Hi friends! Today I’m sharing one of my all-time favorite cake flavors: Almond Raspberry Cake. This cake has layers of moist almond cake, brushed with almond syrup to keep it super moist, filled with raspberry jam, and frosted with a rich Almond Cream Cheese Frosting. It’s elegant and full of almond flavor!
Almond Raspberry Cake
Ingredients
Almond Cake:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 cup buttermilk
Almond Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
Raspberry Jam:
- 2 cups raspberries
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar or a sweetener like maple syrup or honey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
Almond Simple Syrup:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
Almond Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour four 6-inch cake pans or line them with parchment paper.
- Mix the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and oil, and mix for another 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Scrape down the bowl, then add vanilla and almond extracts.
- Mix in the almond flour.
- Add half the buttermilk and mix briefly. Then add half the flour mixture and stir for about 30 seconds.
- Add the rest of the buttermilk and mix for 30 seconds. Finish with the remaining flour mixture.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Almond Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Sift the powdered sugar and set aside.
- In a stand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and butter for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar, mixing on low until combined. Then add the vanilla and almond extracts, along with 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for about 1 minute until smooth.
- Adjust consistency if needed—add more heavy cream if too stiff or more powdered sugar if too runny.
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days, covered.
Raspberry Jam:
- Place raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes. If it becomes dry, add a tablespoon of water or lemon juice.
- Dissolve the cornstarch in 3 tablespoons of water and add to the pan. Cook for 1 minute until the jam thickens.
- Transfer to a small bowl and let it cool completely in the fridge. Strain if you don’t like seeds.
Almond Simple Syrup:
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Turn off the heat and add almond extract. Let the syrup cool completely.
- Store in the fridge and use only when fully cooled. The syrup is optional but keeps the cake extra moist.
To Assemble:
- Place a cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Brush with almond syrup.
- Put some Almond Cream Cheese Frosting in a piping bag, snip the end, and pipe a circle around the edge of the cake layer to keep the filling from leaking out.
- Spread a layer of raspberry jam inside the frosting ring.
- Add another cake layer and repeat the process: brush with syrup, pipe frosting around the edges, and add jam.
- Continue until all layers are stacked.
- Frost the cake with a thin layer of frosting (crumb coat) and chill for 30 minutes to set.
- Keep remaining frosting covered to prevent it from drying out.
- After chilling, apply a thick layer of frosting all over the cake.
- Decorate with more frosting and fresh raspberries.
Notes
- Shortcuts: Use store-bought jam and skip the syrup to simplify.
- Buttermilk substitute: Add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to milk if you don’t have buttermilk.