Summer Pudding Cake

Name: Summer Pudding Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8 - 10 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 .2kg mixed berries - we used strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, redcurrants and blackcurrants, plus extra to decorate; 150 g caster sugar; 175 mL cassis; butter to grease; 600 g pre-sliced brioche loaf; 125 mL double cream; 50 g icing sugar; 25 mL elderflower cordial; 150 g crème fraiche

An elegant way to serve an old favourite and perfect when served with whipped cream and fresh berries.

By The Good Housekeeping Cookery TeamUpdated: 22 March 2024

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This cake is a twist on the traditional Summer Pudding. Seasonal fruit is cooked down with a little sugar and then cassis (a blackcurrant liqueur) is added at the end for an extra kick. Brioche is soaked in this tart mixture and layered in a cake tin with any fruit pieces that haven't broken down. Once chilled, it's piled high with elderflower cream and extra berries... delicious!

We used Summer fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, redcurrants and blackcurrants in the recipe below. When purchasing berries, whether from a greengrocers, farmers' market or supermarket, make sure you look for plump, blemish and bruised free, vibrant looking fruit (ideally with stalks still attached).

Traditionally, summer pudding is made in a pudding basin (unlike the below recipe which is layered in a spring-form cake tin), which results in a dome shaped effect. It is usually made from stale white bread (which helps absorb the juices from the fruit), however the summer pudding cake recipe below uses brioche bread for a rich and buttery taste.

It's important to only lightly whip your elderflower cream to prevent it from turning stiff and grainy. There's a very fine line between getting your cream to a perfectly light and fluffy texture and over whipping it, so keep an eye on it! If you do just over whip your cream, then try adding a little more cream to the mixture and very gently fold it through to bring it back.

If you love summer pudding and simply can't last the year without it, then give our spiced brioche autumn pudding a try. It's much like our summer pudding recipe, except it uses plums and nectarines instead which a seasonal in the autumn months.

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Yields:

8 - 10 serving(s)

Prep Time:

25 mins

Cook Time:

5 mins

Total Time:

30 mins

Cal/Serv:

496

Ingredients

1
.2kg mixed berries - we used strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, redcurrants and blackcurrants, plus extra to decorate
150 g
caster sugar
175 ml
cassis
butter to grease
600 g
pre-sliced brioche loaf

For the elderflower cream

125 ml
double cream
50 g
icing sugar
25 ml
elderflower cordial
150 g
crème fraiche

Directions

1. Step 1
  Hull and roughly chop strawberries. Put all the fruit (except strawberries) in a large pan with the caster sugar and 100ml water. Heat over medium heat, occasionally stirring gently, until juices start to leak out of the fruit. Add strawberries and bubble for 3min more.
2. Step 2
  Empty mixture into a sieve set over a large bowl - allow to drip for 10min. Taste juice in bowl – add more sugar if a little tart. Add cassis to the juice bowl.
3. Step 3
  Next, lightly grease sides of a 20.5cm round cake tin and line sides with baking parchment. Place tin in a roasting tin to catch any leaking juices if using loose-bottomed or springform tin.
4. Step 4
  Slice off brioche crusts. Working one at time, quickly dip a brioche slice in cassis juice to soak, then lay into base of prepared tin. Continue until you have an even layer covering base (tear slices to fit) – one slice thick.
5. Step 5
  Spoon over 1/2 the fruit, spreading to an even layer. Repeat layering soaked brioche and fruit once more, ending with a final layer of soaked brioche. Cover and chill any leftover soaking liquid. Cover cake tin with foil and chill overnight.
6. Step 6
  To make the cream, whip cream, icing sugar and cordial in a medium bowl until mixture just holds its shape. Fold in crème fraîche. Cover and chill until needed.
7. Step 7
  To serve, set aside roasting tin with any juices. While still in cake tin, invert pudding on to a serving plate or cake stand. Unclip/lift off outer tin and carefully remove base. Peel off parchment paper. Pile on cream and decorate with extra berries. Drizzle on some of the reserved soaking liquid or leaked juices, if you like. Serve.