Blackberry and orange loaf

Once you have made this Blackberry and Orange Loaf, you’ll be making one every week throughout September! Late August/early September bring a glut of juicy, ripe blackberries on every hedgerow, both deep in the countryside and alongside main roads and pathways. I have to confess I have so many brambles in my garden that I can pop out and pick them fresh whenever I need them!! Shameful I know.

I love an apple and blackberry crumble or pie but sometimes I need to try something a bit different. This Blackberry and Orange Loaf ticks all the boxes for me, it isn’t too sweet and the combination of blackberries and orange works surprisingly well. You could use any berry, it’s particularly good with raspberry but use fresh or frozen berries, as defrosted berries are just too soggy. You can also add spices or swop the oil for butter, or use all oil. The butter gives the cake a richer flavour. I added orange blossom water but that is entirely optional. I have not tried this with lemon but this would work equally well and you could swop the blackberries for blueberries for a perfect combo and top with poppy seeds and a lemon sugar drizzle. Perfect for a late summer afternoon tea. Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

• 280g plain flour (I used gluten-free)
• 200g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp  baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 150g blackberries, fresh or frozen 
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 180ml full cream milk
• 5ml sunflower or vegetable oil 
• 60g unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Zest of 2 oranges
• 1 tsp orange blossom water (optional)

Method

1. Grease a loaf cake pan and line with greaseproof paper or a loaf liner
2. Mix the dry ingredients: sifted flour, baking powder and salt, and sugar into a large bowl. Mix well to combine
3. Add the blackberries and fold in lightly
4. In another bowl mix the eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, and lukewarm melted butter. Do not beat but mix well until no streaks of egg whites remain.
5. Add orange blossom water (if using) and orange zest
6. Add all of the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients
7. Mix until combined but do not over mix. It will be lumpy and fairly runny like a muffin batter 
8. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of the top oven at around 180ºC for around 30-40 minutes, until the top is cracked, golden and a skewer placed in the top comes out clean
9. Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack for about 20 minutes and remove from the tin and allow to cool completely
10. The loaf will keep well in a tin or wrapped in foil. Believe me it will be gone too quickly to worry about it going stale!