This almond-raspberry cake combines a rich, buttery almond-flavored base with a bright raspberry compote and a crunchy almond crumble. The cake stays incredibly moist while offering a pleasing contrast of textures—the tender crumb, the jammy raspberry layer, and the sweet, nutty crumble on top.
If you enjoy crumb-topped bakes, try other favorites like blueberry coffee cake muffins, apple blackberry crumble, or a peach-mango crumble pie.
Why You Will Love This
Soft & Buttery: The cake has a tender, moist crumb and a satisfying buttery flavor.
Raspberry Compote: The homemade compote adds bright, balanced sweetness that complements the almond notes.
Almond Crumb Top: The crunchy almond crumble and turbinado sugar give a lovely contrast in texture and a caramelized finish.
Ingredient Notes
- Raspberries: Frozen work well and are convenient, though fresh berries are great if available.
- Cornstarch: Mix with water first to avoid lumps before adding to the berries.
- Butter: Salted butter is used here for richer flavor.
- Almond Extract: Adds a clear almond aroma; if you don’t have it, use vanilla instead.
- Buttermilk: Can be substituted with regular milk if needed; room temperature is preferred for better mixing.
- Almonds: Thinly sliced almonds work best for the crumble; chop thicker slices or diced almonds to smaller pieces so they distribute evenly.
Step By Step Instructions
Making the Raspberry Compote
Step 1: In a medium saucepan combine raspberries, brown sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium-low heat, mashing the berries as they soften. Continue cooking about 10 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken.
Step 2: Whisk cornstarch and water in a small bowl, then stir into the simmering raspberries. Cook 2–3 more minutes until set. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely; refrigerate to speed cooling if needed.
Making the Almond Cake
Step 1: Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Step 2: In a large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar until combined. Add eggs and beat on medium-high for 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy. Mix in almond and vanilla extracts.
Step 3: Add half the dry ingredients, then the buttermilk, then the remaining dry ingredients, scraping the bowl as needed. Stir just until combined; avoid overmixing. Set the batter aside while preparing the crumble.
Making the Almond Crumble
Step 1: Combine brown sugar, flour, a pinch of salt and sliced almonds in a small bowl. Add melted butter and stir until clumps form to create a crumbly topping.
Cake Assembly
Step 1: Pour batter into a prepared 9″ springform pan (or another 9″ round or square pan). Spoon the cooled raspberry compote into the center of the batter and spread toward the edges, leaving about an inch border. Evenly sprinkle the almond crumble over the top, then dust with turbinado sugar.
Step 2: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40–50 minutes, or until the center is set and there is no wobble. Cool fully before removing from the pan. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.
Expert Baking Tips
You can substitute 1½ cups store-bought raspberry jam if you prefer a quicker option, or simply scatter fresh raspberries across the top before baking.
An almond glaze (¾ cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon almond extract and 2–3 tablespoons milk to reach pourable consistency) makes a lovely finishing touch.
Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing; cutting while warm will cause the compote to run.
FAQ
No. Any 9″ round or square pan works. A springform makes removing the cake easier, but it’s not required.
Yes. Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in both the cake and the crumble topping.
Yes. Room-temperature ingredients mix more evenly and help the cake rise and develop the right texture.
Storing and Freezing
Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. If refrigerated, cover well to prevent drying.
Freezing
Freeze the whole cake or individual slices for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and thaw to room temperature before serving for best texture.
Other Cake Recipes To Try
Lemon Blackberry Cake
Funfetti Cookie Cake
Raspberry White Chocolate Loaf Cake
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Almond Raspberry Cake
Brooke Homec
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
Raspberry Compote
- 2 cups (240 g) frozen or fresh raspberries
- ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
Almond Cake
- 1½ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ cup (113.5 g) butter, room temp
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (160 g) buttermilk, room temp
Almond Crumble
- ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (62.5 g) all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- ⅓ cup (47.7 g) sliced almonds, chopped
- ¼ cup (56.8 g) butter, melted
- 2 tbsp turbinado sugar for sprinkling
- Powdered sugar for dusting after cooling
Instructions
Raspberry Compote
- Combine raspberries, brown sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, mashing berries until they break down and the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.
- Whisk cornstarch with water, stir into the compote and cook 2–3 minutes until thickened. Cool completely before using.
Almond Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9″ pan (springform recommended) with nonstick spray and parchment if desired.
- Whisk dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and beat until fluffy, then mix in extracts. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk, mixing until just combined.
Almond Crumble & Bake
- Mix crumble ingredients until clumps form. Pour batter into prepared pan, top with cooled compote (leave a 1″ rim), and sprinkle crumble and turbinado sugar over the top.
- Bake 40–50 minutes until set. Cool completely, dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Notes
You can use 1½ cups store-bought raspberry jam if you prefer. Fresh raspberries scattered on top also work well.
Optional almond drizzle: combine ¾ cup powdered sugar, ½ tsp almond extract and 2–3 tbsp milk until pourable.
Wait until the cake is fully cooled before slicing to avoid the compote running.
Nutrition
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