Almond Raspberry Recipe

Prepare and Preheat

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment; grease parchment and dust lightly with flour or use nonstick spray.

Whisk together dry ingredients: in a medium bowl, sift or whisk 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup almond flour, 1.5 tsp baking powder and 0.5 tsp salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar: in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or large bowl with electric hand mixer), beat 0.75 cup room-temperature unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.

Add eggs and extracts: add eggs one at a time, beating about 20–30 seconds after each addition until incorporated. Mix in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 0.5 tsp almond extract.

Incorporate dry and wet: with mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with buttermilk and oil — begin with 1/3 of dry, then half of 0.75 cup buttermilk + 2 tbsp oil, then dry, then remaining buttermilk+oil, finishing with remaining dry. Scrape bowl as needed and mix only until combined to avoid overworking (about 10–15 seconds per addition). Batter should be smooth and slightly thick.

Divide and bake: divide batter evenly between prepared pans (about 20–22 oz batter each). Smooth tops and bake in preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs and tops are golden.

Cool: let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges, invert onto racks, remove parchment, and cool completely (at least 1 hour) before assembling.

Make puree and combine: if using fresh raspberries, reserve 12 for decoration and place remaining 1.5–1.75 cups raspberries in a small saucepan. Add 0.5 cup granulated sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice.

Cook down: warm mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once it begins to simmer, cook 4–6 minutes until raspberries break down and mixture thickens slightly.

Thicken with cornstarch: mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp cold water to make a slurry. Stir slurry into the simmering raspberries and cook 1–2 more minutes until glossy and thickened.

Strain (optional): for a seedless compote press the cooked mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding seeds and returning strained compote to saucepan. Cool to room temperature. Reserve about 1/2–3/4 cup for filling and any extra for drizzle.

Chill: transfer compote to a bowl, cover and chill in refrigerator until firm enough to spread (at least 30 minutes).

Prepare raspberry puree: take about 3/4 cup fresh or thawed raspberries and puree in a blender or food processor. Strain through a fine mesh to remove seeds; you should end up with roughly 1/2 cup smooth raspberry puree. Chill slightly if warm.

Beat butter: in a clean mixer bowl, beat 1.5 cups room-temperature unsalted butter on medium speed until pale and fluffy (2–3 minutes).

Add sugar gradually: reduce speed to low and add 4 cups confectioners' sugar, one cup at a time, scraping bowl between additions. Once sugar is incorporated, increase speed to medium and beat until light (1–2 minutes).

Flavor and adjust texture: add 0.5 cup raspberry puree, 0.5 tsp almond extract, 0.5 tsp vanilla extract, 0.25 tsp salt, and 3 tbsp heavy cream. Beat on medium-high until smooth, light, and spreadable. If frosting is too thin add a little more powdered sugar; if too stiff add 1 tsp cream at a time.

Taste and color: taste for balance — add a touch more almond extract if you prefer stronger almond flavor (up to 0.25 tsp extra). For a deeper pink, fold in a teaspoon of natural pink coloring or a bit more strained raspberry puree (note extra moisture may require more sugar).

Level cakes: if cake domes formed, use a serrated knife or cake leveler to trim tops so you have two flat layers. Place one layer on a cake board or serving plate.

Add a crumb coat of buttercream (optional): spread a thin layer (about 1/3 cup) of buttercream on the top of the bottom layer to help seal crumbs.

Spread compote: spoon 1/3 to 1/2 cup chilled raspberry compote onto the bottom layer and spread, leaving about 1/2 inch border to prevent overflow when stacking. If compote is very loose, pipe a buttercream dam (a ring of frosting) first to hold filling.

Stack and fill: place second cake layer on top. Apply a generous coat of buttercream (reserve about 1–1.25 cups for filling and crumb coat) to top and sides to fully cover the cake.

Crumb coat and chill: apply a thin crumb coat (about 1/2 cup buttercream) over entire cake to trap crumbs. Chill cake in refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to set crumb coat.

Final frost: apply remaining buttercream and smooth with an offset spatula or bench scraper. For the look in the photo, create a smooth finish and then use a piping bag fitted with a star or round tip to pipe a ring of rosettes or shells around the top edge.

Decorate with compote, almonds and raspberries: spoon a small well of reserved compote into the center of the top, or pipe a thin border and fill with compote for a glossy pool. Press sliced toasted almonds onto the lower side edge of the cake in an even band. Arrange 10–12 fresh raspberries on the top (or cluster in center) and brush them lightly with warmed apricot jam for shine if desired.

Chill before serving: refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes to set, then bring to room temperature 20–30 minutes before serving for best texture.