Spelt layer cake with whipped cream and berries

Spelt layers, cream and berries combine for an alternative take on a summer celebration cake.

Credit: Martha Bakes / Yossy Arefi

• serves

  10

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Although it's not gluten-free, some people find spelt easier to digest than wheat. 

Ingredients

Cake

• 225 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
• 3 cups spelt flour, plus more for cake tins (pans)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 1½ cups natural cane sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1¼ cups milk

Topping

• 2 cups thick (heavy) cream
• 1½ tbsp raw sugar, such as turbinado
• 4 cups fresh raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries, hulled and sliced, if large

Makes one 23 cm (9 inch) double layer cake.

Cooling time: at least 1 hour.

Instructions

1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter two 23 cm (9 inch) round cake pans and dust with flour, tapping out excess. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In another bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk and beginning and ending with flour; beat just until combined after each addition.
3. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until cakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes, Transfer pans to wire racks and let cool, 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto reck and let cool completely.
4. Make the topping: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, whisk cream and sugar to soft peaks. Continue whisking until stiff peaks form. Transfer one cake to a serving plate. Spread with 1 cup whipped cream and layer with half the fruit. Top with remaining cake round, and spread with remaining whipped cream, leaving sides of cake bare. Top with remaining fruit and serve. (Cake is best the day it’s made.)

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Although it's not gluten-free, some people find spelt easier to digest than wheat.