Mixed Berry Compote over Pound Cake

Mixed Berry Compote made with frozen berries is perfect for serving over pancakes or French toast. However, my family loves it served over pound cake.

The mixed berry compote is homemade and the pound cake is another Cake Mix Recipe Hacks that we lovingly refer to as Aunt Betty's Recipe in our family.

When life gets busy, not everyone has the time to bake from-scratch-cakes. Which is I love turning a boxed cake mix into a delicious dessert by serving a homemade mixed berry compote on top. Your family and friends don't need to know dessert started out with a boxed cake mix!

My mother has been baking this simple recipe for years and no one knows it's from a boxed cake mix. When people ask her for the recipe, she smiles and says, "It's Aunt Betty's famous recipe." And then she tells them her aunt is Betty Crocker. 

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Main Ingredients Needed

Exact measurements are listed below in the recipe card. Make sure you scroll down to print and save the recipe for later!

• Sugar
• Cornstarch
• Cold water
• Fresh lemon juice
• Maple syrup
• 4 cups mixed frozen berries

Step-by-Step Directions

• In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the water, lemon juice and maple syrup.
• Next, add the mixed frozen berries. Bring everything to a boil over medium heat stirring for a few minutes.Reduce heat to a simmer and allow to continue to cook for an additional five minutes or until the mixture thickens.
• Let cool slightly before serving. If you want a less chunkier sauce, slightly mash the fruit as it cooks using a potato masher. 

Berry Compote for Cake

Now that we have the mixed berry compote prepared, we need something to serve it over. I can't think of anything better than a slice of pound cake. Like I mentioned above, this is another "cake mix hack" my mother has been using for years.

Pound Cake Directions

• Follow the directions on the back of the box. The batter comes together beautifully and is very creamy as you can see from the photo below.
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan that's been sprayed with Non-Stick Cooking Spray with Flour. Bake according to the package directions. I baked my pound cake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees.

How to Level a Cake

Not every recipe is perfectly calibrated. Loaf pan cakes sometimes bake creating a bubble or dome at the top. It's not always a problem, but for this recipe I wanted perfect even slices.

Here's how to level a cake that's been baked in a loaf pan: 

• Remove the cake from the loaf pan.
• Allow the cake to cool on a baking rack. 
• Using a serrated knife, gently slice off the bubble of the top of the cake. 
• The pound cake loaf now sits flat and will look beautiful on your serving platter. 

How to Serve Berry Compote for Cake

• Slice the pound cake and place on plate. 
• Spoon homemade whipped cream on top of the sliced pound cake. 
• Top with a few spoonfuls of the mixed berry compote and maybe a sprinkling of powdered sugar. 
• This compote also tastes delicious as a topping to homemade pancakes, homemade waffles or even vanilla ice cream.

FREQUENTLY ASKED RECIPE QUESTIONS

Like this recipe? Try these other fruit sauces:

• Strawberry Sauce
• Blueberry Sauce

Tried any of my recipes? Let me know in the comments!