Raspberry Buttermilk Cake
August 6th, 2012
When I was a kid, my mom would often make cakes for dessert. Only, she didn’t frost them. WHATTT!??? As kids this would just crush us. We wanted everything slathered in mounds of sugary buttercream frosting, and millions of calories. But as an adult, I am appreciative of just a lovely little dusting of powdered sugar. You can actually taste the cake and the fresh baked fruit, with just a touch of extra sweetness.
These kind of cakes always seem like they should be “weeknight” dessert to me. You know what I mean? Like not a special occasion big old layer cake (not that those aren’t fantastic too!), but something you could serve on a Monday night, without having to go to much extra trouble.
And I am telling you right now, that this is the best cake of this nature that I have had in a really long time. Maybe ever. I went back and tweaked this old recipe of my Grandma Graces and voila, GLORIOUS Raspberry Buttermilk Cake!
The texture of the cake is so fine and moist, and almost a little spongy. The buttermilk gives it a just a hint of tanginess and it is studded with sweet and tart raspberries.
I am not sure how it could even get better than this for a summer dessert. Oh wait, I was eating it for breakfast too. And by the way, unlike most cakes (especially those with fresh fruit), this did not get stale right away, in fact, in continued to stay very moist for the 2 days before it was devoured. I highly recommend this recipe!!
Also- I have to note that I made this cake with fresh eggs from Athena’s organic chicken farm on Whidbey Island. These were the most gorgeous eggs I have ever seen. If you are ever up there- please do yourself a favor and pick some up- you can taste the difference!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9” round cake pan with a round of parchment paper in the bottom and some cooking spray.
In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, and combine well. Add the milk, and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
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Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix until it is a smooth batter.
Gently fold in the fresh raspberries.
Pour the batter in the prepared cake pan and bake the cake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until just done.
Let cool before turning out onto a platter, and removing the parchment paper.
Dust with powdered sugar.
Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe: Raspberry Buttermilk Cake
Ingredients
- -1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- -1 cup sugar
- -2 eggs
- -1 1/3 cup Cake flour
- -1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- -1/2 tsp salt
- -1/2 cup buttermilk
- -1 cup raspberries
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9” round cake pan with a round of parchment paper in the bottom and some cooking spray.
- 2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- 3. Add the eggs one at a time, and combine well. Add the milk, and mix until combined.
- 4. In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix until it is a smooth batter.
- 5. Gently fold in the fresh raspberries.
- 6. Pour the batter in the prepared cake pan and bake the cake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until just done.
- 7. Let cool before turning out onto a platter and dusting with powdered sugar. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
Preparation time: 15 minute(s)
Cooking time: 30 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 8




















The cake is gorgeous! Would make a lovely Christmas dessert.
I love getting green/blue eggs! That usually means the chickens ate a healthy, natural diet. :)
2:06 am on August 6th, 2012
This cake is so pretty! Love this idea!
4:00 am on August 6th, 2012
I did not know that about the eggs! That is really great info- thanks!
7:23 am on August 6th, 2012
thanks Katrina!
7:24 am on August 6th, 2012
I love the simplicity of this cake. So beautiful!
7:30 am on August 6th, 2012
Heather, this cake makes my heart stop. I love raspberries in cakes and oh how I miss baking with cake flour! This would be a very dangerous cake for me to have around!
7:43 am on August 6th, 2012
thanks Carrie!
7:52 am on August 6th, 2012
Oh thanks Susan. Yes, It was on the majorly addictive side for me!
7:52 am on August 6th, 2012
Really pretty cake! Would this batter work for all berries?
8:04 am on August 6th, 2012
Vicki- absolutely! Plums, peaches and nectarines would work too!
9:18 am on August 6th, 2012
What a gorgeous cake! Your photos are just beautiful!! :)
9:22 am on August 6th, 2012
Thanks Amanda- coming from you that means a lot!
9:28 am on August 6th, 2012
you had me at raspberry!! this looks gorgeous!! So sorry we missed each other at BlogHer :( we need to plan better next time lol
10:04 am on August 6th, 2012
You know, I was always the opposite–I scraped the frosting off my cake for years on end. :) This simple cake is right up my alley, clearly!
12:06 pm on August 6th, 2012
What a pretty and delicate cake, Heather. I actually love these types of cakes without heavy frosting. Just the thing for a lazy summer afternoon with a glass of lemonade.
12:12 pm on August 6th, 2012
I know!! Shoot! I just didn’t expect it to be so mammoth!
1:40 pm on August 6th, 2012
Perfect Eileen! I’m glad that this is your style!
1:41 pm on August 6th, 2012
Ooooh! with lemonade! perfect :)
1:41 pm on August 6th, 2012
This cake is so pretty. And I know what you mean – I love fancy layer cakes and frosting, but sometimes a simple every day cake with powdered sugar is perfect :)
2:27 pm on August 6th, 2012
First time here through Foodgawker and I have to tell you, this cake looks marvellous!!I just love the soft moist texture !i’m so going to be trying this soon :)
4:23 pm on August 6th, 2012
Heather this looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it. I also have to say that your photographs are extra beautiful for this post!
5:14 pm on August 6th, 2012
I love how simple the recipe is. The cake looks gorgeous with the raspberries and the powdered sugar on top!
5:18 pm on August 6th, 2012
I wish I would have had this recipe last week when we had family in town! I look forward to making this light and pretty dessert!
5:24 pm on August 6th, 2012
I’ll take a dusting of powdered sugar with my cake any day!
8:18 pm on August 6th, 2012
thank so much Susie :)
9:15 pm on August 6th, 2012
Thank you peach!
9:15 pm on August 6th, 2012
Oh good Soupista! You will love this one- its a keeper!
9:16 pm on August 6th, 2012
Simply beautiful. We made similar cakes using different ingredients. How fun to come across your site.
10:53 am on August 7th, 2012
I adore cakes like this – everybody needs to have a recipe like this in their repertoire! I love serving a cake like this or a tart for dessert in the summer – frosted cakes in the summer, for me, are just too heavy! Gorgeous photo Heather!!
11:10 am on August 7th, 2012
Thanks Nancy!! I love this simple cake too, in fact I am making it for tonight’s dessert!
11:43 am on August 7th, 2012
I rarely get fresh eggs, but when I do there is a great excitment in my home! This cake looks beautiful. I’m going to try it tonight with the saskatoon berries that are growing out the back door. I’ll let you know how it goes.
11:56 am on August 7th, 2012
amazing! WHAT are saskatoon berries!?
12:02 pm on August 7th, 2012
This cake looks delicious and beautiful! I definitely want to try it! Thanks for posting it!
8:38 pm on August 7th, 2012
Thank you Jessica! I hope you do!
9:22 pm on August 7th, 2012
Okay, I made the cake last night with the Saskatoon Berries that I picked. Saskatoon berries (also called Service berries) are similar to blue berries or huckle berries. They grow here in North West MT, where I am vacationing at my in-laws. I’ve been wanting to bake something with these berries and a buttermilk cake sounded perfect. It was yummy! The cake is just the right amount of sweetness, so tender and moist. I think you could put anything into this cake and it would be amazing!
10:06 am on August 8th, 2012
I am so glad Kari!! I will have to look these berries up!
12:58 pm on August 8th, 2012
What a lovely cake and such a scrumptious recipe! Yum!
4:49 pm on August 8th, 2012
Thank You Russell!
5:14 pm on August 8th, 2012
I have just made this cake and it is fantastic, easy and very quick to make. Next time I will add a little lemon zest and see how it goes with the raspberries. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
4:46 pm on August 10th, 2012
[...] few weeks back, Heather Cristo posted this delectable looking recipe for Raspberry Buttermilk Cake and I was literally drooling as I looked through the pictures. I knew I had to make it for myself [...]
10:30 pm on August 19th, 2012
[...] fast yet comforting. That’s when this cake comes to mind, bookmarked ages ago! from Heather Christo. This is my second time using her recipe and it did not disappoint. The first being a beetroot [...]
3:03 am on September 5th, 2012
Just put this cake in the oven! If it takes as good as the batter did yes, I’m one of those!), it will be delicious!! Let you know in 23 mins!
7:57 pm on January 12th, 2013
Oops, tastes as good!
7:58 pm on January 12th, 2013
What a lovely looking cake! And just an FYI, the green and blue eggs have nothing to do with the hen’s diet, but everything to do with the breed of the chicken. Usually they are Ameracauna or Aracauna – also known as “Easter Eggers!”
10:56 am on February 27th, 2013
could you use blueberries and lemon zest instead?
5:39 pm on May 11th, 2013
YES!! that would be wonderful!
10:44 pm on May 11th, 2013