If you're looking for a really easy, quick to make, great tasting, crumb topped coffee cake this Raspberry Ripple Coffee Cake is it. A simple cream cheese batter mixes up in minutes for a cake that is perfect anytime of the day.
Cream Cheese is the magic ingredient that keeps this exquisite coffeecake moist and flavorful for days, if it lasts that long. Speedy to make, easy to enjoy these Raspberry Ripple Coffeecakes are a delight anytime.
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Why You'll Love this Coffee Cake
- The crumbs are super easy to make.
- The cream cheese makes this thick batter delightfully tender and moist with a long shelf life.
- Most of the ingredients are already on hand or easy to get.
- This recipe can be made a number of different ways from a single coffee cake to great muffins.
- It can be frozen after baking. Thaw at room temperature. Wrap in foil, leaving a small opening and refresh in a 350°F oven for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Recipe Ingredients
Crumb Topping
Ingredients read left to right.
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BACK ROW: All-purpose flour, unsalted butter, cake flour
FRONT ROW: Vanilla, sugar, egg yolk
Ingredients read left to right.
BACK ROW: All-purpose flour, cream cheese, granulated sugar
SECOND ROW FROM BACK: Eggs, milk, raspberry jam
THIRD ROW FROM BACK: Almond extract, baking powder, salt,baking soda
FRONT ROW: Unsalted butter
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*
Step- By- Step Instructions
Crumbs
Step 1. Cream the butter and sugar until light.
Step 2. Add the egg yolk and vanilla to the creamed butter and sugar.
Step 3. Add the all-purpose and cake flours.
Step 4. Crumbs mixed. Some are large some are smaller.
Step 5. Scrape the bottom and if some of the mixture is not in crumbs, break up by hand. If you run the in the mixer again there is a chance of the crumbs becoming paste.
Step 6. Place the crumbs in a bowl and refrigerate while making the coffee cake batter.
Coffee Cake Batter
Step 1. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
Step 2. Without cleaning the mixing bowl, add the butter, cream cheese and sugar.
Step 3. Cream the butter , cream cheese and sugar until very light.
Step 4. Add the eggs, milk and almond extract.
Step 5. Beat together, scraping often to obtain a smooth, liquidy mixture.
Step 6. Add the flour to the mixing bowl.
Step 7. Beat the mixture on low, scraping often, until it is a smooth, thick batter.
Step 8. Spread about half of the batter into the bottom of a cheesecake or spring form pan.
Step 9. Spread the jam to within ½ to ¾ inch from the edge of the pan.
Step 10. To make spreading the top on easier, dollop the dough over the filling.
Step 11. Carefully spread the top batter over the filling to the edge of the pan.
Step 12. Spread the crumbs evenly over the top layer. Press them down lightly to make sure they adhere.
Step 13. To release the cake from the cheesecake pan, go around the edges to make sure they are free. Place it on a can (preferable 28 ounces) and slide the side down. Remove the cake to a cake plate with a pair of pancake turners under the bottom.
Step 14. Dust the cake with powdered sugar and place on a serving tray.
Recipe FAQS
A coffee cake is a single layer cake, with or without a crumb or streusel topping that is often, but not always, filled with streusel, fruit, jam or chocolate. It is less sweet than a cake and as the name implies often served with coffee or tea.
While Germany is most often credited, the Danes came up with an early version of sweet bread served with coffee. It most likely came from different cultures.
I don't think so, but some differentiate them by their topping. A crumb cake has a deep layer of cake crumbs that may or may not be flavored with cinnamon where as the streusel layer contains more sugar, often brown sugar, usually cinnamon and is less dense as a topping. It is often used as a filling that is rippled inside the coffee cake.
Storage
- The coffee cake stores well for 3 or 4 days at room temperature if under a cake cover or wrapped.
- It can also be frozen for a couple of months, well wrapped in foil. Thaw at room temperature. Wrap in foil, leaving a small opening and refresh in a 350°F oven for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Butter is often referred to as room temperature but I prefer the word softened butter. Room temperature butter is dependent upon the room being the right temperature not too hot and not too cold. A temperature of 70°F to 73°F allows the butter and sugar to cream together into a light mixture. Temperatures below that result in a sandy mixture.
- To easily obtain softened butter if it comes from the fridge, cut it into ½" or less pats and place them on plate while preparing the rest of the ingredients. In any case do not microwave as it usually melts in the middle before the ends get softened.
- When adding flour to any type of cake recipe, beat on low to minimize the formation of gluten which will toughen the cake texture.
- I have referred to a cheesecake pan as opposed to a springform pan. I discovered these when I had the bakery and much prefer them. A good comparison can be found in the Definitive Bailey's Cheesecake.
- Any flavored jam can be used for the filling. If you have a good preserve that has pieces of fruit in it, place it in a blender or processor to smooth it out. Dark jams show up best as the ripple.
Other Wonderful Coffee Cakes
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Raspberry Ripple Coffeecake
Equipment
- 9x3 inch round cheesecake or springform pan use half the batter in the bottom, all the jam and remaining batter on top. Top with all the crumbs. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.
- 6x3 inch round pans use ½ the batter and jam in each pan. Top each pan with half the crumbs. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
- About 6 to 8 Texas muffin size use about ½ cup batter per muffin, dividing in half. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes.
- About 10 to 12 regular muffin size use about ¼ cup batter per muffin, dividing in half. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (105 grams or 3 ½ ounces)
- ½ cup cake flour* (50 grams or 1 ¾ ounces)
- ½ cup sugar (100 grams or 3 ½ ounces)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened (60 grams, 2 ounces or ½ stick)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg yolk
- Water if needed
- *If you don’t have cake flour use 1 cup + 3 tablespoons all purpose flour.
Coffeecake
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour (240 grams or 8 ½ ounces)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened (225 grams)
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened (114 grams, 4 ounces, or 1 stick)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams or 7 ounces)
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup milk, whole or 2%
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ¾ cup seedless red raspberry jam
Instructions
Crumbs
- Whisk together the all-purpose and cake flour. Set them aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light.
- Add the vanilla and egg yolk, mixing completely.
- Add the flour and mix until large crumbs form. If they do not, add 1 tablespoon water.
- Scrape the bottom often, so the crumbs do not get packed down there. Do not over mix. Refrigerate while making the coffeecake.
Coffeecake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the selected pans from above well and set aside.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
- In the same mixing bowl as the crumbs were made, cream the cheese, butter and sugar until light.
- Add the eggs, milk and almond extract and beat until well mixed, scraping as necessary for a smooth batter.
- Add the flour mixture and beat on low to obtain a smooth batter, scraping several times as this is very thick.
- Spread half of the batter evenly in the bottom of the selected and sprayed pan. Spread the jam to within ½” to ¾” of the edges of the pan. It will spread when the top is put on.
- Dollop large clumps of the remaining batter over the jam. This will make it easier to spread without disturbing the jam underneath too much. Don’t worry about getting it exactly smooth, just make sure you take the batter to the edge of the pan.
- Spread the crumbs evenly over the top, starting at the outer edge and move in towards the center.
- Place on a parchment lined sheet pan for ease of going in and out of the oven. It also saves clean up if the jam leaks.
- Bake according to the times given above for the specified pan or until a tester comes out clean. The crumbs will be golden brown when done. Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve.
Notes
-
- Butter is often referred to as room temperature but I prefer the word softened. Room temperature butter is dependent upon the room being the right temperature not too hot and not too cold. A temperature of 70°F to 73°F allows the butter and sugar to cream together into a light mixture. Temperatures below that result in a sandy mixture.
-
- To easily obtain softened butter if it comes from the fridge, cut it into ½" or less pats and place them on plate while preparing the rest of the ingredients. In any case do not microwave as it usually melts in the middle before the ends get softened.
-
- When adding flour to any type of cake recipe, beat on low to minimize the formation of gluten which will toughen the cake texture.
-
- I have referred to a cheesecake pan as opposed to a springform pan. I discovered these when I had the bakery and much prefer them. A good comparison can be found in the Definitive Bailey's Cheesecake.
-
- Any flavored jam can be used for the filling. If you have a good preserve that has pieces of fruit in it, place it in a blender or processor to smooth it out. Dark jams show up best as the ripple.
Nutrition
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Diane Perris says
I made this yesterday and it turned out delicious. I used blueberry jam as that's what I had in the pantry, so I added some lemon zest to the crumble and batter. I bake at 4000' so I also added a bit of extra salt out of habit.
This was my first time trying a coffee cake and it truly was easily made. I learned that I'm not so great at eyeballing "1/2 the batter" ( I made it in a 9" springform pan), so I ended up with the ribbon of jam at the bottom and most of the cake on top. But that didn't affect the flavor and texture one bit of course. The only change I'd make next time is a bit more jam, maybe 3/4 cup.
Now that I feel confident with this basic recipe I can see so many fun possible variations. I like the suggestion of lemon curd/marscarpone, and it would also be fun to try something with fresh figs. Or peach jam. Or even strawberry/basil. Lots of options! Thanks Helen for such a solid recipe.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Diane, Love your thoughts. It is indeed variable and so glad you had a good outcome for our first time.
Barb says
Can't wait till I try the Raspberry Ripple Coffee Cake!
Thanks for sharing!
Barb
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Barb - Pretty sure it will become a favorite.
Tim Malm says
I baked this recipe in two 6-inch cheesecake [not springform] pans. The crunchy cooky-like topping, caps a rich, tender, tangy, almond flavored cake. Adding a 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom to the crumb topping incorporates a subtle taste, that most people ‘can’t quite place.’ The generous jam ripple is essential, as it lends both visual and flavor interest. I find red jams to more attractive than purple in the finished product. Helen, please would you consider publishing your idea for a ‘sugar and spice’ ripple concoction?
Thank you for this very tasty coffeecake recipe!
hfletcher says
Hi Tim: Love the cardamom - it is an excellent suggestion. I like the sugar and spice idea and if I ever get the chocolate cake I am working on for the bottom layer of the Turtle cake done, I'll work on that. Love hearing from those that make the recipes and think we can all benefit from expanding upon the ideas offered.
Tim Malm says
This coffeecake is exactly what that cream cheese lurking in my refrigerator was made for. It's time to bake something besides Helen's cooky recipes! Chocolate chip and pecan were a hit with family in Chicago last weekend. Be sure to take the time to toast the nuts, it's easy flavor booster that people really notice.
hfletcher says
Hi Tim - I completely agree toasting nuts in recipes ups the flavor. Glad the cookies were enjoyed. Wait till they taste this. You have a lucky family.
Thida Sutana LaManna says
This cake will be my project this weekeand.
hfletcher says
Hi Thida: It is easy to do so you should have plenty of your weekend left.
Nikki says
You may have solved a "puzzle" for me. The Cheesecake Factory has a cake that I have been trying, in my mind to figure out how to make. It is a Lemoncello cake, it has the Crumb Topping, a lemon curd in it as well as a rather thick layer of Marscapone filling. I may try making this ad cutting the cake and doing the marscapone filling. It can't possibly be "bad"..not with all the goodness that is going into it!
Carolyn says
This looks beautiful and looks like it would fill the need of a cake i need to make for next week. Just wondering if you feel it could work in a tube pan?
hfletcher says
I can't see why not. Just spray the tube pan well. What is the other 1% if not yummy?
Marisa @ All Our Way says
Beautiful cake!! I'm in a lemon mood -- how would lemon curd work out? I see so many possibilities. Thank you for the inspiration! Happy St. Paddy's Day
hfletcher says
Hi Marisa - I think Lemon Curd would be great. Add some lemon zest to the cake as well to reinforce it. This is a good recipe for variation.
Lucienne Caverson says
Hi, how about making it in a spring form pan?
hfletcher says
Sure. That's fine also.