RECIPE: Blackberry & mixed spice cake.

For my boyfriend's mum's birthday we decided to bake a cake. As blackberries are nearly in peak season (September) it should be quite cheap to make if you live near some hedges.

Unfortunately, we were in a rush as usual so we didn't manage to take any photos, but please enjoy the pretty picture of the phat & juicy lookin blackberries.

It makes quite a lot of cake, probably 14 decent-fill-you-up servings.

Shopping list

2 cups of Plain Flour 2 teaspoons of Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon of Salt
200g of Cream Cheese
1/2 cup of Butter and then melt it
2 cups of Sugar or 1 cup of Tate and Lyle brown sugar + stevia blend (half the calories)
2 large Eggs
2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract
2 cups of Blackberries - if you're not scrumping (basically a pack from the shop)
3 tablesoons Sugar or 1.5 tablespoons of Tate and Lyle brown sugar + stevia blend
1.5 teaspoons of Mixed Spice


Method

Put the oven on 180°C or gas mark 4

With butter, grease up a large baking tray (33 x 23 x 5cm) we used a pyrex lasagne dish

In a small bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt, leave this as you will need it in a bit.

Get a larger bowl and mix the melted butter & cream cheese together, until its all creamy.

NEXT, gradually add the 2 cups of sugar (or 1 cup of sugar + stevia blend)

In a cup, beat 2 eggs and then slowly add the eggs to the mixture (to stop curdling)

Slowly sift everything in the smaller bowl into the mixture and blend together.

Stir in the vanilla and then gently fold in the blackberries

Dollop and evenly spread the mixture into the greased tin

THEN, in a cup mix the 3 tablespoons of sugar (or 1.5 sugar + stevia blend) with the 1.5 teaspoons of mixed spice.

Lastly, sprinkle the sugar and mixed spice over the mix.

Bake for 50 minutes

Shove a knife into the centre and if it comes out clean, its all baked! if not, it may need a couple more minutes.

Leave to cool.

Cut into squares and either scoff it all  with family & friends or store in a tin.

Let me know how the recipes goes for you, everyone here seemed to love it!