice in the pictures, I also used a tiny amount of white currants. That was all I managed to get from an entire bush this year - about 20 berries.
You can bake this cake with fresh or frozen black currants.
Other ingredients: Unsalted butter, granulated sugar, large eggs, all-purpose flour, and baking powder.
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; this easy dessert is very versatile.
How to make black currant cake?
Step #1: Cream the soft butter and sugar in a large bowl.
Step #2: Add the eggs one by one, stirring well each time.
Step #3: Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Sift over the egg mixture and mix briefly. Pour the cake batter into a greased and floured springform.
Step #4: Cover the top of the cake with berries. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool slightly in the pan, then remove and let cool on a wire rack.
Good to know!
Preferably, use a kitchen scale (the Amazon link opens in a new tab) to measure the ingredients; it is the best thing you can do to ensure that your cakes turn out right.
Don't overmix the batter: Once you've added the flour mixture to the wet ingredient, mix only briefly using a spoon or a rubber spatula. Overmixing will make the cake dense and dry.
Prepare the pan well to prevent the cake from sticking to it: You can grease and flour it thoroughly or grease it lightly and cover its sides and bottom with parchment paper.
Recipe FAQs
In America, you would refer to them as black currants or red currants, while in the UK, you would spell blackcurrants or redcurrants.
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.
Alternatively, you can cover it with a simple lemon drizzle, like the one used for this Blackberry Lemon Bread.
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.
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 them for up to 3 months.
What other cakes can you 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, Sponge Blackberry Cake, Blackberry Crumble Pie, Blueberry Sour Cream Cake, or Cherry Loaf Cake.
Black Currant Cake
Equipment
- springform 20 cm/ 8 inches
- Bowls
Ingredients
- 250-300 g black currants 2-3 cups/ 9-10.5 oz, Notes 1, 2
- 75 g unsalted butter soft, ⅓ cup
- 175 g granulated sugar ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons
- 3 large eggs
- 175 g all-purpose flour 1 ½ cups
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Preparations: Remove the butter from the refrigerator a few hours before baking to allow it to get soft. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F. Butter and flour the springform or line its bottom and sides with parchment paper.75 g unsalted butter/ ⅓ cup
- Black currants: Clean and dry them. Set them aside.250-300 g black currants/ 2-3 cups/ 9-10.5 oz
- Make cake batter: Cream butter and sugar for 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 using a spoon or a rubber spatula. Don't overmix or the cake will be dry and dense.butter + 175 g granulated sugar/ ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons + 3 large eggs + 175 g all-purpose flour/ 1 ½ cups + 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and cover it with the black currants. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes; remove, and let cool on a wire rack. Serve as suggested above.
Notes
- Measurements: I recommend using a digital kitchen scale in baking (the Amazon link opens in a new tab); it ensures the best results.
- Black currants: You can use fresh or frozen, and of any color (black, red or white). You can make the cake using any other berries you like.
Jane Hitchcock says
Wondering if I can use fresh black currants instead of dried?
Adina says
Hi Jane. The cake is made with freh black currants, not dried.
Steffie says
I'm just giving this a go as sounds lovely. It's in the oven right this minute!
Just wondered if it would be OK to use frozen berries as I have a glut in the freezer.
Thanks
Adina says
It should be fine.
Ceri says
Made this cake last night with blackcurrants my dad grew, really easy and so tasty. I was disappointed my blackcurrants all sunk to the bottom but looking at your photos yours was the same so I guess its supposed to happen. Nevertheless it was delicious. Might try gooseberries next.
Susy says
I’m about to make this cake but need to know the size of the cake tin, thanks in advance
Adina says
Hi Susy. It says in the recipe; a springform of 20 cm/ 8 inches diameter.
Karen says
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!
Adina says
I am so happy to hear it, Karen. Thank you.
Gill says
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.
Adina says
Hi Gill. Yes, you can freeze it.
Gill says
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?
Adina says
Hi Gill, I am happy to hear it. Freeze will be fine, just wrap the cake well.
Paige says
Love this recipe! Combined the black currants with some fresh sliced strawberries, 10/10 recommend.
Janice says
Are you supposed to press the currants down into the batter or just sprinkle and let them rest on top?
Adina says
Just sprinkle.
Jacqui says
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?
Adina says
Yes, sure.
Di says
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
Adina says
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.
Zita Listy says
Thank you for sharing this recipe as I just harvested my Black Currants.
Cake was delicious ?and definitely will be making again
Adina says
Thank you for the feedback, Zita, I am glad you liked it.
nikki says
hi can i use dry currants instead?
Adina says
Hi Nikki. It would not be same, this cake relies on the fresh berries. You can use other fresh berries instance.
nikki says
can I use dry currants?
Alma says
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?
Adina says
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.