Pink Raspberry Almond Cake

Pink Raspberry Almond Cake

My mom was allergic to strawberries so my dad would make her raspberry desserts instead. He frequently made her a white cake topped with raspberries, which she loved. They were one of the cutest couples ever and they adored each other. My parents are no longer with us, but baking this delicious cake brings back happy memories for me. This soft, velvety almond cake is topped with naturally pink raspberry icing. The soft pink color makes it so lovely and perfect for Mother’s Day or any spring celebration. It looks delightful topped with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds, which is an effortless way to add a touch of spring or summer.

 

Pink Raspberry Almond Cake

by Mari Vasseur
Soft, velvety, single layer almond cake topped with naturally pink raspberry icing
Course Dessert
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

Almond Cake

  • 1 cup (113g) cake flour, sifted
  • â…“ cup (37g) almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (43ml) avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 large egg white, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
  • ¼ cup (57g) sour cream, room temperature
  • ½ cup (118ml) whole milk, room temperature

Raspberry Icing

  • 8 large raspberries
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 small dash fine sea salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • Fresh raspberries for garnish optional
  • Sliced almonds for garnish optional

Instructions
 

Almond Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with a parchment paper round.* Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cake flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the oil until incorporated. Beat in the egg and the egg white in two separate additions, beating until smooth and creamy. Beat in the extracts.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream and milk together until well blended. On low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter in two additions, followed by half of the milk mixture after each addition. Beat just until combined.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes, making sure not to over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out and transfer it to a cooing rack to cool completely.

Raspberry Icing

  • In a small bowl, smash the raspberries with a fork. Press the smashed raspberries through a sieve to remove the seeds.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the raspberries with the powdered sugar, melted butter, salt and 1 tablespoon (15ml) of milk until well blended. Add additional milk as needed to reach an easily spreadable consistency, but not watery. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing over the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Top with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds if desired.

Notes

*To find 8-inch parchment paper rounds, click here.
Keyword almond, cake, raspberry

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

Banana bread is typically everyone’s go-to when we have overripe bananas on our countertops. There’s something so wholesome and comforting about a slice of homemade banana bread. This Banana Cake recipe gives you all of those heart-warming flavors, but it’s a little more rich and satisfying. The cake is moist, soft and fluffy. The silky Cream Cheese Frosting pairs beautifully with the spices in the cake. A swirl of salted caramel adds the perfect, decadently delicious finishing touch.

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

by Mari Vasseur
Moist, flavorful banana sheet cake topped with silky cream cheese icing and salted caramel sauce
Course Dessert
Servings 9 servings

Ingredients
  

Banana Cake

  • 1 ¼ cups (142g) cake flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly ground
  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
  • â…“ cup (70ml) avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanila extract
  • 1 cup (227g) mashed very ripe bananas about 3 small or 2 large bananas
  • ¼ cup (57g) sour cream, room temperature

Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

  • ½ cup (113g) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 ½ cups (300g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1-2 teaspoons heavy cream, room temperature
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup (70g) salted caramel sauce store bought or homemade*

Instructions
 

Banana Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until pale and creamy, Add the brown sugar and oil. Continue beating until creamy and well blended, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the mashed bananas. Add the flour mixture in two additions, followed by half of the sour cream after each addition. Mix just until combined.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and place it on a cooling rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting & Salted Caramel

  • In a medium-sized bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Beat in the butter, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth and well blended.
  • Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and heavy cream, on medium speed, until smooth and well blended. Stir slowly with a spatula to smooth the frosting and remove bubbles.
  • Spread the cream cheese frosting on the cooled cake. Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of salted caramel sauce and swirl it into the frosting with a spoon, adding more if desired.

Notes

*For my homemade caramel sauce recipe, click here.
For my easy caramel sauce recipe, click here.
To find premade salted caramel sauce, click here.
Keyword banana, cake