This raspberry almond layer cake uses crumbled muffin pieces to create a naked layer cake a la Momofuku Milk Bar style!
I have learned over and over again that baking is a science. Not everything I bake turns out pretty and delicious. I have had my share of baking failures.
There are many factors that can affect the outcome of your product. Sometimes the oven temperature is incorrect, the batter is mixed too much or not enough, or there is too much leavening agent.
Formulating a new recipe is similar to coming up with a hypothesis. Through a series of testings, trial and error, tastings and observations, you eventually can perfect a recipe.
Turn failed muffins into a baking win!
I had it all planned out. I decided to use a muffin batter that I had experience making before, except this time adding raspberries and some almond flour.
The batter tasted amazing as I was mixing it together. I was so excited for this new recipe. I usually use cupcake liners, but I opted to grease the muffin tins because I wanted the muffins to look natural and rustic. Apparently, I didn’t use enough baking spray because my muffins refused to release from the tin.
The bottoms of the muffins still stuck to the pan. My muffins were ruined. Although the broken muffin bits tasted great, they were ugly and embarrassing to share with others.
Assembly
Sometimes plans fail and its back to the drawing board. That’s why I believe you should always have a plan B (C, D, and E, if necessary).
My muffins failed, but I’m not going to cry and pout about it. Let’s use those broken muffin chunks and whip up something amazing. I made this raspberry almond layer cake a la Milk Bar style!
There are three key items needed to build this cake:
- 8-inch cake ring
- 9-inch round or large cake board
- 3-inch or wider acetate strip
This is a reliable brand that makes round cake rings (or pastry rings). Opt for one at least 2.5-inches tall. You will build the cake inside the cake ring.
The cake ring sits on top of a flat cake board. Alternatively, you make sure a large flat plate.
The cake ring is lined with acetate strip, also known as cake collars. It’s a transparent, flexible sheet that creates clean edges. It keeps the cake layers and fillings in place, preventing them sliding.
Christina Tosi is a dessert genius. I love her Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook and I’m a big fan of her Milk Bar store. She is so inventive and creative with her flavor combinations.
More Almond Recipes
Raspberry Almond Layer Cake
Ingredients
Raspberry Almond Muffins:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, (260 g)
- 1 ½ cups almond flour, (150 g)
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 1 large egg yolk, room temp
- 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar, (267 g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, (113 g), melted
- 1 cup whole milk, (227 g), room temp
- 1 cup sour cream, (227 g), room temp
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- zest of half a lemon, optional
- 2 cups raspberries, (240 g)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, (113 g), room temp
- 8 oz cream cheese, (227 g), room temp, softened
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar , (227 g) or more dependent on desired consistency
Other Components:
- ½ cup raspberry jam
- sliced blanched almonds, lightly toasted
Instructions
Raspberry Almond Muffins:
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk eggs and yolk. Add in sugar, melted butter, milk, sour cream, vanilla extract, and optional lemon zest. Whisk until fully combined.
- In three additions, pour wet mixture into large bowl with the dry ingredients. Fold together until combined. Gently fold in raspberries. Divide batter into prepared muffin tin.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until muffins are golden in color and a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before removing and allow muffins to cool on wire rack.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add salt and vanilla. Mix until combined. Slowly add confectioners' sugar. Mix until smooth and desired consistency is achieved.
Layer Cake Assembly:
- Take an 8-inch cake ring and place on a slightly larger cake board. Alternatively, place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cut a 3-inch wide acetate strip to line the inside of the cake ring.
- Take the raspberry muffin scraps and divide it into three equal parts. Take one part of the scraps and make the first layer inside the ring. Use the palm of your hands, the bottom of a drinking glass, or a tamper to push the scraps together into a flat and even layer.
- Spread about ¼ cup of raspberry jam in an even layer over the cake.
- Spread about ⅓ of cream cheese frosting over the raspberry jam layer.
- Add another layer of cake scraps. Repeat the process for the seond layer. Add the third layer of cake and cover with the remaining 1/3 of cream cheese frosting. Garnish with toasted sliced almonds.
- Let cake rest in freezer for at least 1 hour. Gently remove cake ring and gently peel off the acetate strip while cake cold. Let cake defrost in fridge for a couple of hours before serving.
Notes
- Muffin recipe adapted from Flour
- Layer cake method inspired by Momofuku Milk Bar
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Swooning. Do you think if I make the cake it will hold for a few days in the freezer? Wanting to make for a function but timing may be too tight to do that day? Suggestions?
Hi Maryanne, my friend saw your cake and knew instantly it was the one (her birthday cake). I was wondering if it would make a difference if I used frozen raspberries?
Hi Rhea! (Happy early birthday to your friend!) I haven’t tried making this cake with frozen raspberries. In general, I think you can substitute frozen fruits as long as you don’t defrost them. Use the frozen raspberries straight from the freezer. The muffins might need a couple more minutes to bake, and the muffins may be a little more moist. But that’s okay because you’ll be crumbling the muffins to build the cake. I hope that helps :)
looks delicious! I am just about to put them in the oven and I notice lemon zest is in the ingredients but not mentioned in the directions. Should that have gone in the batter?
Hi Sue, yes the lemon zest goes in the batter, but it is not necessary.
Maryanne,
This looks delicious! I would love to make this as a surprise for my husband tonight but don’t have almond flour. Can I make it without almond flour or substitute with regular all purpose flour? I don’t usually bake so this may sound like a silly question :)
Thanks!
Hi Yolanda! If you have almonds, you could grind it in a food processor to make your own almond flour. I don’t suggest substituting all purpose flour because it might make the batter gummy or too stiff because of all the gluten that will be produced. I hope that helps! Don’t worry there are no silly questions :)
Nobody could tell! Once I made a chocolate bundt that refused to leave the tin. It reincarnated as cake pops ;)
Cake pops! :)
I love this cake! how creative!! Now you make me wanna buy the momofuku cookbook too!!
Thanks, Karen! I love the Momofuku and Momofuku Milk Bar cookbooks! Asides from the recipes, the books explain a lot about the science behind food.
From failure to gorgeous looking cake! Just brilliantly executed….love it
Thanks, Jeannie! I’m glad I now have a plan B every time my muffins/cupcakes/cakes decide to stick to the tin.
What would typically be scraps for the cooks of the kitchen is turned to something that belongs at the front of a bakery display case. Great post and pics Little Epicurean, looking forward to the next one!
I love when a “failure” turns into something great. This cake looks amazing. I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks, Jenn! I just had to find a way to use up the muffins. I couldn’t stand just throwing them away!