Made with my go-to sweet tart pastry, this Bakewell Tart has a crisp, rich, melt-in-the-mouth base, topped with seedless raspberry jam and a soft, moist almond frangipane filling. Finished simply with flaked almonds and a dusting of icing sugar – all the familiar Bakewell flavour, perfect when served as a dessert, or just a slice with a cuppa.
Bakewell Tart Recipe Snapshot
- Recipe Type: Classic British Bakewell Tart.
- Texture: Crisp, rich and melt-in-the-mouth pastry with a soft, moist and creamy almond frangipane filling.
- Flavour: Sweet raspberry jam with a natural almond flavour.
- Method: Creamed sweet pastry, part-baked before filling, then baked again to finish.
- Tin: 20cm (8 inch) loose-bottom tart tin.
- Serves: 8 slices.
- Chill Time: 30 minutes.
- Bake Time: 20 minutes for the pastry, then 35-40 minutes more with the filling.
- The Important Bit: Allow the tart to cool completely before removing it from the tin.
- Best Served: Completely cooled and dusted with icing sugar.
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What is a Bakewell Tart?
Bakewell Tart is a classic British bake made with a crisp, sweet pastry case, raspberry jam and a soft almond frangipane filling. My version is topped with flaked almonds and finished with a light dusting of icing sugar, although you may sometimes see Bakewell Tart topped with white icing instead. It is rich and sweet, with a lovely almond flavour that shouldn’t be too overpowering.
The tart takes its name from Bakewell in Derbyshire. It is often said that Bakewell Tart evolved from what was known as Bakewell Pudding, after a cook misunderstood a Jam Tart recipe and poured an egg and almond paste mixture over the jam, instead of mixing it into the pastry. Whether that story is accurate or not, it does account for the combination of pastry, jam, and almond filling – which makes a Bakewell Tart so delicious.
And that is still the basic idea behind a Bakewell Tart today. The pastry is chilled, rolled and baked before the warm pastry case is spread with raspberry jam. The frangipane and flaked almonds are then added before the tart is baked again until golden. The almond filling should be soft and moist, with a slight wobble in the middle while warm, setting more as it cools.
The pastry in this recipe is the same reliable and moreish base I use for my Fruit Tart, Manchester Tart and Scottish Strawberry Tarts – in fact, most of my tart recipes! My Almond Slice uses a similar combo of pastry, raspberry jam and almonds, and is definitely inspired by a traditional Bakewell Tart, although its almond topping is more cake-like, while this tart is softer and more dessert-like.
From Almond Slice to Bakewell Tart
Bakewell Tart has been a highly requested recipe for Baking with Granny for a long time now. I’ve heard you, and I set to work, using my Almond Slice recipe as a starting point.
Both recipes combine pastry, raspberry jam, ground almonds and flaked almonds, but the textures are intentionally different. The almond topping in Almond Slice is more cake-like, so you can cut it into squares and eat it by hand. For this recipe, I wanted the softer, moister frangipane that is more suited to serving as a dessert and what you’d expect from a good Bakewell Tart. And I think I’ve achieved that pretty damn well!
Key Ingredients
There are no especially complicated ingredients in a Bakewell Tart, but a few of them are worth a little extra explanation.
See the recipe card for a full ingredients list, required quantities and cup conversions.
Substitutions & Additions
Shop-bought Pastry: If you’re short on time, you can use shop-bought shortcrust pastry instead of making your own. Just make sure you have enough to line the 20cm (8-inch) tin, and blind-bake it before adding the jam. It won’t taste quite as good as homemade pastry, but it’s still a convenient shortcut – and zero judgement here!
Jam: Raspberry jam is the traditional choice, but you can use another jam if you prefer. Strawberry, cherry and blackcurrant jam are all good options – just choose your personal favourite, or whatever you have on hand. And for the best texture beneath the frangipane, opt for a seedless jam without large pieces of fruit in it.
Almond Extract: If you’re a big almond fan, you can add some almond extract to the frangipane for a stronger almond flavour. I personally find the ground almonds already provide enough flavour for the tart, but if you are a big almond fan, you can go ahead and add 1-2 teaspoons of almond extract.
Looking for dairy-free, gluten-free or vegan adaptations? See the Free-from & Vegan section below.
Free-from & Vegan
Amy recommends: If you regularly need to adapt baking recipes for gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free or vegan diets, I highly recommend The Elements of Baking by Katarina Cermelj, creator of The Loopy Whisk. It’s a brilliant resource for understanding how substitutions work, rather than simply swapping ingredients and hoping for the best.
Gluten-free Options:
Rather than trying to adapt the homemade pastry in this recipe, I’d recommend using ready-rolled gluten-free shortcrust pastry or following an intentionally gluten-free shortcrust pastry recipe, like Becky Excell’s gluten-free shortcrust pastry recipe.
Nut-free Adjustments:
As the frangipane filling is made largely from ground almonds, it isn’t easy to adapt this recipe into a nut-free Bakewell Tart by simply swapping or leaving out ingredients. Instead, use an intentionally nut-free Bakewell Tart recipe, like Good Housekeeping’s nut-free Cherry Bakewell Tart.
Dairy-free Swaps:
To make this a dairy-free recipe, simply use plant-based block margarine in the pastry and plant-based soft margarine, or block margarine, in the frangipane.
Egg-Free Adaptations:
I’m not confident that an egg replacer would work like-for-like in this recipe, so I wouldn’t recommend trying to adapt this particular recipe. Instead, use an intentionally egg-free Bakewell Tart recipe, like Addicted to Dates’ vegan Bakewell Tart.
Vegan Substitutions:
While replacing the dairy in this recipe is relatively straightforward, replacing the two eggs is a bit trickier. Rather than trying to adapt this particular tart, I’d recommend using an intentionally vegan recipe, like Addicted to Dates’ vegan Bakewell Tart.
Allergy Disclaimer & Resources:
Any advice or suggestions to make recipes “free-from” or vegan are purely suggestions. Please double-check all packaged ingredients individually, taking extra caution when baking for those with allergies or intolerances.
For official guidance on food allergies, please see Food Standards Agency (food.gov.uk) | For more info on coeliac disease, please see Coeliac UK (coeliac.org.uk) | For more info on a vegan diet, please see The Vegan Society (vegansociety.com)
How to Make Bakewell Tart
Bakewell Tart is made in two stages: first the pastry case is blind-baked, then it is filled with raspberry jam and frangipane before being baked again. Follow the step-by-step below, or head to the recipe card at the bottom for the full printable recipe.
- Make the pastry. Cream together the margarine/butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour and mix to form a dough, using your hands if needed. Gently knead the dough until smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
- Prepare and Line the tin. Lightly grease and flour a 20cm (8 inch) loose-bottom tart tin. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan, Gas Mark 4 or 350°F). Roll the pastry into a 26-28cm (10-11 inch) circle and carefully transfer it to the tin. Press it into the base and sides, leaving a little overhang. Prick the base with a fork.
- Part-bake the pastry: Line the pastry and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes. Trim away the excess pastry.
- Add the fillings: Spread the raspberry jam over the warm pastry case and set aside. Cream together the margarine/butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, then fold through the ground almonds. Spoon the frangipane filling over the jam and smooth the top. Sprinkle with flaked almonds.
- Bake. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden and mostly firm, with a slight wobble in the middle. Cover loosely with foil if the almonds begin to brown too quickly.
- Cool and serve: Leave the tart to cool completely in the tin before removing. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Top Tips for Bakewell Tart
- Chill the Pastry: Don’t skip the 30-minute chill, as the pastry will be too soft to roll and handle properly without it.
- Use the Right Tin: The quantities in this recipe are measured for a 20cm (8 inch) loose-bottom tart tin. A different-sized tin may leave you with excess pastry or filling, or a tart that isn’t quite as full. If you don’t have a 20cm (8 inch) tin, you can try using one a little smaller/larger, but just be aware the quantities won’t be perfect, and you may need to adjust the bake times.
- Part-bake the Pastry: Don’t skip this initial bake. Bake the pastry case for 15 minutes with baking beans, then remove them and bake for a further 5 minutes before adding the filling. This gives the pastry a head start and helps prevent a soggy bottom.
- Don’t Overbake the Frangipane Filling: It should be golden and mostly firm, but still have a slight wobble in the middle. It will look softer than an ordinary sponge cake (because it’s not cake), but it will continue to set as it cools and is meant to remain soft and moist.
- Cover the Almonds (if needed): The flaked almonds can catch a little colour before the tart is fully baked. If this happens, loosely cover the top with foil and continue baking.
- Cool Completely Before Slicing: Leave the tart to cool completely in the tin before removing it. This allows the filling to settle and makes it easier to get nice, neat slices.
Make Ahead, Storage & Freezing
- Make Ahead: You can prepare the pastry dough in advance and keep it in the fridge. Remove it a short while before rolling, so it has time to soften slightly. The finished tart can also be made a day ahead of serving, but I would wait until you are ready to serve before dusting with icing sugar (powdered sugar).
- Storage: Keep your Bakewell Tart in an airtight container at room temperature. It is best eaten within 2-3 days.
- Freezing: You can freeze the finished tart (ideally before dusting with icing sugar). You can freeze it whole or in slices – simply wrap it in cling film, followed by foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature, then dust with icing sugar before serving.
How to Serve Bakewell Tart
Bakewell Tart is best served at room temperature, once it has cooled completely and the frangipane has had time to firm up. And I like to dust my tart with icing sugar just before slicing. Some people also like to add a little cream, custard, or ice cream on top of a slice of Bakewell Tart.
Thank you to Naomi Seiler for creating these photos.
Bakewell Tart FAQs
The frangipane filling in a Bakewell Tart is meant to be soft, moist and slightly creamy, rather than firm and cakey, like in my Almond Slice recipe. It may have a slight wobble when it comes out of the oven, but will continue to set a little more as it cools.
The pastry case in your Bakewell Tart needs to be part-baked before adding the jam and frangipane. Bake it with baking beans for 15 minutes, then without them for a further 5 minutes; then it will continue to bake once you return it to the oven with the fillings. Without the part-baking head start, the pastry is more likely to remain soggy beneath the filling.
The frangipane filling will rise a little while baking, but then settle again as the tart cools. This is completely normal and doesn’t mean anything has gone wrong!
The ingredient quantities for this recipe are measured for a 20cm (8 inch) tart tin. You can use a slightly smaller or larger tin, but you may have some pastry or filling left over, or end up with a tart that isn’t quite as full. The baking time may also need adjusting, too.
More Classic British Tarts
If you loved this traditional Bakewell Tart, here are some more of my favourite British tart recipes for you to try next:
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Bakewell Tart
INGREDIENTS
For the Pastry:
- 175 g Block Margarine or Butter (at room temperature; plus extra for greasing)
- 65 g Caster Sugar
- 250 g Plain Flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 150 g Raspberry Jam (seedless preferred)
For the Filling:
- 150 g Soft Margarine or Butter (softened)
- 150 g Caster Sugar
- 2 Free-range Eggs (beaten; at room temperature)
- 150 g Ground Almonds
- 25 g Flaked Almonds
- Icing Sugar (for dusting)
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Pastry:
- In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter/margarine until light and fluffy. Add the flour and mix to create a dough – you may need to use your hands to bring it together.175 g Block Margarine or Butter; 65 g Caster Sugar; 250 g Plain Flour
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and gently knead until it is smooth. Wrap the pastry in
cling film and pop it in the fridge to firm up for 30 minutes. - Meanwhile, lightly grease a 20cm (8 inch) loose-bottom tart tin with a little extra margarine/butter and dust with a little extra flour. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C for fan-assisted ovens, Gas Mark 4 or 350°F).
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll your pastry dough into a large circle until it is a few centimetres larger than the diameter of your tart tin (around 26-28cm / 10-11 inches). Carefully transfer the pastry dough to your prepared tart tin, taking care not to trap too much air underneath, and gently press it into the sides. Leave a little overhang on the pastry, but trim off any large bits. Prick the bottom of your pastry with a fork, then line it with
greaseproof paper and fill it withbaking beans . - Part-bake the pastry for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the
greaseproof paper andbaking beans (watch out, they will be hot!) and return the tart pastry to the oven to continue baking for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and trim the remaining excess pastry overhang to leave a neat edge on your tart. - Once the pastry is baked, spread the jam on the bottom of the pastry when it is still warm, then set aside while you prepare the frangipane filling.150 g Raspberry Jam
For the Filling:
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter/margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is mixed through before adding the next.150 g Soft Margarine or Butter; 150 g Caster Sugar; 2 Free-range Eggs
- Add the
ground almonds and fold through until you have a somewhat thick, smooth batter.150 g Ground Almonds - Spoon the frangipane filling mixture on top of the jam in your part-baked pastry, smoothing it to the edges. Sprinkle the top with flaked almonds.25 g Flaked Almonds
- Bake in your preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the pastry edges are crisp and golden and the frangipane is golden and mostly firm with a slight wobble in the middle.
- Remove from the oven and allow the tart to cool completely in the tin. Dust with icing sugar before serving in slicesIcing Sugar
IMPORTANT NOTE:
All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion, but these, unfortunately, won’t always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amy Beth Reid
Amy Beth Reid is an award-winning food blogger, mother, wife and cookbook author. Inspired by her childhood in the kitchen with her Mum – a professional baker and her children’s Granny – Amy now shares her tried-and-tested traditional home baking recipes with bakers of all abilities around the world. She lives in Scotland with her husband, two sons and her small pack of Siberian huskies.