Julie Clark
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Red White & Blue Berry Cake with Sugar Crunch Top
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Red white and blue berry cake is a one-pan butter cake packed with fresh blueberries and raspberries and finished with a crackly, baked-on sugar top.
Bake it at 350ºF for 35 to 40 minutes in a 9-inch round pan, until the top is golden and crackled and the very center still jiggles just a little. The inside stays soft and almost custard-like while the top shatters like a thin sugar crust. There is no frosting and no layering. You cut and serve it right from the pan with whipped cream and a few extra berries.
This is our original sugar crunch cake, the one that went viral for that shattery top. I have baked it more times than I can count, and this post shows you exactly how to get that crackle every single time. If you want the full lineup of fruit versions, start with our sugar crunch cake roundup.
Try our mixed berry bread and easy lemon blueberry bread, too.
What makes this berry cake different.
What sets this cake apart is the contrast: a top that crackles and a center that stays soft and almost custard-like, all in one pan. It started when I tried a French strawberry cake, swapped the strawberries for blueberries and raspberries, and added the sugar crunch top. It went viral, readers kept asking for new fruit versions, and that is how our whole sugar crunch cake family was born.
A few things I have learned from testing it on repeat:
- The sour cream is doing the work. It keeps the crumb tender and gives the center that soft texture.
- Creaming the butter and sugar for a full five minutes is not optional. That air is what holds the berries up instead of letting them sink.
- Pull it while the very center still jiggles. It firms as it cools and stays custardy in the middle, which is the entire point of this cake.
It’s every bit as delicious as our blueberry peach cobbler recipe (with crackle top). You’ll love our berry pull apart bread, too.
How do you get a crackly sugar top on a cake?
To get a crackly sugar top, sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over the batter right before it goes in the oven, then bake at 350ºF until the top is set and lightly browned. As it bakes, the sugar melts, sets, and forms a thin crust that cracks when you cut into it.
For an even glossier, crisper crackle, sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of hot water over the sugar right before baking.
Use regular granulated sugar, not coarse or powdered. Coarse sugar stays gritty, and powdered sugar dissolves into the batter, so neither one gives you that signature shatter.
Ingredients
Simple, pantry ingredients and fresh summer berries in this Red White and Blueberry Cake. 😋
How to Make Red White and Blueberry Cake
Before you begin, remember these two tips.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature before you start. This helps the batter mix together more smoothly.
- Fold Gently: When adding the berries to the batter, fold gently to avoid crushing them. This will keep the berries whole and juicy throughout the cake.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip together the butter and 1 cup of the sugar until pale and fluffy, about five minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition.
Gently fold in the fresh blueberries and raspberries to the cake batter using a rubber spatula. Spread the batter in the prepared cake pan.
Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of sugar evenly over the top of the cake batter. It makes all the difference, just like with our blueberry cobbler recipe! For a smoother, glossy sugar crunch, sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of hot water over the granulated sugar right before baking.
Bake 35-40 minutes, until the top is crackly and lightly browned and the center still jiggles just a bit.
Why is my sugar crunch cake wet in the middle?
A soft, slightly custardy center is normal and intended for this berry cake. It is not raw. Pull it while the very center still has a slight jiggle, because it firms up as it cools. If it is truly underbaked, add 3 to 5 minutes, but do not bake it until the center is fully set or the edges will dry out first.
How do you store berry cake?
Store this Red White and Blue Berry Cake tightly covered at room temperature for 1 to 2 days, in the refrigerator up to 5 days, or in the freezer up to 3 months. Room temperature keeps the crackly top best.
- At Room Temperature: If you plan to eat the cake within 1-2 days, you can store it at room temperature. Cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container to keep it moist and prevent it from drying out.
- In the Refrigerator: For longer storage, place the cake in an airtight container and refrigerate it. The cake will stay fresh for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Before serving, you can bring the cake to room temperature or enjoy it chilled.
- In the Freezer: To freeze the cake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Place the wrapped cake in a freezer-safe bag or container. The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- To thaw the cake: When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw the cake in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours. If you prefer, you can warm individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
Red White and Blue Berry Cake
This Red White and Blue Berry Cake is filled with fresh raspberries and blueberries and takes just a few minutes of prep time to get in the oven.
Servings 8
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened to room temperature, 4 ounces
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar divided, 250 grams
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 grams
- 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 174 grams
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder 5 grams
- ¼ teaspoons salt
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream 4 ounces
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- Plus whipped cream and more fresh berries for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip together the butter and 1 cup of the sugar (the other ¼ will go on top) until pale and fluffy, about five minutes. ½ cup salted butter, 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoons salt, ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- Gently fold in the fresh blueberries and raspberries to the cake batter using a rubber spatula. Spread the batter in the prepared cake pan. 1 cup fresh blueberries, 1 cup fresh raspberries
- Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of sugar evenly over the top of the cake batter. Bake 35-40 minutes, until the top is crackly and lightly browned and the center still jiggles just a bit.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan and slice and serve the cake from the pan. Top each cake slice with whipped cream and more fresh blueberries and raspberries.
Video
Notes
For a smoother, glossy sugar crunch, sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of hot water over the granulated sugar right before baking.
Use a light-colored metal pan. Dark pans may over-brown the sugar crust.
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 8 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 100mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Vitamin C: 5.9mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1.3mg
Berry Cake Questions
Why is my sugar crunch cake wet in the middle?
A soft, slightly custardy center is normal and intended for this Red White and Blueberry Cake. It is not raw. Pull it while the very center still has a slight jiggle, because it firms up as it cools. If it is truly underbaked, add 3 to 5 minutes, but do not bake it until the center is fully set or the edges will dry out first.
Can I use frozen berries?
Fresh berries give the cleanest result and the best crackle. If you only have frozen, use them straight from the freezer without thawing and toss them in a teaspoon of flour first. Add 5-10 minutes baking time for frozen berries, or thaw them and drain off any liquid first.
Do I have to use both blueberries and raspberries?
No. The two cups of berries can be any mix you like. All blueberries, all raspberries, or a swap for blackberries or chopped strawberries all work. Keep the total around two cups so the batter is not overloaded.
What size pan should I use?
A 9-inch round is what this recipe is written for, and it bakes and serves right from the pan. Use light-colored metal, since dark pans over-brown the sugar crust. An 8-inch pan bakes up thicker and needs a few extra minutes, so watch the center jiggle rather than the clock.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. It keeps tightly covered at room temperature for 1 to 2 days with the top still crackly, in the fridge up to 5 days, or frozen up to 3 months. The crust is crispest the day it is baked, so bake it the day you plan to serve for maximum sugar crunch.
Sugar crunch cake variations to try next
This red white and blue version is the original, but the sugar crunch base takes almost any fruit. Same buttery batter, same crackly top, different fruit folded in.
If you loved this one, try:
Fantastic cake. I did substitute the sour cream with Greek yoghurt which worked great. Will be making this again and again.
Has anyone tried making this in the mini muffin pans?
Has anyone tried this with almond flour?
I have made this for friends & family several times, it gets rave reviews everytime. It made a great dessert for a 4th of July party too. Thanks for the recipe!
can you use yoghurt as a substitute for sour cream ?
This cake was everything I’d hoped it would be! Soft and moist in the inside with a crispy sugar outer. I did have to sub strawberries for raspberries because the store was out of raspberries. I just chopped them up real small and it seems to have worked fine.
Love this recipe! Have made it many times already this summer. Subbing Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free flour and you’d never know. Fresh whipped cream on top makes it even better. Perfect summer dessert and I love getting to eat it for breakfast the next day.
What size cake pan?!
Can you use frozen berries?
My family loves this cake. Made it multiple times. Will try with peaches too. Shared recipe with many friends. Yum!