Raspberry almond cake is made with light, fluffy, and moist white almond cake layers filled with a homemade raspberry filling and frosted with Shortcut Swiss Meringue Buttercream, this cake recipe is easy to make and very elegant.
Ingredients for White Almond Cake
- Unsalted butter: Room temperature unsalted butter is best for easy creaming.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake while maintaining the pale white appearance and fluffy texture.
- Egg whites: Egg whites provide structure for the cake. Be sure they are at room temperature.
- Sour cream – Sour cream adds moisture to the cake while maintaining the white appearance.
- Vegetable oil – Vegetable oil is added to the batter to provide a bit extra moisture to the cake.
- Vanilla & almond extract – Vanilla and almond extracts provide great flavor. You can use a clear vanilla extract or regular pure vanilla extract.
- Cake flour – Cake flour keeps the white cake light and fluffy. It has less protein than regular flour and is a bit lighter in color and weight.
- Baking powder – Baking powder serves as the leavening agent to help the cake rise.
- Salt: Salt is a flavor enhancer and helps bring out the vanilla and almond flavor of the cake.
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk adds more moist to the cake and also contributes to a subtle tang flavor in the cake layers.
Ingredients for Buttercream & Raspberry Filling
Shortcut Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Pasteurized egg whites: For this buttercream, you will want to use pasteurized egg whites that are in the carton in the dairy aisle at the grocery store. The pasteurization ensures that the egg whites are safe for consumption because we are not cooking them.
- Powdered sugar: Unlike traditional Swiss Meringue Buttercream, powdered sugar is used to sweeten the buttercream. Also known as confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar.
- Salt: A bit of salt brings out the flavor of the buttercream.
- Almond & vanilla extract: The combination of almond and vanilla extract creates a balanced flavor.
- Unsalted butter: You will want to use room temperature unsalted butter. You can use salted butter by omitting the additional salt in the recipe.
Raspberry Filling
- Raspberries: I recommend using frozen raspberries because it is easier and cheaper, but you can certainly use fresh if you would like.
- Granulated sugar: A bit of sugar adds some sweetness to the tart raspberries.
- Lemon juice: Lemon juice brightens the flavor of the raspberry filing. Use fresh or store bought.
- Cornstarch: Mix cornstarch with a bit of water to create a slurry that thickens the filling.
Tools & Supplies for Making Raspberry Almond Cake
How to Make White Almond Cake
To make my cake batter, I recommend using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for the best results. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use an electric hand mixer.
- Preheat oven to 335 degrees F and prepare baking pans with nonstick cooking spray and parchment circles.
- Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Continue to mix and add egg whites, sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- In a separate bowl, add the cake flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine.
- On the lowest speed, add the dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk: 1/3 dry ingredients, 1/2 buttermilk, 1/3 dry ingredients, 1/2 buttermilk, and 1/3 dry ingredients.
- Once all the ingredients are added and combined, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for an additional 30 seconds.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Use a kitchen scale to create even layers.
- Bake the cake for approximately 30 minutes. This time may vary depending on the size pans you select. You will want to bake the cake layers until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or the cakes bounces back when gently touched.
- Cool the layers in the pans for about 30 minutes and then remove to a wire cooling rack. After the cake layers are cool, level with a serrated knife.
How to Make Buttercream & Raspberry Filling
Shortcut Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the egg whites and powdered sugar.
- Mix on low speed until combined. Scrape the sides if needed.
- Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and whip for a few minutes until light and opaque in color.
- Add in vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt and mix to combine.
- Add in the butter one tablespoon at a time, mixing in between each addition for a few seconds. The mixture may appear to separate or curdle – this is normal.
- Whip the buttercream for 5 minutes until it is light and fluffy.
Raspberry Filling
- In a saucepan, combine raspberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice over medium-low heat.
- Cook until the raspberries have broken down and are bubbling.
- In a small separate bowl, mix together cornstarch and water.
- Add the cornstarch slurry to the raspberry mixture and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.
- Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before transferring to a bowl and chilling for at least one hour before use.
Raspberry Almond Cake Recipe Tips
Make perfect cake layers
Check out my baking tips blog post on 10 Tips to Bake Perfect Cakes for great tips and tricks to use to make the best cakes. For this cake, I used 3 7-inch pans.
Assembling the cake
I encourage you to be creative! For this cake, I cut each layer in half to create six layers of cake. I alternated layers with buttercream and then a combination of buttercream and raspberry filling. You can use as much or as little of the buttercream and raspberry filling that you want!
Buttermilk substitute
If you are fresh out of buttermilk, never fear! To make a buttermilk substitute, simply measure 2 teaspoons of white vinegar in a glass liquid measuring cup. Then add 2% or whole milk to the one cup line. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes. The milk will start to curdle – this is normal and perfectly fine. Use in place of buttermilk!
Use a different buttercream frosting
If the Shortcut Swiss Meringue Buttercream doesn’t seem to be your jam, I recommend trying out my American Buttercream recipe instead! To tailor it to this cake, use 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract and 1/2 tablespoon almond extract.
Decorating the cake
Add fresh raspberries and slivered almonds to the cake to make it extra fancy. This also clues people into what they will be enjoying!
Storing and serving
Once the cake is fully assembled, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. I recommend storing in a container or box. Once you have cut the cake, wrap the exposed cake with plastic wrap to prevent the cake from drying out. Slices of the cake can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or frozen. The cake is best served at room temperature. Remove the cake from the refrigerator at least one hour prior to serving.
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Raspberry Almond Cake
Yield: 14 servings
Raspberry almond cake is made with white almond cake layers that are light, fluffy, and moist. Filled with a homemade raspberry filling and frosted with Shortcut Swiss Meringue Buttercream, this cake recipe is easy to make and very elegant.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with a paddle and whisk attachment or electric hand mixer
- 3 – 7" round cake pans
Ingredients
White Almond Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 5 egg whites room temperature
- ¾ cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 3 cups cake flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
Shortcut Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 6 oz liquid egg whites pasteurized
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
Raspberry Filling
- 6 oz raspberries frozen or fresh
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
Additional Ingredients
- fresh raspberries if desired
- slivered almonds if desired
Instructions
White Almond Cake
- Preheat oven to 335° F. Prepare three 7-inch round cake pans using cooking spray and parchment circles.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in room temperature unsalted butter and granulated sugar. Cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 2 minutes using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
- On medium-low speed, slowly add in the egg whites, sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl after the ingredients are added and continue to mix until the ingredients are fully combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, add the cake flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine.
- On the lowest speed, slowly add ⅓ of the flour mixture followed by ½ of the buttermilk.
- Add in ⅓ of the flour mixture and the remaining buttermilk. Add in the final ⅓ of the flour mixture.
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Mix the batter on medium low speed for 30 seconds until the batter is smooth. Do not overmix the batter.
- Divide batter evenly between the cake pans. Use a kitchen scale to ensure that the batter is equally divided.
- Bake cakes for approximately 30 minutes in the oven until the cakes spring back when gently touched or toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove cakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife or small offset spatula between the cake and edge of the pan to loosen from the edges. Invert the cakes to remove from the pan and cool completely.
- I recommend leveling the cakes and cutting off the caramelization using a serrated knife.
Shortcut Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine pasteurized liquid egg whites and powdered sugar.
- Mix on low speed until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well combined.
- Turn the speed to medium-high and whip the egg white mixture until thick and opaque, approximately 3 minutes.
- Add in salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix until combined.
- Turn the mixer to low speed. One tablespoon at a time, add the room temperature unsalted butter. Allow the butter to mix for a few seconds in between each addition of butter.
- Once the butter is added, turn the mixer to medium-high speed and whip the buttercream for 10-15 minutes. The buttercream may appear to curdle or separate – this is normal – just continue to whip the frosting until it is smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally while whipping.
- Once the buttercream is smooth and silky it is ready to use. *Optional – You can switch to the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed for 5 minutes to remove air bubbles and make the buttercream very smooth.
Raspberry Filling
- In a medium saucepan, combine raspberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice over medium-low heat. Stir to combine.
- Cook for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally until the raspberries are broken down and bubbling.
- In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Add the cornstarch slurry to the raspberry mixture and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.
- Allow the raspberry filling to cool to room temperature before transferring to a storage container.
- Chill for at least one hour before use.
Assembling the Raspberry Almond Cake
- Place one cake layer on a cake board or plate. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on the top of the cake layer and spread evenly.
- Spread raspberry filling on top of the buttercream. Add the next cake layer. Continue to repeat this process until the layers are stacked.
- Spread a very thin layer of frosting all over the cake (crumb coat). Chill your cake for 30 minutes until the buttercream is firm to the touch.
- Frost the cake using the buttercream. For smooth results, use an offset spatula with a bench scraper.
- Decorate the cake with additional raspberries and slivered almonds if desired.
Notes
Raspberry almond cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Be sure to cover any exposed cake with plastic wrap to prevent the cake from drying out.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
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Comments & Reviews
Is it ok if I just used regular egg whites that are not pasteurized for the buttercream? Will the results be the same aside from the risk of it not being pasteurized? I use raw eggs all the time to make tiramisu and cookie dough that we eat without baking and have never had any problems. Any thoughts?
Hi Mai! I haven’t tested out the shortcut Swiss meringue buttercream with regular egg whites so I can’t say for sure if the results would be the same. If you want to give it a try, please let me know the results!
I made this cake a few days ago, took it to a potluck and the crowd absolutely raved over it ! I didnt split the layers to add additional frosting but definitely will next time. I only added raspberry jam filling this time. I made 3-10” round layers. Yes! It was absolutely HUGE can’t wait for another opportunity to make it again.
Hi Joanie! Thanks for trying out the recipe! I’m so happy to hear it was a hit and I’m glad to know you plan on making it again!
How deep are the (3) 7 inch pans you use in this recipe?
Hi Susie! The pans that I bake with are 2 inches deep.
Love this cake! Amazing taste, presentation and fairly easy to make! I did have a question, I am making this for a wedding cake and wondered if I double the recipe (which I hope won’t change the cake in anyway) can I use 3 x 9inch pans to make it a larger cake?
Thanks!
Hi Shanna! So glad you are loving this recipe! You certainly can do that! Just keep your eyes on the cake because the baking time might be a bit different. I love testing the cakes by gently touching the top – if the cake bounces back, it is good to go!
I don’t know what I am doing wrong. I made this cake twice and the frosting is always runny. I feel like I’ve followed the directions exactly. The flavor is delicious. The consistency makes it hard to frost.
Hi there, Josephine! Sorry to hear that the frosting has been giving you some trouble. It definitely is not supposed to be runny. If all the measurements are correct, what comes to mind is that you might have to whip it for longer. I am going to change the verbiage in the recipe to reflect this!
A very delicious cake. I made almond mascarpone frosting. Got rave reviews. Next time I will double raspberry filling and make six layers . 😊
Almond mascarpone frosting sounds like an amazing addition to this recipe!
Hi Can i opt sour cream for anything else? Yogurt perhaps? Im from Malaysia and its difficult to get sour cream here.Thanks!
Hi there! You absolutely can substitute the sour cream with yogurt.
How long do I bake for 8 inch rounds?
I would start checking the cakes around 25 minutes. My favorite way to test if cakes are done baking is to gently touch the tops. If the top bounces back, they are ready!
I made this cake tonight as a practice run for my daughter’s wedding. It got rave reviews from everyone! By far the best wedding cake we ever tasted! It took me 2 hours from start to finish. I also put the cornstarch in at the beginning for the raspberry filling because I didn’t read the directions close enough. It turned out fine though. Also I whipped the egg whites over the hot water and I think this didn’t give the sugar enough time to dissolve, again because I didn’t read the directions close enough. It ended up with some granules I that I couldn’t get rid of.
Hi Teresa! This cake is perfect for a wedding cake! I love that you did a practice run! Always a great opportunity to learn a lot! Hope everything works out perfectly for the wedding! Cheers!
I’m planning to make this cake as cupcakes. How many do you think the recipe would make? Would you bake at the same temperature, and how long?
Hi Amy! I actually do not recommend using this recipe to make as cupcakes. My cake and cupcake recipes are formulated a bit differently. I would recommend checking out my recipe for white almond cupcakes, which would be very similar in taste! You could use the raspberry filling and buttercream frosting from the cake recipe! https://cakemehometonight.com/white-almond-cupcakes/
I made this cake and my family loved it! I’m going to make it again for my niece’s wedding in May. My question is about the Swiss meringue. Will it hold up in heat and humidity? The reception is outdoors in Georgia. While it shouldn’t be terribly hot, you never know with Georgia weather what the temperature will be!
So glad you loved the recipe! Anything with butter has the potential to melt, unfortunately. Generally, if you keep it out of the direct sunlight and heat and have appropriate supports (if it is a tier cake), it should be good to go! Try to keep it chilled for as long as you can! I have used the Swiss meringue buttercream to frost many wedding cakes in the past without issue.
Loved it and it looked impressive when it was cut into. My husband said it was the best cake he ever tasted and my granddaughter wants it for her birthday. I’ll definitely make this cake again. I used frozen raspberries and accidently put the corn starch and water in the pan at the same time as everything else but it turn out fine. The icing was so delicious and not sweet. This recipe is a keeper.
I’m so glad this has become a family favorite, Bernadette! It’s one of my favorites too! Thank you so much for trying the recipe and leaving a positive review!
The best cake I have ever made. I love the almond flavor.
Mary, I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for trying it out!
I just made this cake and I used 3 x 8inch cake tins instead of 3 x 7inch cake tins. Can it be saved?
The cake smells amazing and looks great, just a little flatter then what I would like.
Hi there Adriana! The cake will taste great! It will just be a little shorter than the one pictured!
I am making this a second time because everyone loved it the first time around. Can you make the frosting ahead of time, refrigerate, and ice the cake the next day once you bring the icing to room temp?
Yes! Bring the frosting to room temperature and you will need to rewhip it to get the perfect consistency. 99% of the time, I make my frosting ahead of time!
Hi! I am making this as a wedding cake for my friend. I am making a 2 tiered cake. A 8in and a 6in. Cake I bake them as the same temperature as in the recipe or does it need to be changed? Thank you!
Hi there! They can be baked at the same time, same temperature, but the 6 inch cakes will bake a bit faster than the 8 inch cakes! Keep your eye on the oven. For the 6 inch cake, I would start checking around 25 minutes. This makes a perfect wedding cake!
This raspberry almond cake is absolutely delicious! Easy to follow recipe. It’s a little more time consuming but the end result is the reward👍👍
So thrilled to hear you enjoyed the recipe! You are right! There are a lot of steps involved in this one, but so worth it!
Don’t the raspberries need to be strained to remove the seeds?
You certainly can if you would prefer! In my house, we don’t care about the seeds, but if your preference is to have seedless, you certainly can strain them out! 🙂
This cake is delicious, the cake was perfect and the icing was delicious. The raspberry between the layers is exactly what this cake needs to play with the sweetness of the icing.
I will definitely make this again.
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!! Thank you so much for trying it out! 🙂
Can you use regular AP flour? Don’t know where to get this cake flout??
You can, but it will make the cake layers a bit more dense. Cake flour can often be found in the grocery store near the all-purpose flour, or I have purchased it on Amazon before 🙂
For those looking for cake flower and are coming up short; it comes in a box, not a bag as traditional AP flower does.
Yes! Thank you for the tip!
Just an idea hun but it might be helpful to put a note that cake flour is also called SR flour. Just might help some that don’t know . Ppl from Europe UK etc . Xx
Hi there! Thank you for the suggestion! I do have a question…does SR refer to self-rising flour? Because cake flour is different than self-rising flour and I want to be sure that I am instructing people appropriately! For this recipe, cake flour is the way to go because it has less protein than self-rising flour.
Wanted to love this cake but it looked better than it tasted. The cake came out dense. Given all the acid from the sour cream and buttermilk, it needs a bit of baking soda to lighten the crumb. The frosting was also a bit too sweet for me.
I’m sorry to hear this was not the recipe for you. The reason I do not add baking soda is that the cake bakes with a yellow color as opposed to the stark white layers. Swiss meringue buttercream is typically a less sweet than American buttercream. You can decrease the powdered sugar to 5 cups. Thank you kindly for your feedback 🙂
Hi! You cake looks beautiful. I was wondering, did you use 3 7-inch rounds to make the cake in your photos? Would it be ok to use 3 8-inch rounds? I’d like to make a 3 layer cake. Thank you!
Hi there! Thank you! I did use 3 7-inch pans – you can absolutely use 3 8-inch, the layers will just be slightly shorter and will likely bake a bit faster.