Warm Blackberry & Brown Butter Hazelnut Cake
August in California is pure magic, especially when the blackberry bushes at my farmer-friend Mateo's farm are practically begging to be picked. I came home with baskets of them last week, dreaming of something cozy yet sun-kissed. That is how this Warm Blackberry and Brown Butter Hazelnut Cake was born. In France, we take our brown butter very seriously—noisette, we call it, because of that gorgeous nutty aroma. Here, I paired it with toasted hazelnuts and sweet-tart berries for a little West Coast soul. My classic training taught me precision, but this cake is delightfully rustic. You just whip up the batter, scatter those gorgeous berries right on top, and let the oven do its work. Serve it warm with a generous dollop of lemon crème fraîche to cut through the richness. Tip? Do not skip browning the butter until it smells like roasted hazelnuts, and feel free to swap the blackberries for peaches or plums depending on what looks best at your market. Cooking should always feel like an invitation, never a chore. Bisous!
Featured Recipe
Warm Blackberry & Brown Butter Hazelnut Cake with Lemon Crème Fraîche
Plump August blackberries nestled into a nutty brown butter and hazelnut cake, baked until golden and fragrant. Served warm with a dollop of bright lemon crème fraîche, this dish combines classic French technique with laid-back California sunshine.
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Ingredients
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter(divided; 1 tbsp for greasing, 9 tbsp for browning)
- 1 cup hazelnut meal(ground hazelnuts; almond meal also works)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar(plus extra for dusting)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp lemon zest(grated from 1 organic lemon)
- 4 egg whites(at room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste(pure vanilla extract works great too)
- 2 cups fresh blackberries(plump, summer blackberries)
- 3/4 cup crème fraîche(chilled)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice(squeezed from the zested lemon)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Generously grease an 8-inch round cake pan with 1 tbsp unsalted butter and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
5 min
Tip: A removable-bottom tart pan or springform pan works wonderfully here for easy serving.
- 2
Melt the remaining 9 tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally until the milk solids turn a deep amber brown and smell heavenly and nutty, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat immediately and let cool slightly.
7 min
Tip: Keep a close eye on the butter at the end—the leap from nutty brown butter to burnt butter happens fast!
- 3
In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup hazelnut meal, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, and 1 tbsp lemon zest.
5 min
Tip: Whisking dry ingredients breaks up any clumps in the powdered sugar and hazelnut meal.
- 4
Whisk 4 large egg whites and 1 tsp vanilla bean paste into the dry mixture until combined, then slowly pour in the warm browned butter while folding gently until a smooth, glossy batter forms.
5 min
Tip: Make sure your browned butter isn't scalding hot when adding it to the egg whites.
- 5
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Scatter 2 cups fresh blackberries evenly over the top, gently pressing them into the surface. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center cake portion comes out clean.
35 min
Tip: Don't push the berries all the way to the bottom; they will naturally settle as the cake bakes.
- 6
While the cake bakes, whisk 3/4 cup crème fraîche with 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth and softly whipped. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
5 min
Tip: This bright, tangy cream cuts through the rich hazelnut brown butter perfectly.
- 7
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm with generous dollops of the lemon crème fraîche.
10 min
Tip: A light dusting of extra powdered sugar right before serving adds that Parisian bistro touch.
Chef's Notes
In Parisian bakeries, financiers are those tiny rectangular gold bar pastries, but here in California, I love making one big, rustic gâteau meant for sharing family-style. Get your blackberries from the farmers' market when they're so ripe they practically stain your fingers. I love pairing this warm cake with a glass of chilled sparkling Rosé or a natural Chenin Blanc.
Marguerite Lavigne
French soul, California sun
I grew up in a small village outside Lyon, where my grandmother taught me that the best meals come from respecting your ingredients. After training at Le Cordon Bleu and spending years in Parisian kitchens, I moved to San Francisco and fell in love with California's farmers markets and wine country. Now I cook the food I wish my grandmother could taste—French technique with California abundance, where a perfect roast chicken might come with Meyer lemon and wild fennel instead of tarragon.