Happy Friday! EPCOT’s Flower and Garden Festival is back and I’m celebrating with this Buttermilk Cake with Berry Compote! Straight from the festival, this a light buttermilk cake has a cinnamon streusel topping and is served with a fresh berry compote! It’s also great with ice cream 😀.
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Originally debuting in 2019, this Buttermilk Cake with Berry Compote was served at Arbor at Gardners Terrace and has since been included in The Official Disney Parks Celebration Cookbook by Pam Brandon and the Disney Chefs! I was excited to get a copy of this last year, but hadn’t really had a chance to try any of the recipes. This week seemed like the perfect time!
This cake was originally a gluten-free cake, but since I don’t do a lot of gluten-free baking, I adapted it to be non-gluten free. If you would prefer a gluten-free cake, just swap out the all-purpose flour with 1:1 gluten-free flour.
To start, make the streusel topping by combining the butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Beat the mixture until smooth and creamy and then add the flour. Stir with a fork (or your hands) until pea-sized crumbs form. Set aside.
Next make the cake batter by whisking together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil. Finally, in a large bowl, whip the eggs and sugar together until light and airy, about 2 minutes.
On low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture into the whipped eggs in two additions.
Pour the batter into a greased 8-inch cake pan. I used a Little Hottie ceramic baking dish from Great Jones but you could also use a 8-inch round or square metal cake pan. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top.
Bake for 30-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you’re using a ceramic baking dish, it’ll be closer to 40-45 minutes. Cool the cake completely.
To make the berry compote, place three cups of berries in a microwave-safe bowl. I used a mix of strawberries and blackberries, but you can use any berries that sound good–strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc. Add the sugar and lemon juice, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 3 minutes. Stir to dissolve the sugar and let the mixture cool.
To serve, place a slice of cake on a rimmed plate or bowl. Place 1-2 tablespoons of the berry compote over the top of the cake slice. If desired, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side!
Enjoy this Buttermilk Cake with Berry Compote!
Buttermilk Cake with Berry Compote
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
Buttermilk Cake
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
Berry Compote
- 3 cups berries (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- juice of ½ lemon
Toppings
- vanilla ice cream
Instructions
Streusel Topping
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In a medium bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Beat until smooth and creamy.
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Add the flour and stir with a fork until pea-sized crumbs form. Set aside.
Buttermilk Cake
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Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch cake pan. Set aside.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
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In a large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, whip the eggs and sugar together until light and airy, about 2 minutes.
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On low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture into the whipped eggs in two additions.
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Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top. Bake for 30-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake completely.
Berry Compote
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Wash and drain the berries. Place them in microwave-safe bowl.
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Add the sugar and lemon juice, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 3 minutes.
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Stir to dissolve the sugar and let the mixture cool.
Assembly
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Slice the cake. Serve each slice with 1-2 tablespoons of the berry compote drizzled over the top.
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If desired, add a scoop of ice cream or dollop of whipped cream on the side.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from the Disney Parks