The brambles are thriving this year in the woodlands by our house, a lovely sight reminding us that there is still food to be found during the seasonal change from summer to autumn. And so, for the birthday cake I made last week, brambles seemed a fitting ingredient, providing tangy notes to an otherwise very sweet Danish cake.

Lagkage translates as Layer Cake, and consists of 3 thin sponges, layered up with either a whipped cream filling or a custard filling. In addition to that, fruit and jam are added to make this cake a special occasion cake, not only for the time involved in making it, but for the sheer number of calories!

No birthday in Denmark will usually go without a Lagkage, and neither does a birthday in our house.

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Ingredients

150g plain flour

150g butter, softened

150g sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

Filling

700 ml whipping cream

250 g amaretto biscuits, crushed

3 tbsp brandy

1 mango, diced

100g brambles

4 tbsp icing sugar

For the top

75g brambles

3 edible flowers, such as calendula

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Preheat the oven to 200 °c / fan 180°c / gas 4

Beat the softened butter and sugar together until light, then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix in until combined. Do not over mix, as this will result in a dense textured sponge.

Scoop the mixture into a 20cm greased baking tin, and place into the oven. Bake for 15-20 min, until a skewer comes out clean.

Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Once cooled, carefully divide the cake into 3 thin discs. Pour the brandy over the cakes, and leave to soak.

Meanwhile, whip 500ml of the cream. Mix with the crushed amaretto biscuits, chopped mango and half the brambles. Assemble the cake by spreading the filling between the layers. Make the icing, and spread this on top of the cake, leave to set. Next decorate the sides with the remaining cream and finish by piling the berries and flowers on top.