Black Raspberry Coffee Cake is studded with walnuts and topped with a cinnamon-laced crumb ~ it’s dessert for breakfast, summer style!
It’s mid July and high black raspberry season! I made this black raspberry coffee cake with my precious stash of wild black raspberries ~ but it turned out so good I’m planning to make it on repeat all summer long with whatever fruit’s in season.
The summery berries are bright and tart, but the cinnamon and nutmeg in the crumb topping and the finely chopped walnuts in the cake are a little bit cozy. It’s a beautiful combination that captures this point in the summer where there’s still plenty of warm days left, but many of us are starting to look ahead to back-to-school and the harvest season.
black raspberry coffee cake highlights
THAT CLASSIC COFFEE CAKE CRUNCH: The crumb topping is super easy to make and gives a nice buttery crunch to the top of this cake.
flavor it with just a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon as I’ve done here, or leave it plain if you prefer.
you can also add the chopped nuts to the topping for a crunchier, heartier topping.
ENRICHED BATTER:a combination of sour cream and buttermilk helps to give it a nice rise, a little tang, and a beautiful texture.
try a whole milk yogurt instead.
SWEET BUT NOT TOO SWEET: Because it’s not overly sweet, I find this kind of cake is perfectly appropriate to have with a cup of coffee in the morning or the afternoon, but it’s also rich enough to dress up for a beautiful summery dessert.
CUSTOMIZE: if you don’t have black raspberries definitely substitute red raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries.
what are black raspberries?
Black raspberries are a type of raspberry that grow wild in many parts of the United States (they’re also grown commercially in a few areas.) If you’re lucky enough to find black raspberries, grab them ~ they have a richer, deeper flavor than regular raspberries and make this cake something special. (Freeze extras for later!) I discovered a patch near my house and I’m able to gather enough to make a cake or batch of black raspberry muffins pretty easily 🙂 Note: Always be sure of your identification when foraging ~ some berries have toxic lookalikes. If you’re not sure, don’t pick!
Black raspberries, like regular raspberries, are delicate. That’s why I freeze them (even an hour in the freezer will do it) before folding into my coffee cake batter. This prevents them from completely falling apart as I mix them in.
more black raspberry recipes
Black raspberry season is fleeting, and I don’t get to cook with them as much as I’d like to. Save these special recipes for when you need to make good use of these precious gems of summer.
Preheat oven to 375F. Line a 9-inch spring form pan with a circle of parchment paper at the bottom and butter the sides. Set aside.
to make the crumb topping
In a small mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, butter, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Use your hands to rub the ingredients together until you have a crumbly mixture. Set aside.
to make the cake
In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and chopped walnuts. Whisk to combine, and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sugar, egg, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Whisk well, then drizzle in the melted butter (make sure it's partially cooled and not too hot). Whisk together until smooth.
Fold in the dry ingredients until mostly incorporated, but there are still a few dry streaks of flour left.
Finally, add the frozen berries and gently fold the batter together until just combined, don't over mix.
Spread the batter into your prepared pan, making it even. Top with the crumb topping.
Bake for about 55-65 minutes until risen and golden.
Remove from the oven and allow to partially cool in the pan before carefully removing.
Serve warm or keep on the countertop for up to a day. Refrigerate for longer storage.
Notes
*If your berries are fresh flash freeze them on a baking tray before using. This should only take about an hour.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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You can use raspberries, and my trick is to flash freeze them (an hour is enough) to firm them up so they don’t fall apart when you fold them into the batter.
Hey there ~ I'm Sue. I love to make delicious food, photograph it, and write about it, but mostly, I just love to EAT. Isn't that what it's all about? My recipes are creative, vibrant, and totally approachable no matter what your skill level. Let's grab a bite together!
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This looks so simple and so good, can I use regular raspberries in it or will they be too juicy?
You can use raspberries, and my trick is to flash freeze them (an hour is enough) to firm them up so they don’t fall apart when you fold them into the batter.