This moist and flavorful mixed berry cake is soft, tender, and loaded with bursting fresh berries and a bright lemon zest aroma.
This easy one-bowl berry cake is extremely simple and affordable to make, which is one of my favorite parts about it. It stays moist for up to four days and is the perfect way to use up fresh, ripe summer berries!
One reader, Vivian, commented: “This recipe is amazing! My husband is VERY particular, and he liked it so much that I had to make it again. So moist and flavorful! ★★★★★”
One reader, Janice, commented: “Loved it! Made it exactly as the recipe says and served it with whipping cream! ★★★★★”
One reader, Oana, commented: “It came out moist and unbelievably fluffy, well enjoyed by my husband and daughter for movie night. Thank you! ★★★★★”
Sour cream and vegetable oil give the crumb of this cake an incredibly soft and tender texture. Plus, this recipe doesn’t require a stand mixer or an electric mixer, and there is no creaming butter involved.
All you need are basic pantry ingredients, fresh or frozen berries, a bowl, and a whisk.
For more berry cakes, check out my blueberry cake, strawberry bundt cake, blueberry sour cream coffee cake, strawberry shortcake birthday cake, fresh strawberry sheet cake, and strawberry crumble cake.
Jump to:
Why this recipe works
- Fresh and Zesty Flavor: This cake is packed with juicy berries in every bite and has a bright, beautiful aroma from fresh lemon zest.
- Fresh or Frozen Berries: This recipe is loaded with the berries of your choice, making it a great way to use up ripe fruit. You can also easily make it with frozen berries!
- One-Bowl Clean Up: This cake is straightforward and comes together quickly in just one bowl.
- No-Butter Budget Cake: Butter is getting expensive! This cake uses vegetable oil instead, making it budget-friendly while keeping the crumb incredibly soft.
- Amazing Texture: The combination of sour cream, oil, and the natural moisture from the baking berries creates a super soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Ingredients
Before you start making this mixed berry cake, measure and prepare your ingredients so the baking process goes smoothly. Full measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Berries: I used a mix of fresh blueberries and strawberries, but frozen berries work just as well. Do not thaw frozen berries before adding them.
Flour: I used all-purpose flour for this recipe, but cake flour works beautifully as well.
Eggs: You will need 2 large eggs. Make sure they are at room temperature so they incorporate evenly.
Baking Powder: This allows the cake to rise. Always ensure your baking powder is fresh and not expired.
Vegetable Oil: I used standard vegetable oil, but canola oil works great too.
Lemon Zest: You will need 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon zest to add that bright citrus aroma.
Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt both work well for adding moisture.
Vanilla Extract: Adds a lovely depth of flavor. For extra punch, you can use vanilla bean paste!
Sugar: I used granulated sugar, but caster sugar is an excellent swap.
Kosher Salt: You will need about ½ teaspoon to balance the sweetness.
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and kosher salt. Whisk until well combined.
Add the berries directly to the dry ingredients and gently toss until they are fully coated in flour. This prevents the berries from sinking to the bottom of the pan while baking.
Pour in the vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix with a whisk until just combined and no lumps of flour remain. Do not overmix.
Pour the cake batter into your prepared 9-inch cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula and scatter a few extra berries over the top.
Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully remove it and place it on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar.
Expert Tips
- Coat Your Berries: Tossing your berries in the flour mixture before adding the liquids is essential to stop them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
- Use Room-Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your eggs and sour cream are at room temperature before starting. Cold ingredients can cause the batter to seize, leading to an uneven bake.
- Don't Overmix: Mix the batter until the flour just disappears. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which makes the cake dense and dry instead of light and fluffy.
- Line Your Baking Pan: Always use parchment paper. It helps the cake bake evenly and guarantees a clean release from the pan.
- Measure Your Flour Correctly: Avoid scooping flour directly with a measuring cup. Instead, fluff the flour with a spoon, scoop it gently into the cup, and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Get Creative with Mix-ins: Make this recipe your own by adding chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, pecans, or banana slices along with the berries.
- Be Patient: It is tempting to slice the cake straight out of the oven, but letting it cool for at least an hour allows the crumb to set so it won't crumble apart when cut.
Troubleshooting
Why did my berries sink to the bottom? This usually happens if the berries weren't fully tossed and coated in the dry ingredients before the wet ingredients were added.
Coating them in flour gives the batter something to grip so they stay suspended.
Why is my cake dense or rubbery? This is a classic sign of overmixing. Once you add the liquid ingredients, whisk only until the flour disappears. Over-whisking builds up gluten, which ruins the tender crumb.
Why did the cake sink in the middle? If your cake collapsed in the center, your baking powder might be expired, or the oven door was opened too early during baking, letting out critical heat before the structure was fully set.
Why did the batter turn blue or purple? If using frozen berries, they will bleed into the batter if they begin to thaw. Keep your frozen berries in the freezer until the exact moment you need to toss them in the flour, and don't thaw them!
FAQS
Yes! While we used fresh berries, frozen berries work perfectly. Do not thaw them before adding them to the mixture, as this will bleed color into your batter. Just toss them directly into the dry ingredients.
I love keeping it simple by decorating the top with fresh berries and a generous dust of powdered sugar. You can also top it with a simple glaze or serve each slice with a dollop of homemade whipped cream.
Yes! You can easily double this recipe. If you double it, I recommend baking it in a 9x13-inch baking pan and adjusting the bake time accordingly.
Storing
Store this cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days if your kitchen is warm and humid. In cooler climates, it will stay fresh on the counter for up to 3 days.
After that, transfer it to the fridge for an additional 1 to 2 days.
Freezing
Once completely cooled to room temperature, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and place it into a freezer-friendly Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To thaw, leave it in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for a few hours before serving.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free: Replace the sour cream with your favorite plant-based sour cream or a thick dairy-free Greek yogurt swap.
Gluten-Free: To make this gluten-free, simply replace the all-purpose flour with a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.
Alternative Sweeteners: You can swap the white granulated sugar for coconut sugar, though it will slightly alter the color and give the cake a warmer, caramel-like flavor note.
Variations
Add a Crumble Top: Top this cake with a classic brown sugar crumble before baking for an extra crunch (you can find my favorite crumble recipe in my strawberry crumble cake post).
Cream Cheese Glaze: Instead of powdered sugar, drizzle a rich cream cheese glaze over the cooled cake. You can use the glaze recipe from my cinnamon roll cheesecake.
Swap the Fruit: If you want a change from berries, you can easily swap them for chopped peaches, nectarines, or pears.
Serving Tips
- Whipped Cream: Add a dollop of fresh whipped cream to create a light contrast to the juicy fruit.
- Berry Coulis Drizzle: Drizzle a quick homemade berry coulis over individual slices for an extra burst of vibrant color and bright flavor.
- Toasted Almonds: Sprinkle sliced, toasted almonds on top for a nutty crunch against the soft cake crumb.
- Ice Cream: You can never go wrong serving a slice of this cake warm with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream next to it.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- 9 inch cake pan
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Microplane or Zester
More easy cake recipes
Banana Chocolate Chip Cake- This incredibly moist cake is packed with melty chocolate pockets and topped with a silky smooth chocolate frosting.
Chocolate Poke Cake- A rich, one-bowl chocolate cake filled with chocolate pudding and finished with a light chocolate whipped cream.
Easy Carrot Cake- A simple, one-bowl classic loaded with warm spices and topped with the ultimate cream cheese frosting.
Connect With Us
Review: Leave a rating and comment below if you enjoyed this recipe. Socials: Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Save: Pin this recipe to Pinterest for later.
📖 Recipe
Easy Moist Mixed Berry Cake (One Bowl)
Ingredients
- 2 cups Flour AP
- 1 ¼ cups Granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 3 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest
- ½ cup Vegetable oil
- 2 Eggs
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup Sour cream
- ⅔ cup Blueberries
- ⅔ cup Strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and kosher salt. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the berries directly to the dry ingredients and gently toss until they are fully coated in flour. This prevents the berries from sinking to the bottom of the pan while baking.
- Pour in the vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix with a whisk until just combined and no lumps of flour remain. Do not overmix.
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared 9-inch cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula and scatter a few extra berries over the top.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully remove it and place it on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
- Coat Your Berries: Tossing your berries in the flour mixture before adding the liquids is essential to stop them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
- Use Room-Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your eggs and sour cream are at room temperature before starting. Cold ingredients can cause the batter to seize, leading to an uneven bake.
- Don't Overmix: Mix the batter until the flour just disappears. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which makes the cake dense and dry instead of light and fluffy.
- Line Your Baking Pan: Always use parchment paper. It helps the cake bake evenly and guarantees a clean release from the pan.
- Measure Your Flour Correctly: Avoid scooping flour directly with a measuring cup. Instead, fluff the flour with a spoon, scoop it gently into the cup, and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Get Creative with Mix-ins: Make this recipe your own by adding chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, pecans, or banana slices along with the berries.
- Be Patient: It is tempting to slice the cake straight out of the oven, but letting it cool for at least an hour allows the crumb to set so it won't crumble apart when cut.
Connie says
Thank you!!! This recipe is awesome! I made it using cake flour and doubled the blackberries since that's what I had. I followed it exactly and yummmmm! 😋 This is definitely a keeper!
Janice says
Loved it! Made it exactly the same as recipe and served with whipping cream!
Rach says
I made this for a group of people at uni and they all loved it and said it was the best thing I have baked for them yet. I didn’t have lemon but added some cinnamon (maybe a teaspoon)
Vivian Poettgen says
This recipe is Amazing! My husband is VERY particular, given he grew up with a mother who baked well and a lot. He liked it so much that I had to make it again. I didn’t change a thing and it was so moist and flavorful that his slices became bigger and bigger with each helping. This cake is definitely a staple in our household now.
Thank you for sharing an easy but stellar no-fail recipe, soon to be classic around here.
Oana says
Made this recipe last night, I replaced the flour with cake flour and the sugar with coconut sugar( used only half cup)..it came out moist and unbelievably fluffy, was well enjoyed be my husband and daughter for movie night. Thank you!
Maureen says
I made this cake for a church gathering and it was all eaten! The only change I made was I didn’t have sour cream so I substituted strawberry yogurt. I didn’t put powdered sugar on it….not needed! Thank you for this recipe! God bless.