Lemon Raspberry Almond Crumb Cake (Grain-Free)

Lemon Raspberry Almond Crumb Cake is soft and fluffy, bursting with juicy raspberries, tart lemon flavour and a simple crumb topping. And since it’s made with almond and buckwheat flour, it’s gluten-free and grain-free. You’ll love this almond flour cake for an afternoon tea or coffee break! Follow my tips and substitutions, and you’ll be able to make this crumb cake recipe your own!

I’ve been a little MIA this past week. While I had intentions to publish three recipe posts a week this summer, the weather has been lovely lately, so I’ve been spending a lot of time outdoors and away from the hot kitchen. Our summers are so short here (seriously, this past week was probably our summer!), and I just couldn’t let the sunshine and warm temps pass me by. So instead of cooking and baking, I’ve been enjoying long hikes and relaxing evenings on the back deck.

But in between all the summer fun, I did manage to recipe test this raspberry lemon cake. It’s an easy snack cake, with a ridiculously simple crumb topping, so I promise, it’s worth turning on your oven to make this one!

What ingredients do you need to make lemon raspberry almond crumb cake?

• Raspberries
• Lemon
• Almond flour
• Buckwheat flour
• Sliced almonds
• Cane sugar
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Non-dairy milk
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Egg

How do you make this almond flour cake?

This almond flour cake can be prepped in just about 10 minutes, and comes together with just a few bowls and spoons. No mixers required!

Start by whisking together your dry ingredients – flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, and then add in your wet ingredients – milk, oil, egg, lemon juice and zest. Stir until all the dry ingredients are well incorporated, but making sure not to over mix. Pour into a greased springform pan. Add the raspberries to the top and poke them into the batter a little bit.

To make the crumb topping, add a quarter cup each of buckwheat flour, cane sugar and sliced almonds to a small bowl. Add in three teaspoons of melted coconut oil and stir until a crumbly mixture forms. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the raspberries. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes, and let cool on a wire rack before slicing.

What’s the difference between almond flour and almond meal?

While I sometimes use almond meal in recipes, I find almond flour works better in this cake recipe. Both almond flour and almond meal are made from ground almonds, however, almond flour is more finely ground, and made with blanched almonds that have the skins removed. Almond meal is made from almonds with the skins on, and therefore, has a courser grind.

How should you store almond flour cake with berries?

Since the almond flour creates a moist and tender cake, if you’re not planning to eat or serve the cake within a day, it’s best to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When berries or fresh fruit are involved, I like to store most baked goods in the refrigerator, especially on warm and humid summer days.

Can you freeze this raspberry almond flour cake?

This raspberry cake is best enjoyed fresh, so I don’t recommend making it ahead and storing it in the freezer. I froze a few pieces and defrosted them in the refrigerator overnight, and the crumb topping did not stay crispy and the berries were mushy.

Additional tips and substitutions for making this Lemon Raspberry Almond Crumb Cake:

• Buckwheat flour comes in both light and dark varieties. I use the light in this recipe, especially for the crumb topping. If you use dark, your cake and topping will look very dark.

• If you don’t have cane sugar, you can use coconut sugar or brown sugar for both the cake and crumb topping. You can also use granulated sugar in the cake, but stick with a courser sugar for the crumb topping.

• This cake works with other berries and summer fruit, so use what you have on hand. Blueberries, cherries or blackberries are great options to try.

• You can also use frozen berries, just be sure to thaw them first before adding them to the cake.

• For a different flavour cake, try subbing the lemon juice and zest for orange juice and zest.

• I made this cake in a 9-inch springform pan, but you can also use a high rimmed pie plate or cast iron skillet.

• The cake is fully baked when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, and the edges are browned and crispy.

• If the crumb topping starts to brown too much on top, just cover the cake with foil for the last few minutes of baking.

• A light dusting of icing sugar on top of the cake before serving is a nice touch. But keep in mind that icing sugar contains cornstarch, and therefore, it’s not grain-free.

If you like this raspberry cake, you may enjoy some of these recipes too……

• Raspberry Lemon Chia Buckwheat Muffins

• Raspberry Chocolate Chip Nice Cream Pops

• Berry Citrus Kale Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Pin this Lemon Raspberry Almond Crumb Cake to make for dessert!

HUNGRY FOR MORE?  Don’t forget to sign up for the Crumb Top Baking Newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook!

Lemon Raspberry Almond Crumb Cake

★★★★★

5 from 23 reviews

Lemon Raspberry Almond Crumb Cake is soft and fluffy, bursting with juicy raspberries, tart lemon flavour and a simple crumb topping. It’s also grain-free and dairy-free!

• Author: Leanne
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 10 pieces 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: Gluten-free

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the cake:

• 1 1/4 cups almond flour
• 1 cup light buckwheat flour
• 1/3 cup cane sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
• 1 cup fresh raspberries

For the crumb topping:

• 1/4 cup light buckwheat flour
• 1/4 cup cane sugar
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 3 teaspoons virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil, melted

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F and grease a 9-inch springform pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
3. Add in the milk, oil, egg and lemon juice and zest, and stir until all the dry ingredients are well incorporated. Pour into a greased springform pan and arrange the raspberries on top, poking them into the batter a little bit.
4. Prepare the crumb topping by stirring together the buckwheat flour, cane sugar and sliced almonds in a small bowl. Add in the melted coconut oil and stir until a crumbly mixture forms. Sprinkle on top of the raspberries.
5. Bake for 34 – 37 minutes, or until the edges of the cake are browned and crispy, and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Notes

1. Buckwheat flour comes in both light and dark varieties. I used light in this recipe. If you use dark, your cake and topping will look very dark.
2. If you don’t have cane sugar, you can substitute coconut sugar or brown sugar in both the cake and crumb topping. You can also use granulated sugar in the cake, but stick with a courser sugar for the topping.
3. You can use frozen berries, just be sure to thaw them first before adding them to the cake.
4. I made this cake in a 9-inch springform pan, but you can also use a high rimmed pie plate or cast iron skillet.
5. If the crumb topping starts to brown too much on top, just cover the cake with foil for the last few minutes of baking.
6. You can add a light dusting of icing sugar to the top of the cake before serving. But keep in mind that icing sugar contains cornstarch, and therefore, the cake will not be grain-free.

Keywords: crumb cake, raspberry cake, almond flour cake