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Why I Love This Coffee Cake
Coffee cake is one of the most comforting brunch foods. I mean, who doesn’t want an excuse to eat cake for breakfast? And this raspberry orange coffee cake filled with a cream cheese layer is everything I want at brunch.
For me, a really good coffee cake comes down to 3 key things (and one bonus) that really bring it all together: the way each layer adds something different.
- A soft crumb that stays light, tender, and easy to sink a fork into.
- A buttery streusel topping with crisp, golden clusters and sliced almonds.
- A cream cheese filling layered with fresh raspberries for a rich, tangy center.
- Bonus: A tube pan that gives the cake height and creates that beautiful ribbon of filling in every slice.
When taken together, these four components create the perfect coffee cake. Whether for brunch, breakfast, snack, dessert, or who cares, you’ll love this recipe!
Raspberry Orange Coffee Cake Ingredients
These ingredients are used to create 3 different components of the coffee cake:
- All-purpose flour – Gives structure to both the cake and the streusel.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens each layer and helps balance the orange and raspberry flavors.
- Sliced almonds – Add crunch and a nutty flavor to the streusel.
- Light brown sugar – Adds moisture and a deeper caramel note to the streusel.
- Ground cinnamon – Brings some warmth to the almond topping.
- Unsalted butter – Creates richness in the cake and helps the streusel bake into craggy clumps.
- Cream cheese – Makes the center layer smooth and rich.
- Eggs – Add structure and richness to both the filling and the cake.
- Orange zest and orange juice – Two ways to add citrus to the coffee cake.
- Fresh raspberries – Add juicy pops of tart flavor throughout the cake.
- Baking powder and baking soda – Help with rise and texture.
- Sour cream – Keeps the cake moist and soft.
- Vanilla extract and kosher salt – Two ways to add flavor.
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Raspberry Orange Coffee Cake
There are a few steps to make each layer of this coffee cake, but each one adds tons of flavor to the best coffee cake recipe:
Step 1: Prepare the pan – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a tube pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
Step 2: Make the streusel – In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, almonds, and salt. Stir until evenly mixed. Pour in the melted butter and mix until the texture resembles crumbly wet sand. Set aside.
Step 3: Mix the filling – In a medium bowl, use a spatula to mash the cream cheese until softened. Add the granulated sugar, beaten egg, orange zest, and orange juice. Whisk until mostly smooth, then set aside.
Step 4: Start the cake batter – In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), mix together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, letting each addition mix in for about 30 seconds before adding the next. Continue mixing until the butter is fully incorporated, 5-6 minutes.
Step 5: Whisk the wet ingredients – In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated, about 2 minutes.
Step 6: Assemble the cake – Spread ⅔ of the cake batter into the bottom of the prepared tube pan. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the batter. Sprinkle the raspberries over the filling, then top with half of the streusel. Dollop and spread the remaining ⅓ of the cake batter over the raspberries. Sprinkle the remaining streusel evenly over the top.
Step 7: Bake the cake – Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 60-75 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out mostly clean. The cream cheese filling may still look slightly wet, but the cake should be risen, and the streusel should be dry and set.
Step 8: Cool before slicing – Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 1 hour. Loosen the sides with a knife and remove it from the tube pan. Let it cool for 2 more hours before slicing and serving.
Recipe Tips
- Use room-temperature dairy and eggs – This helps the filling and batter mix more smoothly and bake more evenly.
- Expect a thick batter – The top layer does not spread like a thin cake batter, so gently dollop it over the raspberries and ease it outward.
- Do not overwork the final batter – Mix only until everything is combined so the cake stays tender.
- Let it cool completely – Because of the cream cheese layer, this cake slices much more cleanly after a full cooling time. It’s an important step to make sure you have the best possible cake.
- Bake until the cake tests mostly clean – When putting a toothpick into the center, it will likely end up hitting the filling layer, so a little moisture on the tester is fine.
Follow These Tips
Serving
This cake is best when fully cooled, and the filling has had time to settle. Serve slices with coffee (hence the name), tea, or a simple brunch-like spread of fresh fruit and eggs.
For a slightly dressier finish, a light dusting of powdered sugar would be lovely just before serving, making it perfect for a dessert spread.
Storage
Refrigerate – Because of the cream cheese filling, store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze – Freeze individual slices or the whole cake, well wrapped, for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Reheat – For the best texture, let refrigerated slices sit at room temperature for about 15-30 minutes before serving. To warm a slice, microwave briefly in 10-15 second increments, or place it in a low oven until just warmed through.
More Coffee Cakes
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Raspberry Orange Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the streusel
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter melted
For the filling
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 2 cups fresh raspberries
For the cake
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 12 tbsp (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a tube pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
- Make the streusel: In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, almonds, and salt. Stir to mix evenly. Pour in the melted butter and mix until the mixture resembles crumbly wet sand, and set it aside.¾ cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup light brown sugar, 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 cup sliced almonds, ¾ tsp kosher salt, 5 tbsp unsalted butter
- Make the filling: In a medium bowl, mash the cream cheese with a spatula to soften. Add the granulated sugar, egg, orange zest, and orange juice. Whisk until mostly smooth and set it aside.8 oz cream cheese, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 tbsp orange zest, 2 tbsp orange juice
- Prepare the cake: In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix to evenly incorporate. With the mixer running on low speed, add the butter 1 tbsp at a time, allowing each to mix in for 30 seconds before adding the next. Continue mixing until the butter is incorporated into the dry mixture, 5-6 minutes.2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp kosher salt, 12 tbsp (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Whisk until it is smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated, 2 minutes.3 large eggs, 1 cup sour cream, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Assemble: Spread ⅔ of the cake batter in the bottom of the pan. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the top. Sprinkle the raspberries over the filling, then top with half of the streusel. Dollop and spread the final ⅓ of the cake batter over the raspberries. The batter will be difficult to spread evenly, so do not fret if some raspberries are noticeable. Sprinkle the remaining streusel on top.2 cups fresh raspberries
- Bake in the preheated 350°F oven 60-75 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out mostly clean; the cream cheese filling will be slightly wet. The cake will have risen, and the streusel will be dry. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 1 hour.
- Serve: Loosen the sides of the cake with a knife, and remove from the tube pan. Cool for an additional 2 hours before slicing.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Styling: Addelyn Evans | Photography: Dera Burreson
Made this for my husband and he loves it! Used frozen raspberries from our garden. I can’t wait to use fresh ones. We are planting blueberries this year so I just got your recipe for the blueberry coffee cake. The only thing I did not use was lemon zest. I am allergic to the sprays and worry about it being in the zest. Is there anything else I could use? It still was delicious without it. So glad I found you. I am sure I will be trying more recipes. Love the videos.