I’ve had the tendency these past few weeks to throw some of my favorite fall and winter flavors into some early spring bakes. I’m going to change that up this week though as this cake is all about fresh flavors and spring. This Almond, Raspberry, and Lemon cake is a dream come true. The cake is a set of almond Victoria sponge cakes sliced in half and layered with a tangy lemon cream cheese frosting and a sweet and slightly tart raspberry chia seed jam.
The cakes are soft and buttery and just about melt in your mouth as you take a bite. The almond flavor is subtle, carried by the addition of almond flour to the cake batter and a hint of almond extract. You can always sub an extra 1/4 tsp of the almond extract for the additional 1/4 of vanilla extract that I added if you want to amp the flavor up a bit, but I personally found that it tasted a bit too artificial and just a little bit of extract helps to enhance the flavor without being the overpowering almond contributor.
When you layer the cakes with the frosting and the jam, the sponge absorbs their flavors, and it’s basically pure magic in cake form. This is the perfect cake the layer up without any frosting covering the sides. It takes the classic look of the Victoria sponge and amplifies it. The layers are thinner, the frosting ever so slightly hangs over the edge of the cake, and the jam peeks through in a way that just looks utterly enticing.
Once you have the cake ready, the rest of the components are incredibly easy to throw together. For the jam, throw everything into a saucepan and let it boil and simmer until it thickens–chia seeds are added to firm the jam up taking the place of pectin or corn starch that you might find in other recipes. The raspberries and lemon juice combine to create a jam that is slightly tart while the sugar helps to sweeten it up and mellow that tartness out.
The lemon cream cheese frosting adds another layer of depth to this cake the you just wouldn’t get from a traditional buttercream or a simple whipped cream. The cream cheese adds a tanginess that helps to keep the frosting from being cloyingly sweet while the lemon adds a flavor that’s bright and fresh and just everything you could want in a spring cake!
This is a great addition to an Easter table (as are these Malted Milk Cookies using Robin’s Eggs or this Orange Pistachio Cake with Earl Grey & Honey Swiss Meringue Buttercream), for those weekend days when you want a slice of cake to go with your tea or coffee, or for any occasion where guests may be expected or a sweet tooth may need to be satisfied.
| Cook Time | 20-25 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 4 eggs large, room temp, weighed in shells
- 1 cup unsalted butter (about 226 grams/2 sticks), softened
- granulated sugar same weight as the eggs
- 1/2 + 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- self-rising flour same weight as the eggs, minus 80 grams
- 80 grams almond flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1-2 Tbsp milk
- 2 cups raspberries (312 grams), rinsed and mashed
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (170 grams)
- 1 lemon large, juice and zest
- 1 Tbsp black chia seeds
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 oz cream cheese softened, (1 package)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 lemons large, zest only, to taste
- 1 Tbsp meringue powder optional
Ingredients
Almond Victoria Sponge Cakes
Raspberry Chia Seed Jam
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
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- Weigh your eggs in the shells and set aside. Use this weight to measure out your granulated sugar and flours. Set aside. Crack the eggs into a measuring cup and add in the vanilla extract and the almond extract; set aside. Whisk together the self rising flour, almond flour, and salt; set aside.
- Grease and line the bottom of 2 8" cake pans. Set aside. Fix an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
- Turn the mixer on low and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until completely combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between each egg.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer (or set down your hand mixer) and sift about 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the bowl. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the flour mixture into the batter making sure to circle around the bowl and then pull through the center. Gently fold in 1 Tbsp of milk and repeat the sifting and folding process with the second 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Depending on how dry your batter looks, add another 1/2-1 Tbsp of milk. Fold in the final 1/3 of the dry ingredients until just combined. You should be left with a batter that drops off the spatula with a slight shake.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake tins and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top of the cake springs back to the touch or a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes before turning out the cakes and transferring to a cooling rack.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the jam: In a medium saucepan, stir together the mashed raspberries, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Place the pan on the stove at a medium-high heat and bring to a full boil for about a minute, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to medium/low and allow to bubble and thicken, stirring occasionally. As the jam thickens, the bubbles will get smaller. Stir in 1 Tbsp of chia seeds. If using a candy thermometer, allow the mixture to bubble until it reaches 220°F. If not using a thermometer, coat the back of a spoon with the jam--if you can run finger through it and a clear path is left, the jam is ready to remove from the heat.
- Pour the jam into a bowl or a glass container and allow to cool and set.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese until fluffy and fully combined--about 5 minutes on high. Add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and mix on low until smooth and combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down any butter or cream cheese that stick to the side. Stir in the lemon zest. If using it, stir in the meringue powder. Mix on high for about 1 minute so that everything comes together.
- Using a serrated knife or a cake leveler, cut the two almond sponges in half. Take one of the bottoms halves and layer it up with 1/4 of the frosting, spreading it to the edge. Spread one third of the jam over the frosting and add the next layer of cake. Repeat the process until you add the fourth layer. Spread the frosting evenly over the top layer, serve, and enjoy!
* The meringue powder is optional, but if you want to make sure your cream cheese frosting is on the firmer side and keeps from melting, I highly recommend using it. The meringue powder helps to stiffen the frosting so that you can assemble your cake and not worry about it melting! ** The chia seeds help the jam set up rather than depending on pectin or corn starch. If you find that it has jelled a bit too much before layering the cake together, give it a vigorous stir to help loosen it back up a bit and make it spreadable. *** This cake is best when served the same day or the day after. Store sliced cake in an airtight container with a piece of wax paper covering any exposed interior.