Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake: The Ultimate Brunch Recipe
Elevate your brunch experience with this incredibly moist Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake. Its tender crumb, bursting with fresh fruit, makes it irresistible. Feel free to customize it with any in-season fruit for an easy-to-make treat that pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee.
This coffee cake recipe might just be the perfect addition to your brunch spread. It’s incredibly easy to make, and you can easily swap out the fruit depending on what’s in season, making it perfect for any time of the year. Unlike some other coffee cakes where the cream cheese filling is layered, this recipe incorporates the cream cheese directly into the batter for an extra rich and moist result. This ensures every bite is packed with creamy goodness and juicy berry flavor.
The result? A supremely moist coffee cake that’s bursting with the flavor of juicy raspberries. If you’re searching for a breakfast cake that’s soft, fluffy, and utterly delicious, your search ends here! This Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake is guaranteed to impress.
Fun fact: Coffee cake gets its name not because it contains coffee, but because it’s traditionally served as an accompaniment to a cup of coffee. That’s right! Coffee cake recipes don’t actually include coffee as an ingredient. So, if you were expecting a caffeine kick from your morning slice, think again! This beloved breakfast treat is all about creating cozy mornings, best enjoyed with a warm mug of your favorite brew.
Why You’ll Love This Cream Cheese Coffee Cake:
- It’s bursting with juicy raspberries in every bite.
- It’s perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a leisurely weekend brunch, a holiday gathering, or a mid-morning coffee break.
- It’s made with simple, everyday ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
- It’s easily customizable to suit your taste preferences – try swapping raspberries for other berries or adding a drizzle of glaze for extra sweetness.
- It’s incredibly moist with a tender crumb that practically melts in your mouth, thanks to the combination of buttermilk and cream cheese.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Let’s break down the key ingredients that make this coffee cake so exceptional:
- All-purpose flour: Provides the structure and texture for the cake. For best results, measure the flour accurately using the spoon and level method. This prevents adding too much flour, which can result in a dense, dry cake.
- Leavening agents: Baking powder and baking soda work together to create a light and airy texture. Baking powder, with its double-acting power, ensures a consistent rise, while baking soda reacts with the acidic buttermilk in the recipe, creating bubbles that lift the batter to perfection.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter at room temperature for easier creaming with the sugar. Creaming the butter and sugar together is a crucial step for incorporating air into the batter, which results in a tender crumb.
- Cream cheese: This is the secret ingredient that adds intense moisture and a tangy flavor to the coffee cake. Use full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor and texture. Reduced-fat cream cheese can be used, but the flavor and moisture content may be slightly compromised.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the breakfast cake and helps to tenderize the crumb. The sugar also helps to create a golden-brown crust on the cake.
- Eggs: These bind all of the ingredients together, adding moisture and richness to the cake. Use large eggs for consistent results.
- Vanilla extract: Opt for pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. The vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor profile of the cake and adds a touch of warmth. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can even use homemade vanilla extract!
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds moisture and tenderness while activating the leavening agents for that light, fluffy texture we all love. Don’t have buttermilk on hand? Check out my buttermilk substitutions guide for easy alternatives. Plain yogurt or sour cream, thinned with a bit of milk, can also be used as substitutes.
- Raspberries: These are my favorite! Fresh raspberries provide the best flavor and texture in the coffee cake. However, if you aren’t a fan of raspberries, you can easily substitute other berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, or sliced strawberries, like in my strawberry coffee cake recipe.
Pro Tip: Use fresh raspberries for the best results. Fresh berries will provide the most vibrant flavor and ideal texture in your cream cheese coffee cake. If you decide to use frozen raspberries, be sure to thaw them completely and drain off any excess liquid before adding them to the batter to prevent a soggy cake.
See the recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
This smooth and silky batter comes together in just minutes. The result is a deliciously moist vanilla coffee cake, studded with juicy berries, that’s guaranteed to elevate any brunch spread.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. This ensures that the baking powder, baking soda, and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which helps to create a consistent texture.
- Cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Creaming them together until light and fluffy is essential for incorporating air into the mixture, resulting in a tender crumb. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically to ensure even mixing. I prefer using my stand mixer for this step, but a hand mixer works perfectly well too.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla extract. Adding the eggs one at a time ensures that they are fully incorporated into the batter, which helps to create a smooth and emulsified mixture.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk. Alternately add portions of the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the creamed mixture in the stand mixer bowl, mixing on low speed briefly after each addition until just combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing. This method ensures even mixing without overworking the batter, which can result in a tough cake.
- Fold ½ cup of raspberries into the batter. Gently fold in half of the raspberries.
- Bake the coffee cake for 20 minutes, then remove it from the oven and add the remaining raspberries on top. This prevents the raspberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake during baking.
- Return the coffee cake to the oven and bake it for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can tent it with foil to prevent burning while the center finishes baking. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center – it should come out clean or with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
Tips for Achieving Coffee Cake Perfection
- This is a dense batter. Don’t be alarmed by the thickness of the batter. Embrace the richness and trust that it will transform into a beautifully indulgent treat once baked.
- Don’t overmix the batter. When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until everything is incorporated. Overmixing can lead to a tough or dense cake. Use a gentle hand and stop mixing as soon as there are no more streaks of flour visible.
- Fold in raspberries carefully. When adding the raspberries to the batter, fold them in gently to avoid breaking them apart too much. This will help distribute the raspberries evenly throughout the coffee cake without turning the batter pink.
Flavor Variations
What I appreciate most about this coffee cake recipe is its versatility. You can easily switch up the fruit topping to feature whatever is in season, from juicy peaches and pears in the fall to sweet blueberries and sliced strawberries in the spring and summer. Here are a few more ideas to elevate this breakfast favorite:
- Add a crunchy nut topping. Mix chopped pecans or walnuts with brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon, then sprinkle it over the batter before baking. The nutty crunch adds a wonderful contrast to the soft, moist cake.
- Substitute almond extract for vanilla extract. Almond extract adds a delicate, nutty flavor that pairs well with the raspberries and cream cheese.
- Add citrus zest. Incorporate 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon or orange zest to the batter for a subtle hint of citrus flavor.
- Sprinkle the top with a cinnamon sugar mixture. Mix ¼ cup sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle it atop the cake batter before baking for an extra touch of sweetness and spice.
- Add chocolate chips. Sprinkle a handful of chocolate chips over the batter before baking. Raspberries + chocolate = my all-time favorite combination!
FAQs
When stored properly, coffee cake can stay fresh for about 3 to 4 days. To keep it tasting its best, store it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. If you prefer to prolong its freshness, you can refrigerate it, where it can last for up to a week.
Yes, you can freeze coffee cake! Be sure it’s cooled completely before wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Then, place it in a freezer-safe bag and store it in the freezer for 2-3 months. Thaw the breakfast cake in the fridge overnight before serving.
You can use Greek yogurt or sour cream as alternatives to the cream cheese in this recipe. Each of these will provide a similar creamy texture and tangy flavor to your coffee cake.
More Brunch Recipes You’ll Love
Looking for more inspiration? Explore my easy and impressive breakfast favorites below:
- Raspberry Cream Cheese Pinwheel Pastries
- Easy Homemade Glazed Doughnut Holes
- Blueberry Cream Cheese Pastries
- Easy Cinnamon French Toast Sticks
- Buttermilk Waffles with Fresh Strawberry Syrup
- Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Without Yeast
- Or any of these 25 Quick and Easy Breakfast Recipes!
Choose your favorite fruit, preheat your oven, and get ready to impress your brunch guests!
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Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Kelly Senyei
10 minutes
45
minutes
55
minutes
8 servings
Ingredients
-
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour -
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder -
1/4 teaspoon baking soda -
1/4 teaspoon salt -
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temp -
3 oz. cream cheese, at room temp -
1 1/4 cups sugar -
2 large eggs -
1 teaspoon vanilla extract -
3/4 cup buttermilk -
1 cup raspberries, divided