Almond Raspberry Cake with Raspberry Chocolate Cassis Glaze (GF)

This Almond Raspberry Cake with Chocolate-Cassis Glaze is a beautiful dessert, perfect for the holidays or any time of the year. I love the flexibility of changing out the filling and topping to whatever you have on hand on a given day. I love the combination of chocolate and cassis and it blends beautifully with the delicate almond cake, lightly scented with lemon and filled with raspberry jam.

This cake is light and a lovely way to end a meal. It is especially welcome after a large, heavy dinner, like those served during the holidays. The brightness of the raspberry jam complements the soft almond cake and the chocolate-raspberry-cassis glaze. Keep this recipe handy because it is a real winner!

Years ago, I made a variation of this cake for a dinner party. I brought the leftovers to work the next day and shared them with my co-workers. One gal came up to me and begged me for the recipe. She explained that it reminded her of cakes her mother used to make when she was a child, and she wanted to recreate those memories. The power of food memories never ceases to amaze and thrill me! 

With Christmas coming up, I am feeling nostalgic, missing the family dinners of my childhood. Our parents are both gone and each of us children has grown up and gone on to create new traditions with our spouses, families, and circles of friends. But during the holidays my mind wanders back to the innocent days when we were all together and Santa was a magic elf who visited us during the night with bags of toys.

We lived most of my childhood in the small town of Orinda, California, a suburb of San Francisco. It was an idyllic community in many ways. It was the kind of community where we could walk anywhere by ourselves safely. We had school plays and music recitals, Christmas pageants, and Halloween parades. Everyone went to the same town doctor and we all grew up together, going to the same schools from kindergarten through high school.

I am the youngest of four children, with three older brothers. And while some of my friends lost the innocent belief in Santa at a very young age, my brothers and parents perpetuated the myth for me with incredible diligence. I was given the opportunity to believe until I chose not to anymore – a blessing that I didn’t recognize at the time but am now very grateful for.

My grandmother Mimi would spend weeks making huge boxes of candies that she would ship to us. To this day, homemade caramels are my absolute favorite treat. My parents would stash the box of candy high on a bureau, well above our reach. They would dole out the caramels judiciously so each of us got a fair share. I would have eaten the whole box if I could have reached it!

Our holidays were filled with home baked, the smells of warm and comforting meals wafting through the house, a huge Christmas tree adding the smell of pine needles to the room. It was laden with ornaments and sparkling with lights. There were decorations in every room making our home look like a wonderland to a child.

Today’s Almond Raspberry Cake with Raspberry Chocolate Cassis Glaze is one that I have made for many years, with different variations in flavors of the filling and topping. It is a lovely treat that yoru family and guests will adore and don’t be surprised if they ask for the recipe!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a star rating, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day. I love hearing from you!

Ingredients needed for Almond Raspberry Cake with Raspberry Chocolate Cassis Glaze:

• Cake: almond meal, dry bread crumbs, cornstarch, salt, xanthan gum,
• Eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, cream of tartar
• Raspberry Filling: seedless raspberry jam, cassis (optional)
• Toppings/Garnishes: sliced almonds, freshly whipped cream or
• Ice cream, mint sprigs, fresh raspberries

How to Separate Eggs:

The recipe calls for separated eggs and that simply means that you put the whites in one bowl and the yolks in a second bowl. Cold eggs separate more easily than warm ones. The easiest way to separate eggs is with your hands. Be sure your hands are clean and then break a cold egg and pour it into one cupped hand being held over a bowl. Let the whites flow through your fingers but keep the yolk in your hand. When all the whites are in the bowl, gently place the yolk in a second bowl. Continue until you’ve got all the eggs separated.

PRO Tip:

For this kind of cake it is extremely important that you use as strong a mixer as possible to get the maximum lift and whipping capacity. If you have to use a hand mixer, be prepared to beat the eggs for about twice the noted time. If you do not whip them enough, the cake will fall and be heavy. I also add a pinch of cream of tartar and some xanthan gum to help stabilize the egg whites and give the nut flour a little more strength.

How to make Almond Raspberry Cake with Raspberry Chocolate Cassis Glaze:

1. Bake the Cake: mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Separate the cold eggs into two bowls and set aside. With your mixer, beat the yolks then gradually add in the sugar and beat 5 minutes to pale yellow. Mix in the lemon zest and juice then slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixture, beating until smooth.
2. In a second very clean bowl, whip the egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Add a pinch each of salt and cream of tartar; increase speed to high and beat to stiff peaks (when you lift the whisk the whites will lift into a peak where the tip gently folds over but does not collapse).
3. Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the cake batter until fully incorporated. Gently fold in another 1/3 trying not to deflate the egg whites more than necessary. When only a few white streaks remain, fold in the remaining egg whites until completely incorporated with just a few thin white streaks remaining.
4. Spoon the batter into two buttered and parchment-lined 8-inch (20 cm) baking pans and smooth the surface. Bake 25 minutes at 325°F (163°C) or until cake springs back when gently touched in the center and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set the pans on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the cakes onto the cooling rack, remove the parchment, flip the layers back upright and cool completely.
5. Make Raspberry Filling: Place the jam in a small saucepan and warm over low heat until melted. Whisk in the cassis until smooth. Remove from the heat and scrape into a bowl; set aside.
6. Make the Glaze: Place the jam, chocolate chips, and cassis in the same saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the jam and chocolate have melted. Remove from the heat and whisk until completely smooth and set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
7. Assemble the Cake: When cool, place on layer top side down on a cake plate. Spread with the raspberry filling using an offset spatula to the edges of the cake layer. Top with the second layer, top side up. Pour glaze onto the center of the top layer. Use an offset spatula to spread within 1/4-inch (6 mm) of the edge. Sprinkle the top with sliced almonds. Let the cake stand about 20 minutes before slicing.

PRO Tip:

When whipping egg whites, you can’t have ANY fat in the bowl, especially not even a speck of the yolk. They will not whip correctly and you won’t get the results you want if there is any fat in the bowl!

Using Eggs as the Primary Leavener in Cakes

When you see a cake recipe that has a lot of eggs, often separated, and little or no baking powder or baking soda, the eggs will carry the burden of the majority of the leavening. That means that the only thing that will make your cake light and fluffy is the amount of air that you beat into the eggs. Thus the recommendation to use a large stand mixer for this cake.

PRO Tip:

This is a delightful, tender and light cake with a hint of lemon. You can change the flavor of the filling, use a buttercream or pastry cream instead, or serve this as two single layer cakes. When you are serving a big heavy dinner where no one has a lot of room but everyone wants some dessert, this Almond Raspberry Cake is the way to go!

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Kitchen scale
• Mixing bowls
• Citrus reamer and zester/grater
• 8-inch round cake pans
• Parchment paper
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Small saucepan
• Off-set spatulas

Gluten-Free Tips:

*You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with the back of a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.

Use gluten-free breadcrumbs. Either make your own from gluten-free bread or a prepared product such as the gluten-free breadcrumbs from Schar’s. You can use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Almond Meal or grind your own almonds in a food processor with a tablespoon of sugar.

** The major gluten-free organizations have declared that distilled alcohols are gluten free. But some distillers may use caramel coloring or flavorings which sometimes contain gluten. For some very sensitive people this may cause issues. Wine and liqueurs are also considered safe. For some very sensitive people wine may cause issues. In a few rare cases, wine makers may use barrels that have minute amounts of gluten in the caulk. If you have issues with wine, look for a winery that uses only stainless steel containers to age their wines.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

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Yield: about 8 servings

Almond Raspberry Cake with Raspberry Chocolate Cassis Glaze (GF)

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This Almond Raspberry Cake with Raspberry Chocolate Cassis Glaze is a beautiful dessert, perfect for the holidays or any time of the year. I love the combination of chocolate and cassis and it blends beautifully with the delicate almond cake, lightly scented with lemon and filled with raspberry jam.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

Almond Cake

• 1 cup (96g) almond meal
• 1/4 cup (28g) fine dry plain bread crumbs (gluten-free if needed)
• 3 tbsp (21g) cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 6 cold eggs, separated (300g)
• 1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
• 3 tbsp (42g) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Pinch kosher salt
• Pinch cream of tartar

Raspberry Filling

• 1/4 cup (85g) seedless raspberry jam **See Note
• 1 tbsp cassis***, optional

Raspberry-Chocolate-Cassis Glaze

• 1/4 cup (85g) seedless raspberry jam **See Note
• 2 tbsp semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp cassis***, port, or red wine, use water for alcohol-free

Toppings/Garnishes (optional)

• Sliced almonds
• Freshly whipped cream or ice cream (leave off for dairy-free)
• Mint sprigs
• Fresh Raspberries

Instructions

1. Butter two round 8-inch (20 cm) layer pans. Line bottoms with parchment and butter the parchment. Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F (163°C).
2. Prepare the Cake Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond meal, breadcrumbs, cornstarch, salt, and xanthan gum. The xanthan gum will help the ingredients stick together and be a little less delicate. Set aside.
3. Separate the cold eggs into two bowls (yolks in one, whites in the other). Set aside.
4. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until well blended. With the mixer on low, gradually pour in the sugar and beat for 5 minutes. The color will lighten considerably to a pale yellow. (If you are using a hand mixer, this may take up to 10 minutes.) Add lemon zest and juice and beat in. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Remove bowl from the mixer and set aside.
5. In another mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add a pinch each of salt and cream of tartar, increase the speed to high and beat to stiff peaks. (Lift the whisk and the whites will lift into a peak where the tip gently folds over but does not collapse.)
6. Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the cake batter, stirring until the whites are completely incorporated. Gently fold another 1/3 of the whites into the batter, trying not to deflate egg whites any more than necessary. When there are only a few white streaks left, add the last 1/3 of whites and continue to fold them in until completely incorporated. A few white streaks are OK, but you want the egg whites evenly distributed. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface.
7. Bake 25 minutes or until the cake springs back when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let sit in the pans for about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the cake pans onto a cooling rack and place the cake layers on the rack. Remove the parchment, flip the layers back upright and cool completely. If the layers stick to the cooling rack, use a long spatula to loosen it before transferring to a cake plate.
8. Make the Raspberry Filling: Place the jam in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until melted. Add cassis and whisk until blended and smooth. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl.
9. Raspberry Chocolate Cassis Glaze: Place the raspberry jam, chocolate chips, and cassis in a small saucepan. (You can use the same pan you made the filling in.) Over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, heat until the jam and chocolate are melted. Remove from the heat, whisk until completely smooth and set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
10. Assemble the Cake: When the cake has cooled, place one layer top-side down on a cake plate. Spread that layer with the raspberry filling, using an offset spatula to spread it evenly all the way to the edges. Top with a second cake layer. For a simple elegant dessert, you can stop here and serve with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.
11. Pour the glaze onto the center of the top layer. Use an offset spatula to push it toward the edges, leaving about 1/4-inch (6 mm) border at the edge. Sprinkle the top with sliced almonds. Let the cake stand for about 20 minutes before slicing. This will give it time to firm up before slicing and serving.
12. This cake is best served on the day it is baked. Store leftovers, covered tightly, in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com

Notes

* You can adjust any recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup without a spout until mounded, level off the top with the back of a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela's, Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.

** If you are using a “fruit spread” which is looser than a
jam, you do not need to heat it. Just stir the cassis in and use as is.

*** The major gluten-free organizations have declared that distilled alcohols are gluten free. But some distillers may use caramel coloring or flavorings which sometimes contain gluten. For some very sensitive people this may cause issues. Wines and liqueurs are also considered safe. For some very sensitive people wine may cause issues. In a few rare cases, wine makers may use barrels that have minute amounts of gluten in the caulk. If you have issues with wine, look for a winery that uses only stainless steel containers to age their wines.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 221Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 147mgSodium: 274mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 8g

The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate.

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