In The Kitchen: Forget the cobbler, try a Blackberry Cake

Debbie Teffeteller’s Blackberry Cake is especially delicious when blackberries are in season.

It’s blackberry season, and time for cobblers, pies, jams and jellies, or just eating them by the handful.

If you have ever picked blackberries -- sweltering in the July sun with long sleeves, straw hats and long pants to protect from chiggers -- you know what a treat fresh blackberries must be! Not only are the chiggers and June bugs a menace to deal with, but you have to keep a watchful eye for the snakes!

We had a family gathering for my brother-in-law, Gaylon Hill, to celebrate his birthday. His wife, Gail, skipped the traditional cobbler and made a wonderful blackberry cake. I had to have the recipe, which, I learned, came from our long-time family friend Debbie Teffeteller. Debbie is with Blount Memorial Hospital, and I’m so glad I found out about her cake!

Thanks to my sister-in-law Tracy McDaniel, I didn’t run short of berries, as she had just been berry-picking the morning I baked the cake and had a few to share.

Debbie Teffeteller’s Blackberry Cake

2 cups sugar

2 cups blackberries with juice, mashed. (If you don’t like the seeds, pour the blackberries through a strainer)

2 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. almond flavoring

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup butter (2 sticks) or butter flavored shortening

3 cups plain, all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

Cream butter and sugar. Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with the berry juice to the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, slightly beating after each addition. Add almond flavoring.

Pour batter in greased 10-inch tube or Bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. You can also use three greased 8-inch round pans or two 9-inch round cake pans. These should bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Frosting

2 cups granulated sugar (or 1 box confectioners sugar)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 stick butter or margarine

1/2 cup milk or evaporated milk

1/2 cup blackberries, mashed and strained

Combine all ingredients except vanilla in non-stick pan. Cook on simmer, stirring continually until the mixture becomes creamy (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and add vanilla. Beat slightly. Frost cake before frosting sets.