This easy black currant cake is an almond-scented, home-style cake topped with fresh black currants, a crunchy sugar crumble and sliced almonds. As it bakes, the currants soften and jam up, creating a glossy, fruity layer that pairs perfectly with the nutty cake beneath.
Flavour Profile of Black Currants
Black currants are prized for their distinctive, herbaceous flavour and deep berry character. They differ from other currants: white currants are the mildest and sweetest, while red currants are tangier and brighter. Black currants lean toward vegetal, slightly tart and aromatic notes that stand up well to richer flavours.
The pronounced flavour of black currants pairs especially well with almond. In this recipe ground almonds and a touch of almond extract give the cake a marzipan-like warmth that complements the berries. The result is a balanced summer dessert where nutty cake and jammy berries play off each other.
When adding fresh berries to a batter before baking, remember they release moisture as they cook. Currants and other berry fruits are high in pectin, which helps them thicken and set as they bake—so they won’t usually turn into a watery mess the way some softer fruits can. Still, it’s worth considering the fruit-to-batter ratio to avoid a soggy layer where the cake can’t bake properly.
The advantage of currants is that their natural pectin helps the fruit cook down and gel, so you get a nicely set berry layer without adding extra thickeners. That quality makes them ideal for cakes like this one, where fruit is baked on top of the batter and should remain glossy rather than watery.
An 8-inch springform pan is recommended for this cake. The removable ring makes it easy to release the sides without flipping the cake, which keeps the almond slices and berry topping intact. A springform pan is a handy tool for fruit-topped cakes and other delicate bakes.
More Easy Recipes to Bake With Currants
If you enjoy baking with currants you can adapt other berry recipes to use them. Currants work well in muffins, jams and tart fillings and make an excellent garnish for fruit tarts and galettes. If black currants aren’t available, blueberries or raspberries can be used instead—just be mindful of juice content and texture.
If you try this black currant cake (or any recipe), please leave a star rating and a comment to let me know how it turned out—I love hearing from readers!
📖 Recipe
Black Currant Cake
Equipment
- 8-in springform pan
- Whisk or electric mixer
- Spatula
Ingredients
Sweet crumble topping
- 42 grams unsalted butter
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 40 grams bleached all-purpose flour
Black currant cake
- 95 grams bleached all-purpose flour
- 30 grams ground almonds
- 5 mL baking powder
- 1.25 mL fine kosher salt (or half the amount if using table salt)
- 58 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 5 mL pure vanilla extract
- 2.5 mL pure almond extract
- 1 large egg
- 60 mL whole milk (3.25% fat)
- 375 mL black currants (approximately 250 grams or ½ lb)
- 30 grams sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 ºF (175 °C). Butter an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Sweet crumble topping: In a small bowl, combine the butter, sugar and flour. Mix until a soft, crumbly dough forms. Set aside.
- Black currant cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, vanilla and almond extract with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and beat to combine, then stir in the milk.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until a smooth batter forms.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter the black currants evenly over the batter, then dot with pieces of the crumble topping and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
- Bake on the middle rack until the edges are golden and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Baking time may vary; in one oven this took about 60 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool slightly, run a knife around the edge and unclip the springform to release the sides. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve plain or with ice cream if desired.
Notes
- This recipe uses fine kosher salt. If substituting table salt, reduce the amount by half to avoid oversalting.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guide only.
