This redcurrant cake is a delicious way of enjoying seasonal fruit. It's tangy and sweet, made with shortcrust pastry and comes with a crunchy almond topping. Easy to make and perfect for any occasion!
You might also like Polish plesniak cake!
This redcurrant cake is a fantastic seasonal dessert recipe, equally suitable for a summer party and a lazy Sunday afternoon served with a cup of coffee.
I love to use redcurrants in baking as well as cooking. They are sweet and pleasantly sharp, perfect in sweet as well as savoury recipes, such as this zesty redcurrant sauce.
This redcurrant cake recipe is made using shortcrust pastry with added almond flour for more flavour and finished off with flaked almonds for crunch. The middle of the cake is a fruity layer of zesty redcurrants.
The combination of sweet and tangy redcurrants and nutty almonds makes this fruity cake refreshing and absolutely delicious. Plus the redcurrants keep the cake moist!
I also used an easy preparation method (similar to the one I used to make Polish apple cake and plesniak cake) so your cake will come together quickly and with minimal effort.
Redcurrant cake ingredients and substitutions
- Fresh redcurrants: this recipe will also work with blackcurrants.
- All-purpose/plain flour
- Almond flour/ground almonds and flaked almonds
- Baking powder
- Sugar
- Egg
- Butter
- Sour cream or yogurt
- Almond extract
Step-by-step recipe instructions
1. Make pastry: To the food processor add both flours, baking powder, half the sugar, egg, sour cream, butter and almond extract. Pulse until the mixture starts to form a dough.
2. Form dough: Transfer to a flat surface and knead very briefly to finish forming a sticky dough. Refrigerate it for 1 hour. After that time divide the dough into 2 parts (proportions: ⅔ and ⅓). Place the smaller dough in the freezer for now.
Preheat the oven to 350F/180C/160 fan/gas mark 4. Grease the bottom of a 23 cm/9" springform pan, cover with parchment paper and close the side.
3. Roll out pastry: Flatten the larger dough on top of parchment paper until it is big enough to cover the bottom of your springform pan. Lift the paper with the dough, turn over and let the dough drop into your pan. Press into the pan ensuring it covers the bottom evenly.
4. Prepare redcurrants: Combine the fruit with the remaining half of the sugar and 2 tablespoons of almond flour and stir gently taking care not to squash the fruit.
5. Add redcurrants: Spread the redcurrant mixture over the dough.
6. Add topping mixture: Remove the small dough from the freezer and coarsely grate/shred over the whole thing. Scatter over the almond flakes.
7. Bake: Bake in the centre of the oven for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
Serving suggestions
This redcurrant almond cake is perfect with tea, coffee or a glass of milk. You can also serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Can I prepare red currant cake ahead
I do not recommend it. The redcurrant mixture will start releasing juice and make the pastry soggy. For best results bake the cake as soon as you've assembled it.
You can, however, prepare the pastry in advance, cover and refrigerate it overnight and use the following day.
Top tips
- While it's not absolutely necessary to use a food processor I recommend it because it's quick, easy and efficient, but you can mix the pastry ingredients by hand if preferred.
- When you've divided the dough into 2 parts place the smaller dough in the freezer (it'll be easier to work with) while you flatten the larger dough and prepare the fruit. Remove from the freezer just before grating it over the cake.
- Prepare the redcurrant filling mixture just before scattering over the cake (it will start to release juice if left uncooked).
- Leftover redcurrant cake can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Freeze the cake (unbaked), covered, for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen according to Instructions (for approx. 1 hour). You can also freeze leftover cake for up to 3 months.
More cakes with fresh fruit to try next
See also these other simple, delicious dessert recipes!
Recipe
Almond Redcurrant Cake
Equipment
- 23 cm/9'' springform pan
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 10.58 ounces (300 g) fresh redcurrants
- 1¼ cups less 2 tsp (150 g) all-purpose/plain flour
- 1½ cups (150 g) almond flour/ground almonds plus 2 tbsp
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3.17 ounces (90 g) butter, cubed ⅘ stick, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons yogurt or sour cream
- ½ cup+1tbsp (110 g) sugar
- ⅔ cup (50 g) almond flakes
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Make pastry: To the food processor add both flours, baking powder, half the sugar, egg, sour cream, butter and almond extract. Pulse until the mixture starts to form a dough.
- Form dough: Transfer the pastry to a flat surface and knead very briefly to finish forming a sticky dough. Refrigerate it for 1 hour. After that time divide the dough into 2 parts (proportions: ⅔ and ⅓). Place the smaller dough in the freezer for now. At this point preheat the oven to 350F/180C/160 fan/gas mark 4. Grease the bottom of a 23 cm/9" springform pan, cover with parchment paper and close the side.
- Roll our dough: Flatten the larger dough on top of parchment paper until it is big enough to cover the bottom of your springform pan. Lift the paper with the dough, turn over and let the dough drop into the pan. Press down to ensure it covers the bottom of the pan evenly.
- Prepare redcurrants: Combine the fruit with the remaining half of the sugar and 2 tablespoons of almond flour and stir gently taking care not to squash the fruit. Spread the redcurrant mixture over the dough.
- Add topping mixture: Remove the small dough from the freezer and coarsely grate/shred over the whole thing. Scatter over the almond flakes.
- Bake: Bake in the centre of the oven for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely before serving.
Notes
-
- While it's not absolutely necessary to use a food processor I recommend it because it's quick, easy and efficient, but you can mix the pastry ingredients by hand if preferred.
-
- When you've divided the dough into 2 parts place the smaller dough in the freezer (it'll be easier to work with) while you flatten the larger dough and prepare the fruit. Remove from the freezer just before grating it over the cake.
-
- Prepare the redcurrant filling mixture just before scattering over the cake (it will start to release juice if left uncooked).
-
- Leftover redcurrant cake can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
-
- Freeze the cake (unbaked), covered, for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen according to Instructions (for approx. 1 hour). You can also freeze leftover cake for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Keep in touch
How has this red currant almond cake turned out for you? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Sue Hunter says
I have a quite a lot of redcurrants in the freezer. Do you think this recipe would work with frozen berries?
Thank you.
Monika says
I haven’t tried using frozen currants but I am sure it’s possible. I would suggest baking the cake 10 minutes longer. Or maybe increase the heat to 190C and if the top becomes too brown cover with foil and continue baking. Hope this helps:)
Karin Anderson says
Last week I was amazed to find a container with red currants (the first one ever!) in our supermarket in Maine, and pounced on it. Having not enough currants for a large cake, I downsized it to fit an 18-cm pan (and threw a few frozen gooseberries in). Otherwise I followed the recipe, and baked it in my toaster oven.
The cake is delicious, tart fruits, almonds, and not overly sweet. I will make it again, when the currants in my garden are ripe.
Monika says
Thank you for your feedback! I am glad you enjoyed the recipe, I am sure the gooseberries added an interesting twist!
Kim Hoang says
It is a delicious dessert. It will be my breakfast and dessert once a month. Thank you for the recipe.
Monika says
Thank you and you are welcome:)
Mandy Mazliah says
Love the look of this - I made some redcurrant muffins earlier in the summer and they were delicious. I love the sound of redcurrants with almonds too.
[email protected] says
Thanks Mandy!
Mads says
This looks delish - thanks for sharing! x
[email protected] says
Thank you!
Eb Gargano says
What a lovely recipe - totally agree with your point about home baking - I often find these days that commercially made cakes are just too sweet for me. I have been trying to minimise the amount of sugar in my diet for a while now and this means I notice the sugar so much more in sweet things than I used to - consequently I much prefer homemade!! That and with homemade you know exactly what is in it - and there's nothing weird and unpronounceable!! Eb x
[email protected] says
Thanks Eb! Why are shop bought cakes so very sugary anyway? I'll never know. Glad to know other people agree that homemade is better:)
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
I love the sound of this Monika, not only have you made it so easy and with less sugar than expected but it also looks delicious. The colour of the redcurrants is amazing.
Angela x
[email protected] says
Thanks Angela! The redcurrants did have the work for me in this recipe as they are just so beautiful! So my job was easy. Piece of cake:)
babyledblog says
I spotted this when you posted it and thought it looked AMAZING. Looks so yummy and I love it is a bit lower in sugar.
[email protected] says
Thank you! I try to use less sugar as a rule in all my recipes:)
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
spotted this on facebook, it looks delicious. My redcurrants are over this year so Im going to pin this recipe for next year
[email protected] says
Thanks Jacqui! Shame how all these wonderful fruits disappear with the summer...