This fluffy, gluten-free raspberry almond cake with earthy cardamom is way better than a coffee-shop version. Its caramelized almond topping with fruity coconut sugar is unparalleled!
Why You’ll Love This Raspberry and Almond Cake
If you love fruity baked treats and sweet breakfasts, this raspberry almond cake is the perfect middle spot.
- No processed sugar. There’s only smokey maple syrup and coconut sugar in the cake so that you don’t get a sugar-high from eating it.
- Tender. Coconut cream and coconut oil in the batter help keep this fruity cake ultra moist and tender.
- Freezer-friendly. Pop it out of the freezer whenever you need a last-minute breakfast.
- Gluten-free. Using a blend of almond, tapioca, and coconut flours means more people can enjoy this recipe.
- Great for summer. A tender vanilla cake topped with tart raspberries and crunchy almonds just screams “summer”.
What You’ll Need
The crunchy almond topping with caramelized coconut sugar will leave you wanting one more bite. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
For the Cake
- Almond flour – Sieve it if it has any large lumps. You can also break them up with your fingers.
- Tapioca flour – This is also called “tapioca starch”.
- Coconut flour – Feel free to use oat flour.
- Baking powder – Sieve it or press any lumps with your fingers.
- Baking soda – Always check the expiration date before adding it in.
- Salt – Kosher salt is best.
- Cardamom – You can also use ground cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Maple syrup – Raw honey and agave nectar are good swaps.
- Eggs – Liquid eggs work too, but not egg whites on their own.
- Coconut cream – It must be unsweetened.
- Coconut oil – Vegetable, corn, and canola oil are fine as well.
- Vanilla extract – There’s clear and brown-colored extract, either one is okay.
- Almond extract – You can swap it for more vanilla extract if you prefer.
For the Topping
- Raspberries – Go for blueberries or blackberries if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
- Almonds – Slivered almonds are best for this.
- Coconut sugar – Light brown or dark brown sugar work too.
Can I Use Frozen Berries?
Absolutely! Make sure they’re completely thawed and drained. If they’re not properly thawed, they’ll release lots of excess moisture that makes the cake dense and rubbery.
Tips for Success
Adding fresh lemon zest or white chocolate chips to this raspberry almond cake can really elevate the flavors.
- More add-ins. Mix 1/4-1/2 cup chewy cranberries, shredded coconut, or chopped walnuts into the batter for more flavor and texture.
- Make muffins. Add cupcake liners to a muffin tray. Fill each one with batter until 3/4s full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Add zest. Stir 1 tablespoon freshly-grated lemon or orange zest into the batter for some zesty flair.
- Make them chocolatey. Combine 1/4 cup white chocolate chips into the batter for a divine raspberry-white chocolate cake.
- Add protein. Whisk 1 scoop vanilla protein powder into the dry ingredients and 1/4 cup extra coconut cream into the wet mixture for a heartier bite.
- Cover it. If you notice the top and sides of the cake turning golden or dark brown before the cake is halfway through the baking time, cover the pan with foil to prevent burning.
Serving Suggestions
This tender raspberry almond cake is an easy sweet breakfast. Enjoy it with a cold glass of milk or a cup of tea. If you’re a coffee person, try my Iced Coffee or Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. For more caffeine-free options, go for my Golden Maca Latte or Maca Latte.
Proper Storage
Make sure the cake’s fully cooled before storing.
- Counter: Place it in an airtight container or paper bag for up to 2 days. This method isn’t recommended if you live in a high-humidity area.
- Fridge: Store it in an airtight container away from strong-smelling foods for up to 4 days. Let it come down to room temperature for 10 minutes before digging in.
- Freezer: Wrap it (whole or sliced) in plastic wrap twice. Transfer it to a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge or on the counter for 20 minutes.
More Raspberry Recipes To Try
- Lemon Raspberry Muffins
- Cranberry Raspberry Pinwheel Cookies
- Gluten Free Double Chocolate Raspberry Brownies
- Apple Raspberry Almond Cake
Raspberry Almond Cake
This cardamom-spiced raspberry almond cake recipe with maple syrup is an easy sweet breakfast that won't give you a sugar-high.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 1/4 cup almond flour
- 2/3 cup + 3 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon coconut flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups coconut cream
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
For the Topping:
- 6 ounces of fresh raspberries
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar for topping
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 350° F. Grease a 10-inch springform cake pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, eggs, coconut cream, coconut oil, vanilla and almond extract.
- Add the coconut cream mixture all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined and no lumps remain. Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Top batter with fresh raspberries {you may have some extra berries left over}, gently pressing into the batter. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and then sprinkle generously with coconut sugar.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cake to cool to room temperature before slicing to serve.
Video
Amazing cake! My gf son LOVES it, and so do the rest of us. THANK YOU for the recipe!
You are very welcome Melissa! Thanks for letting me know.
Anyway to use a different non-dairy milk besides coconut cream? Trying to lighten the fat/Calories?
Just picked fresh raspberries yesterday and looking forward to making this cake!
Thank you!
I am allergic to tapioca flour/starch. Is there another ingredient I can substitute for it? I so want to make this!
Roxann you can substitute arrowroot flour in equal measure of the taipoca.
Can’t wait to try this cake. Question, coconut cream, what is it where do you find it? I’ve used Thai coconut milk in the can, is that the same thing?
Hi Maria, They make coconut milk and coconut cream in a can. You can use the coconut milk in a can, just stick the can in the fridge to make the cream rise to the top, open and scrape out the cream.
How is this with blueberries? Also is the coconut cream the thick cream on top of the can of coconut milk? New to cooking paleo ?
HI Tina you can substitute blueberries, or try my GF Blueberry Chocolate Cake http://ahealthylifeforme.com/gluten-free-blueberry-chocolate-cake/
This cake is the business, and SO easy! Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you so much Naomi! xo
This is one of our favourite cake recipes! I make it quite regularly and last week my eight-year old made it – it always turns out really well. I’ve reduced the coconut cream a little bit sometimes (as it comes in a carton just under the measurements needed) and it’s still worked out beautifully. Beautiful! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Wow Jo, that is a huge compliment!! Thank you so so much for letting me know. You have made me smile and made my day.
This was so delicious that I made it 4 times in 2 weeks! Then, to use up some peaches from our tree, I made one with chopped peaches and cristallized ginger instead of the raspberry. Also delicious but not as good as your original. But then it was the fifth cake in two weeks so maybe I needed a break! Thank you, thank you. This is now my go-to GF pastry to take to potlucks.
AWESOME Sarah! This is definitely one of my family favorites. I actually just made a GF raspberry peach cake yesterday, recipe testing. I think you will see it on here soon. So jealous about your peach tree, I lost mine last year 🙁
I just made this cake this past weekend for a birthday and it was AMAZING! I even tricked everyone and only told them after the fact that it was gluten/refined sugar free, they didn’t have a clue! Despite the cake being delicious, I had a few issues. My raspberries all fell to the bottom of the cake, so I didn’t have the pretty topping that you did. Possibly this could be fixed by having the raspberries and dusting them in coconut or almond flour beforehand? My other issue is that it took 30 minutes longer to bake than the suggested 45 minutes. When I took it out at 45 minutes the center was still completely raw, so I put it back in, covered in foil, and lowered the temperature to 330 to prevent drying it out. It took about an hour and 20 minutes altogether, and I still think I could have left it in longer. But at that point I was worried about ruining the edges, so decided to call it. But I know every oven is different, so I will definitely be making this again!! Thank you for the delicious recipe!
This is beautiful, Amy! Such great photography, too. Will definitely be trying this one out!