Three berry cake

This Three Berry Cake is absolutely incredible! The flaky pie crust is filled with a perfectly thick filling of sweet and tart berries.

This Three Berry Red Fruit Cake is the cake recipe you never knew you needed! It’s the perfect cake to complement a variety of desserts or richer, heavier cakes.

It’s sweet, tart, and refreshing, and can be made with fresh or frozen berries!

Three Red Berry Pie Filling

The trickiest part of homemade pie is getting the filling to thicken without leaving a thick batter when you cut and serve it.

This three berry pie filling thickens beautifully when baked without having to pre-cook the filling.

Three Red Berry Pie Filling:

• 5 1/2 cups fresh or frozen berries (I use a mix of three frozen berries with raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch*
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

*With this amount of cornstarch, the pie filling will thicken quite a bit if the pie cools completely! If you plan to serve the pie slightly warm, increase the cornstarch to 5 tablespoons. Just make sure you bake the pie long enough (longer than you think!) or the filling will taste starchy and may be runny.

How to Make a Lattice Cake Topper

A lattice top looks so pretty on this three-berry tart. You can opt for a fully covered top crust, just be sure to poke a few holes in the crust if you do.

For a lattice crust:

1. Roll out your pie crust and cut it into 1/4- to 1/2-inch strips.
2. Lay the strips vertically on the cake, leaving space between them.
3. Fold each strip in half and then place another strip of pie crust vertically.
4. Fold the strips down.
5. Lift all the strips under the perpendicular strip and then place another strip vertically.
6. Fold the strips down.
7. Repeat this pattern until your lattice top is complete.

Lattice crust pro tip: The most important tip for a perfect lattice crust is to always lift the strips and fold them under the perpendicular strip.

Trim the edges of the pie to about 1/2 inch and fold the bottom crust over the top of the strips and gently press around the pie.

Fold the edges in.

Step back.

And enjoy your delicious unbaked pie. Oh my! 😍

At this point, you can brush the top with a beaten egg for a shinier, golden crust.

Baking this cake long enough is essential

I can’t say this strongly enough: It’s very important to bake this three-berry tart long enough!

In fact, plan to bake it longer than you think.

Check the cake after 45 to 60 minutes; if the edges or top are browning too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil or use a pie crust cover to protect the crust while you continue to bake.

In my oven, the pie takes about 75 to 80 minutes to fully bake until the filling is thick and sweet. If the filling is bubbling but still thin and runny, it needs more time in the oven.

Depending on your oven, you may need more or less time. Watch carefully and check frequently (preferably through the oven window so that heat doesn’t escape every time you open the door).

To Chill or Not to Chill

I know that warm blueberry and apple pie is highly regarded by pie lovers around the world. I get it. I love warm pie, too.

But this pie really benefits from being chilled completely so that the filling can thicken perfectly and properly. The pie slices can be heated for a few seconds in the microwave if you want them warm.

If you can’t resist serving the pie a little warm, be sure to adjust the amount of cornstarch in the recipe notes.

If your pie filling is runny when you serve it, it’s likely because it needed more time to bake, more time to chill, or too little cornstarch in the filling.

Perfect Cake

This three-fruit red cake is perfect.

Not only is it super easy to make (no need to bake the dough or cook the filling before the pie!), but it’s gorgeous, both in appearance and flavor.

(For all you blueberry lovers out there, I often add a handful of these gorgeous blueberries along with the other berries for a surprising twist.)

Enjoy baking your cake! I hope you love this one. 💗

Red Fruit Cake

Makes: 8 servings

Prep Time: 45 mins

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 mins

Cooling Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 5 hours

Ingredients

• 2 unbaked pie crusts (see note)
• 5 ½ cups (780 g) fresh or frozen mixed berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries)
• 1 cup (212 g) granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons (37 g) cornstarch (see note!)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• A pinch of salt
• 1 large egg for egg glaze (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Roll out pie crust and place in pie pan, holding crust by edges of pan without spreading. Trim edge, leaving 1/2 inch excess.
3. In a large bowl, add berries. If frozen, let them sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes to begin to thaw a bit (this helps the sugar and cornstarch mix better with the berries so they thicken properly as they bake).
4. Add sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt to berries and gently stir (so as not to crush berries) until evenly coated and no pockets of loose dry ingredients remain.
5. Pour filling into pie pan and spread evenly.
6. Roll out top crust and cut into strips for rack top. Lay strips vertically on cake, leaving space between. Fold each strip in half and place another strip of pie crust vertically. Fold the strips down. Lift all the strips up under the vertical strip and place another vertical strip. Fold the strips down. Repeat this pattern until the mesh top is complete (see photos in post).
7. Cut strips to the same level as the cake base. Fold the base and press it onto the top of the strips around the edge of the cake. Make an indentation in the edge.
8. Place the cake on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 75 to 90 minutes until the cake is fully cooked. Check the cake after about 60 to 65 minutes and cover the top loosely with foil if it browns too quickly. It is very important to cook the cake long enough, otherwise the filling will not thicken properly. The bubbles of filling you can see under the mesh base should be thick and sweet, not thin and runny.
9. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for at least 2 to 3 hours. To ensure the filling is as firm as possible, let the cake cool completely. (The cake slices can be reheated for a few seconds in the microwave.)

Note:

Pie Dough Recipe: I alternate between flaky pastry dough and sour cream dough. Both are great recipes and can be used in this recipe (or you can use your favorite homemade recipe or store-bought pie crusts).
Cornstarch: I like to use 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of cornstarch for this recipe. If the pie has cooled completely, the filling will set completely. If you plan to serve the pie slightly warm, use 5 tablespoons of cornstarch, but make sure you cook the pie long enough! Otherwise, the pie filling will taste starchy and raw and the filling will still be runny. Tapioca flour (1/3 cup) can be substituted for the cornstarch.
Watery Filling: If your pie filling is runny when you serve it, it likely needs more baking time, more cooling time, or a little more cornstarch in the filling.