The Willoughton Wanderer

"Eating my way through life one bite at a time!"

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Eating my way through life one bite at a time! My Willoughton Wanderer blog tells the story of my various visits to eateries, pubs and restaurants, both good and bad, on my travels together with the occasional recipe thrown in for good measure.

Blackberries in a Blanket

There’s something deeply satisfying about gathering fruit straight from the hedgerow and turning it into something warm, fragrant, and utterly comforting. Today’s wander was rewarded with a basket of plump, inky-black blackberries – the sort that stain your fingers before you’ve even made it back to the kitchen. With autumn’s whisper just around the corner, I decided they deserved pride of place in a simple but soul-hugging sponge pudding. Light, golden sponge meets tangy, jammy berries… it’s the taste of late summer in every spoonful.

🍇 Blackberry Sponge Pudding

Serves: 4–6
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 40–45 mins
Oven temp: 180°C / 160°C fan / 350°F / Gas mark 4

Ingredients

For the fruit base:

  • 300g (about 2 cups) fresh blackberries, rinsed
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • Optional: ½ tsp ground cinnamon or ginger

For the sponge topping:

  • 125g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
  • 125g (½ cup + 2 tbsp) caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 125g (1 cup) self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2–3 tbsp milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Lightly butter a 1-litre baking dish.
  2. Prepare the fruit:
    Toss the blackberries with the sugar, lemon juice, and optional spice. Tip them into the base of your buttered dish.
  3. Make the sponge batter:
    • Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
    • Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour with each to stop curdling.
    • Fold in the remaining flour, vanilla, and enough milk to make a soft dropping consistency.
  4. Assemble the pudding:
    Spoon the sponge mixture gently over the fruit, spreading it out with a spatula to cover (don’t worry if a few berries peek through).
  5. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the sponge is golden and springy and a skewer comes out clean.
  6. Serve warm with custard, cream, or vanilla ice cream.

There’s no denying that blackberry season is fleeting, so it’s worth making the most of it while the brambles are still heavy with fruit. This pudding works equally well with a mix of berries if your foraging basket turns up a few raspberries or blueberries along the way. Serve it steaming hot with custard for a proper British treat, or with a dollop of clotted cream if you’re feeling indulgent. Either way, it’s proof that the best puddings often begin with a country walk and a bit of bramble-scratching.

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