Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake

 With raspberry season being in full swing at the moment I had a real hankering for a raspberry cake!  Oh, I do love raspberries any way I can get them, but they really shine in cakes!

 
Especially this one which had a delightful homemade raspberry sauce baked right into the middle of it.  Just look at that sweet tart lucious raspberry oooze  . . .

 
Oh boy but this is some good.   The batter is a sour cream coffee cake type of batter.  Not as in coffee flavoured batter, but as in a cake batter for a cake that you would want to enjoy with a nice hot drink either in the morning or for your break time . . . this batter is flavoured with almond and vanilla, not coffee.

 

Its equally as tasty for dessert however  . . .  with a scoop of ice cream on top or a dollop of softly whipped cream . . . the kids are sure to love LOVE this one and so will your dear hubby!

 
This cake just screams winner!  It is not officially raspberry season until I bake it at least once!!  mmmm . . .  moist almond flavoured cake with a beautiful sweet/tart seam of raspberry deliciousness running through the middle.

 
Another really good thing about this cake is that you can also bake it in the depths of winter with frozen berries . . .  ahhh . . .  a sweet taste of summer.  You just got to love that!

 

*Raspberry Amond Coffee Cake*

Serves 8 to 12

Printable Recipe
 

This is a moist and delicious cake with a tender crumb, a moreish raspberry filling and a brown sugar crumb topping.   

For the raspberry layer:

375g fresh or frozen raspberries (2 1/2 cups)

65g granulated sugar (1/3 cup)

60ml cold water (1/4 cup)

1 TBS fresh lemon juice

2 TBS cornflour 

For the cake:

120g butter, softened (1/2 cup)

190g granulated sugar (1 cup)

2 large free range eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp almond extract

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

140g plain flour (1 cup)

pinch salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

120g dairy sour cream (1/2 cup) 

For the topping:

60g butter (1/4 cup) cut into bits

90g plain flour (2/3 cup)

65g soft light brown sugar (1/3 cup packed) 

First make the raspberry layer.  Place all of the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring constantly, over medium heat.  Reduce to a simmer and cook over low heat fir abiyt 5  minutes, giving it a stir every now and then.  Set aside to cool a bit while you make the cake batter. 

To make the topping, mix together the brown sugar and the flour.  Drop in the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until it  clumps together. 

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter an 8 inch square cake tin really well.  Set aside. 

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, almond extract and vanilla.  Sift together the flour, soda, salt and baking powder.  Stir this into the creamed mixture along with the sour cream and combine to give you a smooth batter.

Spread half of the cake batter into the prepared pan.  Smooth it out.  Spoon the raspberry filling over top, smoothing it over evenly.  Dollop the remaining cake batter over the raspberry filling and smooth it out as best as you can.   Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over top. 

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares to serve.

I did dust some icing sugar on top to serve  . . . just to dress it up a bit.  Every gal shines a bit more in her frills don't they!  Bon Appetit!