Almond and Raspberry Cake (Gluten Free)

This almond and raspberry cake is super simple to make and is the perfect cake for brunch or afternoon tea. With a light and airy, gluten free cake with a topping of fresh raspberries and crunchy almonds, it’s finished off with a sweet amaretto glaze. It’s seriously delicious!

I recently remade my blueberry almond cake and remembered just how good it was and since then I’ve wanted to create a version using raspberries instead. And with the abundance of beautiful, cheap and sweet raspberries at the moment it was the perfect time.

The combination of raspberries and almonds is just so delicious, I love it. With this cake I really wanted to really push the almond flavour more so than in the blueberry version. While I did increase the amount of almond extract used, eventually I realised that what this cake really needed to make it the most delicious it could be was a sweet, almond glaze achieved by using one of my absolute favourite liqueurs – amaretto.

A small amount goes a long way in terms of adding flavour and the sweet, amaretto glaze really brings this cake together and makes it perfect for afternoon tea or a fancy brunch (Mother’s Day is coming up!).

This cake does differ from the blueberry version in that it doesn’t have a crumble topping but rather a simple sprinkle of flaked almonds and coarse sugar gives the top of the cake crunch. This contrasts to the texture of the cake itself which is light and airy thanks to the quantity of eggs. It’s perfect just like this but the glaze adds that little extra sweetness and well if you like amaretto then you’ll definitely not want to skip it!

Key Ingredients

You’ll need a few simple ingredients to make this gluten free and dairy free almond and raspberry cake.

Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Eggs – The eggs are first separated with the yolks adding richness and binding everything together while the egg whites are whipped before being added to the batter which adds air creating a light and soft cake texture.
• White sugar – regular white sugar is used in the cake.
• Extracts – we’re using a combination of almond extract and vanilla extract to give this cake a beautiful flavour.
• Almond meal – also sometimes labelled as almond flour, almond meal is finely ground almonds and is used in place of flour in this recipe to keep the cake gluten-free.
• Baking powder – while the eggs are doing a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to the texture of the cake, we still need baking powder to help ensure the cake rises.
• Raspberries – fresh raspberries work best for this recipe as they don’t contain any extra moisture. Just remember to allow the raspberries to dry after washing before adding to your cake batter as water can sit in the middle of your berries and extra moisture will impact the structure of the cake.
• Flaked almonds – added to the top of the cake for the essential textural crunch.
• Demerara sugar – this is a raw, minimally processed sugar that is a golden-brown colour and coarse in texture similar to turbinado sugar. It’s perfect for adding extra crunch to baked goods due to the coarse grains, however if you don’t have it you can sprinkle a little regular sugar over the top of the cake instead.

If you want to add the amaretto glaze, you’ll also need some icing sugar, melted dairy free butter and of course, a splash of amaretto liqueur. If you want to keep the glaze but make it alcohol free, you can also use a little almond extract instead, just add a couple of drops to taste.

Step-By-Step Instructions

To make this cake, you’ll need an electric mixer and a 20 or 23 cm (8 or 9 inch) round springform cake pan. Prepare the cake pan by lining the base of the pan with baking paper and greasing the bottom and sides with cooking spray.

I recommend a springform cake pan for both this cake and my blueberry almond cake as it allows you to easily release the cake without damaging the crunchy topping.

Start with two mixing bowls and separate the eggs so you have whites in one and yolks in the other. Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks start to form and set aside.

In the bowl with the yolks, add the white sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract and beat until combined and the yolks have changed to a paler colour. Sift in the almond meal, baking powder and salt and continue to mix until just combined. It’s important to sift the almond meal as it tends to be quite lumpy and this will help prevent the cake from becoming dense.

Using a rubber spatula, add the egg whites to the batter and fold through gently, pulling the bottom of the batter up to the top, until a smooth and light batter forms. You want to make sure it’s all mixed through without beating out any of the air gained by whipping the egg whites so do this step slowly and gently.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and dot the fresh raspberries evenly over the top. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds followed by the demerara sugar and place the cake in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the cake is slightly springy to touch and cooked through in the centre.

While the cake is cooling, make the glaze by whisking together the melted dairy free butter with the icing sugar and then adding the amaretto and mixing well to combine.

Release the cake from the tin and drizzle over the amaretto glaze before slicing and serving.

Freezing and Storing Instructions

As this is quite a moist cake, it is best enjoyed within the first 1-2 days of making. You can also store it in the fridge to extend its life a little longer or if you live in a particularly warm environment.

This cake also freezes well, just wrap in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, let it defrost by allowing it to come to room temperature on the kitchen counter.

More morning or afternoon tea cakes:

Coffee and Walnut Loaf Cake
Pistachio Cardamom and Lemon Loaf Cake
Easy Cinnamon Tea Cake
Vegan Coffee Cake
Chai Spiced Tea Cake
Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake