Flourless Almond And Raspberry Cake Recipe
This Almond And Raspberry Cake is light, moist, and bursting with the sweet tang of raspberries, all nestled within a delicate almond crumb. Perfect for a special occasion or simply a well-deserved treat, this cake is surprisingly easy to make and it’s both gluten and dairy free too.
In This Article
Nutritional Benefits
Using a nut meal/flour for cakes gives us a better macronutrient profile. Almond meal is a good source of protein and fibre while also being lower in carbohydrates. It’s also higher in fats and contains a beneficial amount of several vitamins and minerals (1). The combination of these nutrients makes this cake incredibly filling. Where you may not feel satisfied with a single piece of cake made with white flours, one piece of a nut meal cake will definitely hit the spot. Then of course we have the many and varied nutrients like the abundance of fibre in addition to magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, vitamin K, and vitamin C (2). Just note some vitamins and minerals (especially vitamin C) are diminished during the cooking process, so serving with some fresh berries can help to add them back to your treat (3).
Ingredients – What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe
Mixing fresh, juicy raspberries into this Almond Raspberry Cake introduces pockets of soft, slightly jammy texture, which contrast beautifully with the almond-based crumb. As they bake, the raspberries release their juices, which contributes to how perfectly moist the cake is once done.
- Almond flour – provides a naturally gluten-free base while also giving the cake a tender crumb.
- Fresh raspberries – bring a burst of fresh, tart flavour that perfectly complements the almonds.
- Eggs – act as a binder, holding the cake together, and contribute to its rise and structure. They also add richness and moisture.
- Maple syrup – introduces a caramel-like sweetness with subtle earthy undertones.
- Vanilla extract – enhances the overall flavour of the cake, making it richer and more well-rounded.
- Baking Powder – leavening agent, helping the cake rise and become light and airy.
- Lemon zest – contributes a bright, citrusy note that adds a refreshing zing.
- Salt – plays a crucial role in enhancing the other flavours.
- Coconut flour – used to dust the berries as it stops them sinking to the bottom of the cake while it bakes but also stops them from bursting or their colour from bleeding too much.
- Sliced almonds + other nuts of choice, coconut sugar and coconut oil – these are used to create a crumble for the top of the cake.
The crumble topping adds crunch, and a delicious roast nut flavour. My favourite is pecans, as the toast well, go perfectly with the coconut sugar and are a good mix with the raspberries too.
How To Make An Almond And Raspberry Cake
This fluffy raspberry almond cake is testament to the fact that gluten-free baking doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavour or texture. With well-balanced, simple ingredients and a low and slow cooking method, you’ll have a delicious cake with a perfectly tender crumb.
- Preheat oven to 160°C (fan)/320°F
- Dust the raspberries in the coconut flour and prepare the crumble topping in a small bowl. Set both aside for now.
- Brush an 8-inch/20cm round cake-pan or springform pan with a little coconut oil, melted butter or spray with cooking spray then line with parchment paper/baking paper.
- Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and briefly whisk to combine.
- Add all the wet ingredients to the same bowl and gently stir together using a spoon or rubber spatula until everything is well combined.
- Tip the raspberries into the batter and stir gently to mix them through.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle the crumble over the top of the cake batter.
- Place the tin into the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer or cake tester inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 mins then tip onto a wire rack to finish cooling. For best results, leave the cake to cool completely at room temperature before serving.
Optional – just before serving you could drizzle with a little bit of Honey Fermented Fruit (particularly if you made a lemon one!) or dust the top with some powdered sugar/icing sugar. I enjoy this cake as is, but the powdered sugar or even a dollop of yoghurt or cream topped with more berries makes it beautiful for serving to guests.
Substitutions And Variations
Slice the cake through the middle and add a raspberry jam between the cake layers as a filling. This is delicious! And I love to serve it with a little dollop of Instant Pot Greek Yogurt too.
For a very rich almond flavor, add a little almond extract into the batter. No more than 1/2 to 1 tsp.
Unsalted butter can replace the coconut oil in the crumble if desired. Add a little more butter if doing this and chop it up then rub it together with the other ingredients until they form a crumble. Spread this over the cake before it goes in the oven.
Make this a Valentine’s Day treat for loved ones by adding 1/2 cup of choc chips to the batter! Or cut a heart from a piece of paper, place it on top of the cake then sprinkle powdered sugar/icing sugar over it. Remove the paper heart and you’ll be left with a heart on top of your cake.
Tips For Success With This Recipe
Note that the bake time may vary depending on how hot your oven runs. Testing with a skewer is the best way to determine readiness. If you find your cake is browning too quickly or too much, cover the tin with aluminium/aluminum foil.
Please note: I’ve had mixed results using frozen raspberries because of how much liquid they can release. I do recommend using fresh, but if frozen is all that’s available ensure you add the berries to the mix while frozen. Do not thaw first and don’t skip on dusting them with flour either. Frozen berries will reduce the temperature of the batter as it goes into the oven so you may also need to bake for an extra 5-10 minutes to cook through.
Storing And Freezing
Store any leftovers in an airtight container either on the kitchen bench for up to four days or in the fridge for up to a full week. The cake is still full of flavour when cold, but it’s at its best when served at room temperature. NOTE: If, like me, you live in a humid climate – I recommend only keeping this cake in the fridge or you will find it moulds rapidly.
To freeze the cake ensure it is completely cooled, then cut it into slices and wrap each piece in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for up to one month. To serve, defrost either in the fridge overnight or on the kitchen bench.
FAQ
Yes! To freeze, wrap individual portions in plastic wrap or use ziplock bags. This will preserve both taste and most of the texture once it’s defrosted. I like to gently warm the cake in the oven too – just to help bring the full flavour of the almonds and berries back.
Fresh or frozen berries are largely interchangeable in a cake batter. However, if frozen berries are used the cake may need to bake a little longer, as they reduce the initial temperature of the batter when it’s added to the oven. This means the centre may not be fully cooked in the original time given in the recipe.
Dusting the raspberries in flour before the go into the cake batter can help stop them all sinking to the bottom as the cake cooks. This can also stop any colour bleeding and may stop the raspberries from bursting open too.
More Dessert Recipes
If you try this recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment, rate it, and remember to tag @wholenaturalkitchen in your pics or reels on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok!
Flourless Almond And Raspberry Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 8"/20cm round cake tin
Ingredients
- 3 cups almond flour (blanched almond meal)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 small punnet raspberries (6oz/170g)
- A little coconut flour to dust the raspberries (or any flour you have is fine)
Topping (optional)
- ⅓ cup flaked almonds and other chopped nuts (pecans are great)
- 1.5 tbsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160°C (fan)/320°F.
- Dust the raspberries in the coconut flour and prepare the crumble topping in a small bowl. Set both aside for now.
- Brush an 8-inch/20cm round cake-pan or springform pan with a little coconut oil, melted butter or spray with cooking spray then line with parchment paper/baking paper.
- Add the almond flour, salt, baking powder and lemon zest to a large bowl and briefly whisk to combine.
- Add the eggs, maple syrup and vanilla extract to the same bowl and gently stir together using a spoon or rubber spatula until everything is well combined.
- Tip the raspberries into the batter and stir gently to mix them through. Some will break but try not to break them all.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle the crumble over the top of the cake batter.
- Place the tin into the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer or cake tester inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 mins then tip onto a wire rack to finish cooling. For best results, leave the cake to cool completely at room temperature before serving.
- Serve as is or with a dollop of yoghurt, cream or ice cream and extra berries.
Video
Nutrition
Pin This Recipe For Later
Gabby Campbell
Gabby is a degree qualified Naturopath/Nutritionist (BHSc Nat) with a love of all whole foods. She started her Naturopathic career in clinical practice before making the move to recipe development and online education – a result of wanting to combat the misinformation that abounds on the internet about food and health. Whole Natural Kitchen aims to transform the way you think about healthy eating by helping you embrace an abundance of nutritious foods while leaving the health fads behind. MORE ABOUT GABBY