A proper Bakewell Tart should have a buttery pastry base, a generous layer of sharp raspberry jam, and a soft almond frangipane that stays light, not heavy. I'll show you how to make this classic British dessert perfectly.
As a Brit, I grew up with Bakewell tarts making regular appearances at family gatherings (it also happens to be my grandma's favourite dessert). I've been baking versions of it for years - tweaking the pastry until it's perfectly crisp, keeping the frangipane soft and sweet, and balancing the flavours so each bite is just right.
In this Bakewell tart recipe, I'll show you exactly how I make it, so you can bake your own Bakewell tart that tastes like it came straight from a wee British cafe!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Bakewell Tart Recipe
- Irresistible flavor combination that is a real crowd-pleaser
- Can be made with easy shortcuts or totally from scratch
- Can be made ahead of time
What Is A Bakewell Tart?
Bakewell tart is a classic British dessert made with sweet almond frangipane and raspberry jam inside crumbly shortcrust pastry - topped with flaked almonds and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Ingredients
- Tart Shell - Storebought pastry case or homemade - try my easy, sweet shortcrust pastry recipe.
- Jam - Traditional Bakewell tart uses raspberry jam, but you can use any kind you like - cherry jam is popular too. If you want to go an extra step, you could make your own jam too.
- Butter - Use unsalted butter.
- Sugar - Regular white sugar (caster sugar in the UK).
- Eggs - Large eggs, free range if possible.
- Vanilla Extract - Or vanilla bean paste.
- Almond Extract - Optional, but it does really enhance the flavor.
- Ground Almonds - (Almond flour) If you can't find this you can make it in the food processor by pulsing almonds until they are the consistency of fine breadcrumbs.
- Flour - Plain flour (all-purpose flour).
- Flaked Almonds - You can usually find these in most supermarkets.
- Icing Sugar - (Powdered sugar) for dusting the top of the tart.
See the recipe card for quantities and the full recipe.
Measuring Ingredients
For best results, weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale, rather than using measuring cups. It's difficult to measure accurately with cups and this can mess up your bakes.
What You'll Need
- Tart Pan - If you are making your own tart shell, you'll need a 9-inch tart pan.
- Mixer - A stand mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric whisk - you can also just use a wooden spoon, but it's harder work.
- Spatula - For smoothing out the jam and frangipane.
- Piping bag - or just a Ziploc bag with the corner cut off - for piping the frangipane into the tart.
How To Make A Bakewell Tart
There are three components to a classic bakewell tart recipe - the buttery tart case, the frangipane filling, and the raspberry jam. You can make everything from scratch, or you can buy the jam and/or the tart shell ready-made.
Make the Tart Crust
This is a classic shortcrust pastry. If you'd like more detailed instructions on how to make it, check out my shortcrust pastry recipe.
- Step 1: Rub cold butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers, or in a food processor.
- Step 2: Add egg yolk and water, one tablespoon at a time until the pastry holds together when squeezed.
- Step 3: Knead the pastry into a flat disk, then cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
- Step 4: Roll out about 3mm (⅛-inch) thick and line your tart pan.
- Step 5: Line with baking beans or uncooked rice and blind bake for 15 minutes.
- Step 6: Remove the pie weights and bake for 10 more minutes, or until golden brown all over.
Make The Almond Frangipane
This almond frangipane recipe is the same delicious French filling I use in my Almond croissants. It's surprisingly easy to make, considering how fancy it tastes!
Cream the butter
Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C (160° fan-assisted).
Cream the room temperature butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add Eggs
Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Then add the vanilla and almond extract and mix until combined.
Add Ground Almonds
Add the almond flour and all-purpose flour and mix until combined into a thick paste (frangipane).
Assemble and Bake
It's time to build the layers of our Bakewell tart! This part is oddly satisfying...
Spread the Jam
Spread an even layer of raspberry jam all over the base of the pastry case.
Add the Frangipane
Add the almond filling on top of the jam.
As the mixture is so thick, the easiest way to do this is to pipe it in, but you can also just spoon it in and spread it around.
Smooth it out
Smooth the frangipane filling out with a spatula.
Decorate
Sprinkle the top of the Bakewell tart with flaked almonds.
Bake
Bake for 40 minutes. The top of the tart should be risen slightly and golden brown. The center will have a slight wobble but a skewer inserted should come out clean.
Finishing
Dust the Bakewell tart with powdered sugar.
Alternatively, mix the powdered sugar with a little water and drizzle icing over the top of the tart.
How To Make A Cherry Bakewell Tart
To turn this into a cherry bakewell tart, skip the flaked almonds and top it with a layer of basic icing (powdered sugar and water).
Add a few drops of pink food coloring and make a feathered effect - then put a glace cherry on top!
Storage
Store the Bakewell tart in an airtight container at room temperature. It will last like this for 3 days.
The pastry case and frangipane can both be made a week ahead. Store your tart case at room temperature in an airtight container, and store the frangipane filling in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap / cling film.
FAQs
Cherry Bakewell is essentially a Bakewell tart, but instead of flaked almonds and powdered sugar on top, it has a layer of basic icing and a glace cherry on top.
Frangipane is the sweet almond cream filling that is found in many French pastries. It is also the filling that goes into almond croissants. It is made of ground almonds, sugar, butter and eggs.
More British Dessert Recipes
If you love baking up some of the sweet British classics, try some of these recipes:
Recipe
Bakewell Tart Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g (1⅔ cup) Plain Flour (all purpose flour)
- 114 g (1 stick) Unsalted Butter
- 30 g (¼ cup) Icing Sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 2-4 tablespoon Water
- 150 g (¾ cup) Caster Sugar (Granulated sugar in the US)
- 2 Large Eggs
- 160 g (1⅓ cups) Ground Almonds (almond flour)
- 170 g (1½ sticks) Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon Plain Flour (all-purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 165 g (½ cup) Raspberry Jam
- 20 g (¼ cup) Flaked Almonds
- Icing Sugar (powdered sugar) for dusting
Equipment
- 9-inch Tart Pan loose-bottomed
- Pie Weights (baking beans or uncooked rice)
Instructions
- Mix the flour and icing sugar together in a bowl, then add the cold, cubed butter and rub it together with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs. Alternatively, you can do this in a food processor.200 g (1⅔ cup) Plain Flour, 30 g (¼ cup) Icing Sugar, 114 g (1 stick) Unsalted Butter
- Add the egg yolk and 2 tablespoon of water and work it in with your hands (or pulse in the food processor). Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the pastry is hydrated enough that it holds together when you squeeze it.1 Egg Yolk, 2-4 tablespoon Water
- Tip the pastry onto a work surface and knead it until it comes together into a smooth dough. Flatten into a disk, then wrap it in plastic wrap and chill it for at least an hour.
- Roll out your pastry to about 3-5mm thick (⅛-¼ inch) and line your tart pan.
- Blind bake the pastry case at 400°F / 200°C (180° fan-assisted) for 15 minutes, then remove the baking beans and bake for another 10 minutes or until it is golden brown and fully baked. For detailed instructions on making pastry and blind baking, see my shortcrust pastry recipe.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C (160° fan-assisted).
- Cream the room temperature butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.170 g (1½ sticks) Unsalted Butter, 150 g (¾ cup) Caster Sugar
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and almond extract and beat until combined.2 Large Eggs, 1 teaspoon Almond Extract, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Add the ground almonds and flour, then mix everything together to form a thick paste (frangipane).160 g (1⅓ cups) Ground Almonds, 1 tablespoon Plain Flour
- Spread the raspberry jam over the base of the tart shell in an even layer.165 g (½ cup) Raspberry Jam
- Put the frangipane on top of the raspberry jam in the tart shell. The easiest way is to pipe it in because the mixture is so thick. Use a spatula to smooth it out.
- Sprinkle the top of the tart with flaked almonds and bake for 40 minutes. The top of the tart should be risen and golden brown, the center should be set and dry, but with a slight wobble. A toothpick inserted should come out clean.20 g (¼ cup) Flaked Almonds
- Let the Bakewell tart cool before removing from the tart ring. Dust with icing sugar and enjoy.Icing Sugar
Chris Radwanski
I thought I didn’t like frangipane until I ate this and Ermergerd it’s delicous! One of the best pies I have ever had the pleasure of eating!
Tania
Hi Bonnie
I would like to make this pie. Can I add pistachio spread instead of jam. Would it taste goo's or you suggest more any jam.
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Tania,
While I love everything pistachio, I feel like pistachio spread mixed with the frangipane may be a little too sweet. The tartness of the jam kind of balances out the sweetness of the frangipane, so I would recommend sticking with something not so sweet - if you don't want to use jam, fresh fruit also works really nicely with frangipane, especially raspberries, cherries and pears.
Having said that, I have made a pistachio version of this bakewell tart before where I replaced half of the almond meal with ground pistachios and it was absolutely divine!
I hope this helps, let me know what you decide to make and how it turns out!
Jules
Tania
Hi I'm making g this right niw the almond tart. My texture of the batter is not thick. Do I add more flour. Please answer me as soon you can. Thank you I'll be waiting.
Grandma x
You took the words right out of my mouth juliane, yes, Bakewell tart is my most favourite dessert! …. along with every dessert I’ve been fortunate to sample from your kitchen ❤️
Lila G
LOVE me some of this! Great recipe, thanks