Raspberry Almond Cake Recipe

I paired a white almond cake with raspberry filling and a shortcut Swiss meringue buttercream in my Vanilla Almond Cream Cake, and I can’t wait to share the easy method behind it.

I always expect big flavors when a cake promises wedding cake memories, and this Raspberry Almond Cake actually delivers. It starts as a white almond cake and I fold in almond flour for that extra nutty note, then there’s a tart ribbon of raspberries tucked between the layers that wakes everything up.

The frosting is smooth and almost bridal, but the fruit keeps it from feeling too sweet. I love that it looks dressed up yet you can make it on a weeknight.

Cake With Filling In The Middle, yes, and somehow you just want to slice it again.

Ingredients

• Cake flour: finer than all purpose, less gluten so cakes turn out tender and light.
• Almond flour: adds nutty flavor, make crumb moist with some protein and healthy fats.
• Raspberries: tart and sweet, high in fiber and vitamin C, gives bright fruit flavor.
• Unsalted butter: rich, gives fat and flavor, adds tenderness and helps browning.
• Sour cream: adds tang, moisture and slight acidity, helps it’s crumb stay soft longer.
• Egg whites: for swiss meringue, provide structure and volume, very little fat.
• Granulated sugar: sweetens, helps texture and browning, not much nutrition though.
• Almond extract: small bit gives intense almond aroma, use sparingly for balance.

Ingredient Quantities

• 3 cups (360 g) cake flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup (50 g) almond flour or almond meal
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened, about 2 sticks
• 4 large eggs room temp
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk room temp
• 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream or plain greek yogurt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 12 oz (340 g) raspberries fresh or frozen (for filling)
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar (for filling)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (for filling)
• 2 tsp cornstarch (for filling) or 1 cup seedless raspberry jam as a shortcut
• 5 large egg whites (for swiss meringue)
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar (for swiss meringue)
• 1 1/2 cups (340 g) unsalted butter softened, about 3 sticks (for swiss meringue)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (for swiss meringue)
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (for swiss meringue)
• pinch fine salt
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted, optional for decorating
• fresh raspberries for garnish, optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and line three 8 inch round pans with parchment, or two 9 inch pans if thats what you got, and lightly flour the sides.

2. Whisk together 3 cups sifted cake flour, 1/2 cup almond flour, 2 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl.

3. In a stand mixer cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with the dry mix for about 2 minutes until lighter. Add 4 room temp eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 teaspoon almond extract.

4. In a measuring cup combine 1 cup room temp milk and 1/2 cup sour cream. Add the dry and wet mixtures to the butter mixture in 3 additions, starting and ending with the dry, mixing just until combined. Dont overmix.

5. Divide batter evenly between pans, smooth tops and bake 22 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool completely.

6. Make the raspberry filling: for a fresh cooked filling simmer 12 oz raspberries with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice; mix 2 teaspoons cornstarch with a tablespoon water, stir into berries and cook until thickened, then cool. Shortcut: warm 1 cup seedless raspberry jam with a splash of water until spreadable, mash smooth and cool.

7. Make the Swiss meringue buttercream: place 5 egg whites and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture reaches 160°F or feels smooth between fingers. Transfer to stand mixer, whip on high until glossy and stiff and the bowl is room temp. With mixer on medium add 1 1/2 cups softened butter piece by piece until silky, then beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and a pinch of salt. If it looks curdled keep whipping, it usually comes together.

8. Level cakes if needed. Place first layer on a board, spread a thin dam of buttercream around the edge to hold the filling, spoon cooled raspberry filling into the center (dont overfill), spread thin layer of buttercream and stack next layer. Repeat.

9. Do a thin crumb coat of buttercream over the whole cake, chill 15 to 30 minutes to set, then finish with a smooth final coat. Press 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds onto the sides if you like, and garnish the top with fresh raspberries.

10. Chill briefly to set the frosting, then bring to room temperature before serving. Store covered in the fridge up to 3 days, but let it sit out 30 to 60 minutes before eating so the buttercream is soft and almond flavor shines.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven and three 8 inch round cake pans (or two 9 inch pans)
2. Parchment paper plus butter or nonstick spray for lining
3. Stand mixer with paddle attachment (or a hand mixer will work)
4. Heatproof bowl and a saucepan for the bain marie (for the swiss meringue)
5. Instant read thermometer or candy thermometer (to check 160°F for the meringue)
6. Large mixing bowls and a fine mesh sifter (for the cake flour)
7. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you got one
8. Rubber spatulas and an offset spatula or bench scraper for frosting
9. Cooling racks and a small saucepan for the raspberry filling

FAQ

Raspberry Almond Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Cake flour (3 cups): make your own by using 3 cups all purpose flour, remove 6 tbsp flour and stir back in 6 tbsp cornstarch, then sift well to lighten it. Or use pastry flour 1 to 1 for a similar tender crumb, but it might be a touch denser.
• Almond flour or meal (1/2 cup): swap with hazelnut flour 1 to 1 for a similarly nutty flavor, or use 1/2 cup oat flour if someone has a nut allergy, but add 1 tbsp neutral oil because oat flour soaks up moisture and the cake may be slightly denser.
• Sour cream (1/2 cup): plain Greek yogurt 1 to 1 works perfectly, same tang and texture. You can also use 1/2 cup buttermilk but then cut the milk in the batter by 1/2 cup so the liquid balance stays right.
• Cornstarch (2 tsp, for filling): swap with tapioca starch 1 to 1 for the same glossy set, or use arrowroot powder 1 to 1 for a clearer, silkier finish. As the shortcut option you can skip both and use 1 cup seedless raspberry jam instead.

Pro Tips

– Weigh your batter into the pans so the layers bake evenly, not one thicker than the other, and rotate the pans halfway through if your oven has hot spots. Dont eyeball it unless you like lopsided cakes.

– For the Swiss meringue heat the egg whites and sugar to 160F with an instant read thermometer, then whip until the bowl feels room temp; if the buttercream goes curdled or greasy just keep whipping, sometimes it needs 5 to 10 more minutes to come back together, or gently warm the bowl for a minute and try again.

– If using fresh raspberries simmer them down till thick then push through a fine sieve to remove seeds or theyll give a gritty bite; for frozen berries thaw and drain first, or use warmed seedless jam as a quick foolproof backup.

– Chill the crumb coat well before the final coat and press the toasted sliced almonds onto slightly chilled frosting so they stick instead of sliding off, and always bring the finished cake out 30 to 60 minutes before serving so the buttercream softens and the almond flavor opens up.