Rhythm Rielly

Bake With the Seasons · February

February baking doesn’t have to choose between winter comfort and bright fruit. This raspberry almond cake gives us both: a soft almond-scented cake with tart raspberries tucked into the crumb and toasted sliced almonds scattered across the top.

It is the sort of cake that looks lovely without requiring much decoration. The berries sink and burst where they please, the almonds toast unevenly around them, and a little powdered sugar is about as fancy as it needs to get.

Better still, frozen raspberries work beautifully, which makes this an honest February bake rather than a recipe pretending the summer berry patch is awake.

Why You’ll Love This Raspberry Almond Cake

• Almond and raspberry naturally balance richness and tartness
• Frozen raspberries work straight from the freezer
• Greek yogurt keeps the crumb tender
• Almond flour adds flavor without making the cake heavy
• No frosting or complicated assembly required
• It works for brunch, afternoon coffee, or dessert

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/4 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• 1 tablespoon coarse or granulated sugar, optional
• Powdered sugar for serving, optional

How to Make Raspberry Almond Cake

1. Prepare the Pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8- or 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Break up any small lumps of almond flour with the whisk.

3. Cream the Butter and Sugar

Beat the softened butter and sugar until creamy and slightly lighter, about 2–3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

4. Add the Yogurt and Extracts

Mix in the Greek yogurt, vanilla, and almond extract. The batter may look slightly uneven at this point; that’s fine.

5. Finish the Batter

Fold in the dry ingredients just until no obvious streaks of flour remain. The finished batter should be fairly thick, which helps support the raspberries instead of letting every berry sink to the bottom.

6. Add the Raspberries

Spread about half the batter into the prepared pan. Scatter roughly half the raspberries over it, then gently spread the remaining batter on top.

Press the remaining berries lightly into the surface. If you’re using frozen raspberries, add them directly from the freezer rather than thawing them first.

7. Add the Almond Topping

Scatter the sliced almonds over the cake. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of coarse or granulated sugar if you’d like a little extra crunch.

8. Bake

Bake for approximately 38–48 minutes. A 9-inch cake will generally bake a little faster than an 8-inch cake.

The cake is ready when the center springs back lightly and a tester inserted into a cake-heavy section comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Avoid stabbing directly through a raspberry and accusing the cake of being raw.

9. Cool

Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before carefully turning it out onto a rack. Once completely cool, dust it lightly with powdered sugar if desired.

Why Raspberry and Almond Work So Well Together

Almond has a sweet, warm richness that can easily become heavy on its own. Raspberries bring acidity and a slightly floral fruitiness that cuts through it.

Meanwhile, the almond flour gives the cake a subtle nuttiness throughout, while almond extract amplifies the aroma. A small amount is enough; too much extract can overwhelm the fruit.

Can I Use Frozen Raspberries?

Absolutely. Frozen raspberries are arguably the most sensible choice for a February version of this cake in many places.

Do not thaw them first. Thawed raspberries become fragile and release a great deal of juice before they even reach the oven. Instead, fold or place the berries into the batter while still frozen and add a few extra minutes to the baking time if needed.

A February Note About Raspberries

Fresh local raspberries are not a February crop across most of the United States. That’s worth saying plainly.

But seasonal cooking also includes what we preserve. Frozen berries are picked during their growing season and give winter bakers a way to use that harvest months later. In this series, the freezer gets to be part of the pantry rather than a seasonal loophole we pretend not to notice.

What Does Almond Flour Do in Cake?

Almond flour adds fat, flavor, and tenderness. Here it replaces only part of the wheat flour, so you still get enough gluten structure to support the fruit while gaining a softer, richer crumb.

For this recipe, use finely ground almond flour rather than coarse almond meal if possible. The finer texture disappears more naturally into the cake.

Do I Need Almond Extract?

No. The cake still has almond flavor from the flour and sliced almonds. However, a small 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract makes that flavor much more noticeable.

If you’re sensitive to almond extract’s distinctive marzipan-like aroma, simply leave it out and increase the vanilla slightly.

How to Keep the Raspberries From Sinking

• Keep the batter thick. This recipe intentionally uses a sturdy yogurt batter.
• Layer the fruit. Putting berries at different depths gives a more natural distribution.
• Use frozen berries while frozen. Thawing makes them wetter and softer.
• Don’t overload the cake. More fruit isn’t always better; too much can make the center wet and structurally weak.

And don’t worry if some berries sink anyway. A homemade fruit cake is allowed to have opinions about where its raspberries live.

Raspberry Almond Cake Variations

• Raspberry lemon: Add 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest to the sugar.
• Raspberry orange: Add orange zest and replace the almond extract with additional vanilla.
• Blackberry almond: Replace the raspberries with fresh or frozen blackberries.
• Cherry almond: Use pitted tart or sweet cherries, cutting large cherries in half.
• Raspberry chocolate: Add 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate to the batter.

How to Serve Raspberry Almond Cake

At room temperature, this cake needs little more than coffee or tea. A dusting of powdered sugar makes the top look finished without hiding the toasted almonds and berries.

For dessert, serve slightly warm slices with softly whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, crème fraîche, or a spoonful of Greek yogurt.

Storage and Freezing

Keep the cooled cake covered at room temperature for about 1 day. For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 4 days and let individual slices return toward room temperature before serving.

The cake also freezes well. Wrap individual slices and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours at room temperature.

Simple Cake, February Mood

After February’s chocolate, citrus, and crumble, this cake lands somewhere quieter. There is no ganache to spread and no fruit filling to cook. Just almond, raspberry, butter, and a scattering of toasted nuts.

That’s part of baking with the seasons too. Not every recipe needs to be a centerpiece. Sometimes a cold afternoon needs a cake you can make without turning the kitchen into an event.

More February Baking

• Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumb Cake — tart rhubarb and berries beneath buttery brown-sugar crumbs.
• Blood Orange Chocolate Cake — deep cocoa and winter citrus finished with glossy ganache.
• Cherry Chocolate Oat Bars — tart cherries and dark chocolate layered with buttery oats.
• Orange Marmalade Thumbprints — tender butter cookies with bittersweet citrus centers.

And yes, raspberries finally get their turn—even if the emoji department continues to disrespect them.