There’s a particular kind of comfort that only a crumble can give you — that contrast of crisp, buttery topping giving way to soft sponge and a pocket of jammy fruit underneath. This one sits somewhere between a cake and a crumble, which is exactly the point: light enough for a warm July afternoon, but cosy enough to scratch that comfort-food itch.
It’s the kind of bake that fills the kitchen with that unmistakable warm-butter-and-berries smell — the sort of thing that makes a house feel like a home before you’ve even taken a bite.
Why this one
I wanted to bring back proper, from-scratch baking here — the kind of recipe this blog was built on. Simple ingredients, no fuss, and a result that looks like it took far more effort than it did. Mixed berries keep it feeling seasonal without demanding a single specific fruit, so use whatever’s ripest, cheapest, or hiding in the freezer.
The recipe
A jammy, golden-crumbed bake that splits the difference between summer berries and proper comfort food — crisp almond crumble on top, soft vanilla-almond sponge below.
INGREDIENTS
- 175 grams unsalted butter, softened
- 175 grams caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 175 grams self-raising flour
- 50 grams ground almonds
- 1 teaspoons almond extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 300 grams mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
- 75 grams plain flour, for the crumble
- 50 grams cold butter, cubed, for the crumble
- 40 grams demerara sugar, for the crumble
- 30 grams flaked almonds, for the crumble
STEPS
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 170°C fan (190°C/375°F conventional). Grease and line a 20cm round springform tin.
- Make the crumble topping: Rub 50 grams cold butter, cubed, for the crumble into 75 grams plain flour, for the crumble until it looks like breadcrumbs, then stir in 40 grams demerara sugar, for the crumble and 30 grams flaked almonds, for the crumble. Set aside in the fridge.
- Cream butter and sugar: Beat 175 grams unsalted butter, softened and 175 grams caster sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add eggs and almond extract: Beat in 3 large eggs one at a time, then add 1 teaspoons almond extract, mixing well between each addition.
- Fold in dry ingredients: Gently fold in 175 grams self-raising flour and 50 grams ground almonds, then loosen the batter with 2 tablespoons milk.
- Assemble: Spoon the batter into the tin and level it off. Scatter 300 grams mixed berries (fresh or frozen) evenly over the top, then press gently. Sprinkle the chilled crumble mixture over everything.
- Bake: Bake for approx 1hr or until golden and a skewer inserted into the sponge (avoiding a berry) comes out clean.
- Cool and serve: Leave in the tin for 15 minutes before releasing, then cool a little further on a wire rack. Best served just warm, with cream or custard.
Notes & swaps
- Frozen berries work brilliantly — no need to thaw first, just add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
- No ground almonds? Swap for the same weight of extra flour, though you’ll lose a little of that nutty depth.
- Make it dairy-free by swapping the butter for a block-style plant butter — works well in both the sponge and the crumble.
- Storage: keeps well in an airtight tin for 3 days, or freezes beautifully (wrap individual slices).
A little kitchen witchery
If you’re leaning into the seasonal-magic side of things: berries have long folk associations with abundance and protection, and baking itself — the slow, hands-on transformation of raw ingredients into something nourishing — is a small ritual in its own right. Worth setting an intention while you cream the butter and sugar, if that’s your sort of thing.
