📖 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. Alternatively, you can line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal—makes life easier, trust me!
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Make sure you get rid of any lumps. We don't want any weird textures in our cake.
3. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This step is key for a tender cake. Don't skimp on the creaming!
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract and almond extract. The almond extract adds a subtle, delightful flavor that complements the berries perfectly. Feel free to skip if you’re not a fan.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the crème fraîche, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; overmixing can lead to a tough cake. Nobody wants that, right?
6. Gently fold in the mixed berries. If you're using frozen berries, don't thaw them first—just toss them in while they're still frozen.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
8. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Start checking for doneness around 40 minutes, as ovens vary.
9. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Or don't! The cake is just as delicious without it. A dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream wouldn't hurt either.