Raspberry Coffee Cake Recipe

Prepare oven and pan

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) round springform pan or an 8x8-inch square pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl whisk together 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, 0.75 cups granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking powder and 0.5 tsp salt until evenly combined.

In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl cream 8 tbsp softened unsalted butter with the dry mixture briefly to incorporate (use paddle attachment or a hand mixer). Add 2 whole eggs, 1 cup milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract and beat just until smooth and combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be slightly thick; if too stiff, add up to 2 tbsp more milk.

If using frozen raspberries, thaw and drain excess liquid. Place 2 cups raspberries, 0.25 cups granulated sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the raspberries break down and release juices, about 6–8 minutes. Stir together 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tsp cold water to make a slurry, then stir it into the raspberries and continue cooking 1 minute until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool to warm (not hot). If you prefer a smooth swirl, strain seeds through a fine mesh sieve; for a textured swirl, leave as-is.

In a small bowl combine 0.5 cups flour, 0.33 cups packed light brown sugar, 0.25 cups old-fashioned oats, 0.5 tsp cinnamon and 0.125 tsp salt.

Cut in 3 tbsp cold cubed unsalted butter using a fork, pastry cutter or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Spread about two-thirds of the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.

Drop spoonfuls of the cooled raspberry mixture over the batter, then use a thin knife or skewer to gently swirl the raspberries into the batter creating a marbled effect. Dollop the remaining batter over the swirled top and smooth gently so the raspberry streaks remain visible.

Evenly sprinkle the streusel over the top of the assembled cake.

Bake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 35–45 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted near the center (avoiding dense raspberry pockets) comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. If using a dark pan, check at 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, remove the springform ring or invert the cake onto a rack (if using square pan, lift using parchment). Let cool to warm (about 30–40 minutes) before adding honey butter so it melts lightly into the surface.

While the cake cools slightly, prepare the honey butter. In a small bowl beat 6 tbsp room-temperature unsalted butter until smooth and fluffy, about 1–2 minutes.

Beat in 3 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp powdered sugar, 0.5 tsp vanilla extract, 0.5 tsp finely grated lemon zest and a pinch of salt until fully combined and creamy. Taste and adjust honey or salt to preference.

When the cake is warm (not hot), spread or dollop the petal honey butter over the top so it melts slightly and creates glossy pockets. Optionally, use a small offset spatula to create petal-like swoops in the butter for decoration.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Leftover honey butter can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week; bring to room temperature and re-whip before using.