Think a crumb cake but with a crunchy almond topping! This lusciously moist gluten free raspberry almond cake is made with plenty of butter, a bit of bright lemon zest, and juicy red raspberries, then topped with sliced almonds.
This gorgeous gluten free raspberry almond cake was meant for brunch - cut thick, warm slices of cake and set them out on pretty plates alongside steaming cups of hot, strong coffee and pitchers of cream. From the first forkful, you'll note the buttery, tender crumb that's just sweet enough, flavored with a little lemon zest and vanilla. And there's no skimping on the fruit - each bite is bursting with berries, something to celebrate throughout spring and summer. Though this cake is similar to a crumb cake, I swapped crisp sliced almonds for a crumble topping, and they are the perfect complement to the tender gluten free cake.
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This Gluten Free Raspberry Almond Cake Features:
- An easy homemade gluten free flour blend
- A simple ingredients list
- Lots of delicious raspberries!
- The versatility to be served for breakfast or dessert
- A wonderfully nibbleable crumb
- Crisp sliced almonds
Ingredients at a Glance
Below are my ingredients notes to refer to when you gather what you need for this recipe. You can use fresh or frozen berries, and I used frozen when I developed this recipe because I had a bag in the freezer. Fresh berries will be more delicate, so handle them carefully.
- Gluten free flour - Use my easy recipe for a homemade gluten free flour blend, or you can use oat flour in a straight 1:1 swap.
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon - A little bit of ground cinnamon adds a warm note of spice - you can omit if you wish.
- Salt - This recipe, like all of my recipes, calls for fine sea salt. Sub table salt if needed.
- Butter - Unsalted butter is best.
- Granulated sugar - To make this refined sugar-free, swap in coconut sugar or maple syrup.
- Lemon - You'll use the lemon zest, so try to use an organic lemon if you can.
- Egg - As with most baking recipes, this recipe was developed using a size large egg.
- Vanilla extract - Pure vanilla extract enhances the subtle sweetness of the cake.
- Milk - Use whole milk, or even substitute heavy cream for extra richness.
- Raspberries - You can use fresh or frozen raspberries (I used frozen).
- Almonds - I prefer raw, sliced almonds for this cake - in a pinch, you can use slivered almonds but I like the thinness and aesthetics of the sliced almonds better.
Should I Use Fresh or Frozen Raspberries in This Recipe?
The answer to this question is, as the French say, Ça dépend. If your raspberry bushes are flourishing and you've berries to spare, definitely tuck fresh berries into the batter. As noted, they will be more delicate, so have a very, very gentle hand when folding them in. If you're reliant on frozen berries, also fold them in gently, but know that they will be a bit more sturdy.
How to Make Raspberry Almond Cake
Here's a look at how to make this cake. I've included the detailed instructions in the recipe card.
- Prep: Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Make dry mix: Whisk together 1 ⅓ cups of the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Coat raspberries: In a small bowl, lightly toss the raspberries with the remaining flour.
- Make wet mix: Beat together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg.
- Combine: Beat in half of the flour mixture followed by the milk and vanilla, then the rest of the flour. Gently fold in the raspberries.
- Add to pan: Scrape batter into the prepared pan.
- Add almonds: Scatter the sliced almonds evenly over the top and preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Bake: Bake the cake until a tester comes out clean, then cool on a rack.
- Place on a plate: Gently remove it to a plate to serve.
Raspberry Almond Cake Tips
- Rest that batter - Let the batter rest while the oven heats, or up to 30 minutes if you can spare it, to fully hydrate the gluten free flour. This will recreate a more tender crumb.
- Try other fruit - Add or in place of the raspberries: blueberries, blackberries, cherries ...
- Add-ins - To up the flavor, try 1 teaspoon of almond extract, more vanilla (2-3 teaspoons), or 1 teaspoons ground ginger or cardamom.
- Dairy-free - Substitute your favorite non-dairy butter for the butter and a non-dairy milk for the milk.
- Try oat flour - If you prefer, make this cake just with gluten free oat flour! Instead of a gluten free flour blend, use 1 ⅔ cups of oat flour.
Serving Options for Gluten Free Raspberry Almond Cake
Add gluten free raspberry almond cake to your weekend brunch plans, or serve it for dessert! I love slices of this cake with dollops of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can also add fresh raspberries to each serving, or try sliced strawberries for even more fruit.
How to Store
If you don't finish off this raspberry almond cake in one go, let's make it stay fresh as long as possible. Here are the best ways to store it:
- Counter – Place the cake in an airtight container or cover it with foil and keep it on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Fridge – Storing the cake in the fridge will help it last longer! Place the cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can eat it straight from the fridge or slightly rewarmed.
- Freezer – Wrap the whole cake or individual slices in plastic then store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the cake in the fridge before serving.
More Gluten Free Fruit Cake Recipes
If you tried this recipe please let me know! Or if you have any recipe questions, always feel free to reach out in comments or email. I hope you love it! ❤️
Gluten Free Raspberry Almond Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups gluten free flour blend, or oat flour (260 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ lemon, zested
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1½ -2 cups raspberries, use fresh or frozen raspberries
- ½ cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl whisk together 1 ⅓ cups of the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a small bowl, lightly toss the raspberries with the remaining ⅓ cup flour.
- Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat in the egg until combined. Beat in half of the flour mixture followed by the milk and vanilla, then the rest of the flour. Gently fold in the raspberries.
- Scrape batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter the sliced almonds evenly over the top. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and let the batter rest while the oven heats.
- Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes, until the cake is set and a tester comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack, then gently remove it to a plate.
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