This simple raspberry almond crumb cake is soft, buttery, and layered with juicy raspberries, crunchy sliced almonds, and a sweet cinnamon crumb topping. Finished with a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar, it’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or any time you’re craving a simple yet special homemade cake. This is a popular one!
If you love cake for breakfast, a perfectly moist yet crumbly coffee cake is the answer. And today’s raspberry almond crumb cake absolutely belongs on your radar. Each bite is soft, juicy, crunchy, sweet, and buttery, with hints of cinnamon, almonds, and raspberries. All of these textures and flavors come together beautifully. It’s a delicious Mother’s Day recipe, and perfect for any morning that calls for something a little special.
But don’t limit this cake to the morning; it’s the perfect 1 layer cake for nearly any time of day.
One reader, Francie, commented: “This is one of the best cakes I’ve ever made. The base cake is gorgeous, light and fluffy, and excellent flavor from the extracts and sour cream. But the delicious topping is what really makes this cake special. Its crunchy texture, bursts of raspberry, and flavorful crumbs make the cake unique and special enough to serve to guests. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Laura, commented: “I’m eating a bonus piece right now, but I made it for dessert last night and it was delicious. Just the right amounts of sweetness, crunch, and tartness, and my goodness, what a treat cold the next morning! ★★★★★“
Like my New York-style crumb cake, there’s only 2 parts: cake and toppings. This is a must make recipe so let’s get started!
This Raspberry Almond Crumb Cake Is
- Soft, buttery, and moist
- Relatively easy to make
- Loaded with a cinnamon crumb topping
- Topped with raspberries and almonds
- A true anytime cake—serve for breakfast, with afternoon coffee or tea, or for dessert with whipped cream or ice cream
- Loved by bakers around the world
Here’s Why This Raspberry Almond Crumb Cake Recipe Works
This batter is similar to my go-to coffee cake base and this cranberry breakfast cake—reliable, sturdy, and easy to make with just 1 bowl for dry ingredients and 1 bowl for wet.
Creaming the butter and sugar is key here. This step incorporates air into the batter, giving the cake lift and a soft, tender crumb. Don’t rush this process; you’ll notice the mixture turn lighter and fluffier when it’s ready. If you’re a beginner baker, or if you need a refresher, here’s how to cream butter and sugar.
Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, the batter will be thick and pale. That’s exactly what you want. A thicker batter acts as a sturdy base, keeping the raspberries, crumb topping, and sliced almonds evenly layered instead of sinking.
Best Pan to Use
This cake rises pretty tall, so I recommend using a 9-inch springform pan. A 9×9-inch square pan works too, or a deep 9-inch round cake pan (2–3 inches deep). The springform pan is my top choice because the removable sides make slicing especially easy.
Crumb Cake Toppings
Before baking, we’ll top our crumb cake with fresh raspberries, sliced almonds, and a buttery crumb topping—each adds something special!
Raspberries: I love raspberries and crumb cake together. The berries require zero prep, which I know you’ll appreciate first thing in the morning. Just dot them right on top of the cake batter. No sugar added, no pre-cooking, no extra steps. They pair wonderfully with the toasted almonds.
- Not into raspberries? A strawberry and rhubarb combination would be fantastic. Or even blueberries! Peeled and chopped apples or peaches would be equally delicious.
Sliced Almonds: These add a welcome crunch to each bite. Try toasting them for even more flavor.
Crumb Topping: The crumb topping comes together with flour, brown sugar, a little cinnamon, and butter. We’ll use melted butter, so there’s no cutting the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter. It’s so easy!
After baking, finish with a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar. It’s optional, but adds a simple, bakery-style touch. And if you’re serving this for dessert, don’t forget some fresh whipped cream!
If cake for breakfast is your thing, you’ll love trying my crumb coffee cake or crumb cake muffins next. Or if you can’t get enough of raspberries, my raspberry sweet rolls are calling your name!
Raspberry Almond Crumb Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: serves 8
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This raspberry almond crumb cake is soft, buttery, and layered with juicy raspberries, crunchy sliced almonds, and a sweet cinnamon crumb topping. Finished with a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar, it’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or any time you’re craving a simple yet special homemade cake.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/3 cups (166g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
Topping
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 heaping cup (170g) fresh or frozen raspberries (do not thaw)
- 3/4 cup (65g) sliced almonds
- optional: confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and lightly flour a 9-inch springform pan.
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. The mixture may look curdled; that’s ok. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients until smooth. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick. Spread into prepared pan. Set aside.
- Make the crumb topping: With a fork, mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Stir in the melted butter until crumbs form.
- Dot raspberries all over the top of the cake batter. Sprinkle the crumbs and sliced almonds on top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top of the cake is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
- Remove the cake from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to slightly cool for a few minutes before slicing. I suggest serving with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar!
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Because of the fresh fruit, this cake is best within the first couple days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Freeze baked and cooled cake for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature and dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired, before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Springform Pan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack | Fine Mesh Sieve
- Sour Cream: Sour cream is a key ingredient in this cake. I don’t suggest subbing the sour cream with a liquid—plain full-fat yogurt would work though. But don’t remove the fat from this cake by using a lower fat yogurt or sour cream alternative. Fat = flavor! We don’t want to skimp there!
- Why Room Temperature? All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Here’s a post I wrote all about the importance of room temperature ingredients.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Perfection. I love almond flavor as in almond croissants. This cake has just the right amount of almond flavor and the combination with the raspberries is divine. Also, my cake looked exactly like the picture. Thank you Sally for your amazing recipes.
Hi Sally! I am going to attempt to 1.5x this recipe for a bit larger crowd – any thoughts on what to bake this in? Thank you so much!
Hi Jessica! Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes.
This is absolutely one of the best things I’ve ever made!! Scrumptious!! I know it said not to use nonfat Greek yogurt but I forgot to buy sour cream so subbed the yogurt and it was amazing! I’ll make it with the sour cream next time but can’t imagine it being better!! It was so pretty too and I served it in the morning with coffee but it would be great as a dessert.
I had a problem with the crumb topping, it kind of melted into the cake when cooked so the end result didn’t look like the picture? I followed the recipe exactly… any ideas?
Hi Amber, was the crumb topping mixed into a paste consistency, or was it pretty crumbly after mixing and sprinkling on the cake before baking? Make sure it’s extra crumbly, and careful not to overmix into a paste. For next time, you can add a little more flour which will help soak up some of the butter. (And prevent it from sinking down into the cake.)
This is my go to dessert recipe for parties and it’s always an absolute hit! Thank you!
However, today when I had softened the butter to make the cake I realized I don’t have almonds in my pantry. Have tried substituting it with hazelnut or pecan nuts? Thank you!
Hi Nisa, you can simply skip the nuts or try one of the other nuts you suggest. So glad this is a favorite for you!
Made this last night for a dinner party and it went down an absolute treat. In fact one of our guests had three portions of it and he said it was one of the best desserts he’s ever had! I shall certainly be making it again. Thank you so much for the recipe.
I am assuming that as I am using a FAN oven that the temp would be 157 C?
Hi Lindy, yes, if you use convection settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25 degrees F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake.
Thank you, I’ll let you know how it turns out! Looking forward to trying it.
I’m eating a bonus piece right now, but I made it for dessert last night and it was delicious. Just the right amounts of sweetness, crunch, and tartness, and my goodness, what a treat cold the next morning!
Absolutely delicious! Nice tang balanced nicely by the confectioner’s sugar. Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
what can I substitute for sour cream that is non dairy?
Hi Becky, we haven’t tested this recipe with any dairy substitutes, so we’re unsure of the results. You can expect slightly different results anytime you substitute ingredients, but let us know if you give anything a try!
I used unsweetend applesauce instead of sour cream. I also sustituted blueberries for the raspberries. It came out delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Can you put the raspberries in the batter and some on top?
Hi Michele, We haven’t tested it that way but we don’t see why not. You’ll want to very gently fold the berries into the batter as raspberries are pretty delicate. Enjoy!
Your recipes have always produced fantastic results! And this recipe sounds heavenly. Please may I ask; is there a way to make this GF and DF, without compromising it too much?
Hi Kathleen, we haven’t tested this recipe with any gluten free flours or dairy substitutes, so we’re unsure of the results. You can expect slightly different results anytime you substitute ingredients, but let us know if you give anything a try!
I love this recipe. Please tell me the calories per serve. Thanks
Hi Rose, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Great recipe – a keeper! Since I’m trying to cut down on butter I used half butter/half really good olive oil in the cake part – it worked! No olive oil taste and moist.
I just discovered this website and had to try this recipe. Fabulous presentation. Very easy to assemble. I intend to freeze and serve in a few days. Thrilled with this website.
Hi there could I use sautéed apples?
My dad loves anything with apples !
Thanks
Hi Brenda, definitely! Peeled and chopped apples would be delicious.
Can you add raspberries into the batter or a raspberry preserve swirled in?
Hi Nicole! The above method with raspberries dotted on top is our favorite for juicy raspberries – have you tried it? You could try either of those additions if you like. Let us know how it goes!
Can you substitute other fruits?
Hi Gina, We’ve had readers use all different kinds of fruits for this crumb cake recipe.
Hello I made it, I used cranberries instead, but the dough rose and the top was not like the one of yours, maybe I over mix it. Love your recipies.
Hi Moira! Did you make any other changes to the recipe? Did you use a 9 inch springform pan? We’re happy to help troubleshoot 🙂
HI! Is it possible to add some almond paste in this recipe? If so, where should it be added? Thanks so much!
Hi Diana, we don’t have much experience with almond paste, so we’re afraid we can’t be of much help here! It would take some recipe testing to ensure results. Let us know if you decide to do any experimenting!
This came out great. I used blackberries from my garden, so they were fresh. Come winter I will be using frozen berries. Thank you for sharing that the berries are not to be thawed.
Thanks again
Do you think this recipe can be made into muffins, or should I just make one of your muffin recipes?
Hi Ginny, You can bake the cake as cupcakes/muffins! I’m unsure of the exact bake time needed but same oven temperature and use a toothpick to check for doneness. Enjoy!
Delicious, moist and perfectly sweet. Increased the almond to 1 teaspoon and would love to double the crumble next time as that’s the best part! My cake was ready after 30 minutes. This was like a raspberry danish in cake form. Thank you Sally!
Another fantastic recipe!!!
My neighbor gave me a pint of raspberries from her garden and then invited me and some of the ladies from our neighborhood over for some wine the next evening. So I wanted to find a recipe that would use the raspberries and also had ingredients I had on hand. I will definitely be making this cake again this summer during raspberry season. The only thing I will do differently to push the first layer of raspberries into the batter and then add another layer to really get a nice thick top of raspberries.
Recipe in comments.
Hi Sally. I want to make this the night before a brunch I have planned the next day. Is it safe to bake Friday evening and leave overnight on the counter for Saturday? Thank you!
Yes, that should work fine! Make sure to cover once cooled. Hope it’s a hit!
This recipe sounds delicious! Can I substitute the all-purpose flour for almond flour? If so, would I need to increase the number of eggs used in the recipe?
Hi Gayle, We don’t recommend almond flour as it has very different baking properties and is not a 1:1 swap. We haven’t tested it, but you might have success experimenting with a gluten-free all-purpose flour like Bob’s Red Mill or Cup4Cup. If you give anything a try, we’d love to know how it goes for you!
hi! i have one urgent question, i am making half the recipe. Is it alright if i bake it in a 4.5×4.5 round pan?
Hi Ceci! Is the pan 4.5 inches tall? We don’t recommend baking such a thick layer of cake. Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes.
if you are debating to make this cake, well take it from me, MAKE IT!! Personally I like more of an almond taste so I added 1 teaspoon of almond extract instead of 3/4tsp. i made this the other night & the next morning everything was gone! Everyone in my family loved it! My Ukrainian grandmother requested me to make more, she even went out & bought me fresh raspberries haha!! Thank you for this recipe!
Really delicious, I had a bit of a hard time telling when it was done so I may have overcooked it a bit but it was still amazing. I also almost doubled the crumb layer because that’s my favorite part. It’s really pretty so would be nice to bring to an event.
I made this cake to have over the long weekend. But we had to have a small sample. It was excellent. I love the flavor and it was moist and creamy It was so easy to put together. I will be making this cake again.
I love this and am amazed at the similarity to a cake one of my aunts made for years, but her’s also had
almond past in the crust. She also used raspberry jam instead of fresh berries, but trust me, the flavor is the same.
This aunt NEVER shared recipes. When she was dying, I was her executor and finally was brave enough to ask her for the recipe. She, with a smile on her face, told me to get three cookbooks from her home office. I did and still smiling she said, the parts of the recipe are in these books. No hints. Just a smile. We actually got along better than this all sounds!!
Wow, I made this for my mom’s birthday and it was fab! I had never made a crumb cake before. I added a little extra topping and increased almond extract slightly for flavor. Great texture and light cake, it’s perfect served with ice cream. It was a hit for the whole party (10 people) and I 1.5x the recipe in a 9×13 pan. Thanks again Sally, we love your recipes!