Wildberry Frenzy Cake with Strawberries, Blueberries and Mulberry Syrup

Last week we went adventuring, exploring the backstreets a few suburbs over one day while we were at a loose end. What we discovered was something magical. We discovered the Turkish food wholesaler.

Armed with a basket, my son and I walked in to the giant warehouse. And the first thing he asks me is ‘can we buy a guitar’? A guitar, where can you see a guitar? Look Mummy, up there… and there he is pointing to the top of the shelves where there were 50 stringed instruments and as many beautiful drums, all inlayed with gold and mother of pearl. Sorry little chicken, we cannot buy a guitar.

But up and down the aisles we raced, trying not to get too excited and come away with too many goodies. There were huge bags of spices I had never heard of before, as many legumes as you have ever seen, and delicious pastes made from capsicums and eggplants. And just like any good wholesaler we came away with a bottle of Sesame Street bubble bath, complete with the contents written in Turkish.

I filled my basket with Halva, and Rose Petal Jam, and syrups in Mulberry and Sour Cherry.

Mulberries are a childhood favourite of mine, and there are few cultures who embrace mulberries more than the Turkish. As a child I visited Istanbul for just a few days, and one of the main things I remember are the road side markets heaving with all my favourite fruits… quinces, figs and mulberries. Istanbul was where I tried my first ever white mulberry, so sweet and perfumed. Now we have one planted in the garden and look forward to the Spring and Summer days of picking a few for my breakfast.

So feeling excited and nostalgic I went a bit freestyle and made a forest berry cake laced with mulberry syrup. When tasting the batter (as you do) I thought, this tastes just like a frenzy. A frenzy was a daily summer holiday ritual for me as a kid. We’d go to the beach early, fill up the crab holes with sand and watch the little, perfectly formed balls of sand be spat back out again. I’d get my dad to dig me a big hole as my own little swimming pool. I would then build dribble castles for a few hours before we would decide we were ready to get out of the sun. And on the way back to the house, we would always grab a frenzy, which was frozen yoghurt whipped up with any kind of fruit you could think of. My favourite was always something along the berry line, either strawberry or forest berries.

Hence, the wild berry frenzy cake, enjoy xx

Wildberry Frenzy Cake

with Mulberry Syrup and mixed berries

(for the kid inside us all)

60g unsalted butter
300g wholemeal spelt flour
320g raw sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla paste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup sour cream or natural yoghurt
320g your favourite mixed berries – fresh or frozen
1/4 cup mulberry syrup, plus a little extra for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Butter and line with paper a 21cm springform tin.

In a food processor, cream together the butter and sugar, then add in the eggs and vanilla and give a little whiz until pale and smooth. Add in flour, baking powder and salt and whiz to combine. Finally add in sour cream or yoghurt and whiz once again. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, then gently stir in the frozen berries and syrup.

Pop into the cake tin and bake in the middle of the oven for around 75 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

While the cake is still hot, drizzle with a couple of extra tablespoons of syrup.

Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out.

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