The Ultimate Hazelnut Raspberry Crumb Cake Recipe: A Festive Treat with St. Dalfour
A simple, yet exquisitely festive crumb cake, elevated with a fragrant brown butter base, a generous layer of vibrant raspberry fruit spread, and crowned with a crisp, buttery hazelnut crumb topping. This recipe is your secret weapon for delicious holiday baking!
As the holiday season draws near, there’s nothing quite like the comforting aroma of freshly baked goods filling your home. If you’re on the hunt for a quick, show-stopping dessert that’s as delightful to look at as it is to eat, or a thoughtful homemade gift for friends and family, then prepare to fall in love with today’s featured recipe: our irresistible Hazelnut Raspberry Crumb Cake. This isn’t just any ordinary crumb cake; it’s a celebration of flavors and textures, designed to bring joy to any occasion.
What sets this particular crumb cake apart is its thoughtful construction and the quality of its ingredients. The cake itself boasts a deep, nutty flavor thanks to brown butter, beautifully complemented by the warm spices of cardamom and cinnamon. But the true stars are the layers that follow: a thick, vibrant layer of St. Dalfour Red Raspberry Fruit Spread, providing a burst of authentic fruitiness, and a crunchy, aromatic hazelnut crumb topping that adds the perfect textural contrast. Each bite is a harmonious blend of tender cake, tart fruit, and sweet, crisp crumble.
Why You’ll Adore This Hazelnut Raspberry Crumb Cake
While every component of this magnificent crumb cake contributes to its charm, the St. Dalfour Red Raspberry Fruit Spread truly shines as the star ingredient. It’s the secret to achieving a beautifully layered and rustic crumb cake that is wonderfully moist, bursting with rich flavor, and absolutely brimming with the authentic taste of fresh fruit. Its natural sweetness and vibrant tang cut through the richness of the cake and crumb, creating a perfectly balanced bite.
I am absolutely thrilled to partner with St. Dalfour for this recipe. Their hand-crafted fruit spreads have been a staple in my kitchen for decades – and yes, I genuinely mean decades! Their commitment to quality is unparalleled. Made in France, St. Dalfour fruit spreads are crafted using 100% fruit and are exclusively sweetened with vineyard-ripened grape and fruit juice. This means you won’t find any cane sugar, artificial syrups, or unnecessary additives or flavorings in their jars, ensuring a pure and intense fruit flavor.
This traditional, labor-intensive method of jam making results in beautifully textured spreads that truly allow the peak flavor of the fruit to shine. While I adore using St. Dalfour spreads in countless ways, this dedication to quality makes them particularly perfect for baked goods, especially a vibrant dessert like this Hazelnut Raspberry Crumb Cake. Here, the fresh, slightly tart raspberry flavor isn’t just an accent; it’s a bright, central note that sings in every single bite, elevating the entire experience.
The Versatility of This Crumb Cake
One of the aspects I cherish most about this crumb cake is its incredible versatility. It adapts beautifully to all sorts of variations, allowing you to get creative in the kitchen. While I opted for the delightful Red Raspberry Fruit Spread for its classic appeal and tangy burst, the possibilities are virtually endless. St. Dalfour offers an impressive array of 22 fruit spread varieties! Imagine this cake made with Blackberry, Strawberry, or Apricot fruit spread. Each choice promises a unique and equally delicious experience. Don’t hesitate to experiment and make this recipe truly your own – have fun and let your culinary imagination run wild!
How to Make the Perfect Hazelnut Raspberry Crumb Cake: Step-by-Step
Creating this spectacular crumb cake is a rewarding process, and with these detailed steps, you’ll achieve perfection every time. The key is in preparing each component carefully and assembling them with love.
First, prepare your baking pan and preheat the oven. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and ensure a rack is positioned in the center. This provides even baking. Lightly grease an 8-inch (20-cm) square cake pan with baking spray. For easy removal, line it with a parchment paper sling, leaving an overhang on two sides – this acts as “handles” to lift the cooled cake out effortlessly. Set this aside.
Next, prepare the Hazelnut Crumb Topping. In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, ground cardamom, and salt. Whisk these dry ingredients thoroughly to ensure they are well mixed. Add the softened, cubed butter to the bowl, tossing gently until each piece is coated with the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, work the butter into the dry ingredients. The goal is to create a mixture with varying sizes of crumbs, from small to medium. This technique ensures a varied and satisfying crunch in the final product. Finally, stir in the finely chopped hazelnuts, distributing them evenly. Transfer this glorious crumb topping to the refrigerator to chill. Chilling the topping helps it maintain its texture and prevents it from melting too quickly during baking, leading to a beautifully crisp finish.
Now, let’s prepare the Cake Batter. The secret to this cake’s depth of flavor lies in browning the butter. Place the cold unsalted butter, cut into quarters, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Allow it to melt and continue cooking, whisking continuously. The butter will foam, then the milk solids will start to brown and create a wonderfully nutty aroma. Once it reaches a rich amber color and is very fragrant, remove it immediately from the heat. Transfer this luscious browned butter, including all the delightful brown bits from the bottom of the pan, to a large mixing bowl. Let it cool slightly until it’s just lukewarm – this is crucial for the texture of your cake.
While the butter cools, in a separate medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients for the cake: all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cardamom, ground cinnamon, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set this dry mixture aside. Once the browned butter is lukewarm, add the lemon zest, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, and eggs to the bowl. Whisk vigorously for about a minute until the mixture is smooth, pale in color, and just barely frothy. This aeration helps create a tender crumb. Finally, incorporate the room-temperature sour cream and pure vanilla extract, whisking until everything is evenly combined and smooth.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir gently with a whisk until the dry ingredients are just absorbed. Switch to a rubber spatula to scrape down the edges of the bowl, ensuring all the dry ingredients are fully and evenly incorporated. Be careful not to overmix the batter; overmixing can lead to a tough cake. A few streaks of flour are better than a dense cake.
Assemble your masterpiece! Carefully transfer the prepared cake batter into your greased and parchment-lined pan. Use an offset spatula to gently spread the batter into a smooth, even layer, ensuring it reaches all corners of the pan. This creates a uniform base for your fruit and crumb layers.
Now for the star fruit spread! Dollop spoonfuls of the luscious St. Dalfour Red Raspberry Fruit Spread evenly across the cake batter. Once dolloped, use your offset spatula to carefully spread the fruit spread into an even, thin layer, extending it all the way to the edges of the pan. This ensures every slice gets a burst of tangy raspberry goodness. Finally, generously sprinkle the chilled hazelnut crumb topping evenly over the jam layer, creating a tempting, textural crown.
Bake to golden perfection. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 45 to 55 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a cake tester (like a toothpick or thin skewer) inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Don’t worry if the surface appears a bit uneven due to the fruit spread and crumb topping; this creates natural, rustic caverns and is perfectly normal and expected! Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. This initial cooling period allows the cake to set. Then, using the parchment paper overhangs, carefully lift the entire cake out of the pan and transfer it to the wire rack to cool completely. While it’s delightful served slightly warm, cooling it completely allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
BAKING NOTE: The raspberry fruit spread and crumb topping create natural, rustic caverns in the batter as it bakes. This is completely normal and adds to the charm of a homemade crumb cake. So, don’t worry if the surface of your cake isn’t perfectly even – it’s meant to be that way!
Hazelnut Raspberry Crumb Cake
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Serving and Storage Tips: This crumb cake is best enjoyed slightly warm or at room temperature on the day it is baked. For optimal freshness, any leftovers should be wrapped tightly in foil or transferred to an airtight container (like a Ziplock bag) and can be kept at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Equipment
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8-Inch Square Cake Pan
Ingredients
Hazelnut Crumb Topping:
- ½ cup (60g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50g) lightly packed dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons; 55g) unsalted butter softened
- ⅓ cup (45g) whole hazelnuts finely chopped
Cake Batter:
- ½ cup (8 tablespoons; 115g) cold unsalted butter
- 1½ cups (180g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup (100g) lightly packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup (180g) sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (150g) St. Dalfour Red Raspberry Fruit Spread
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center position. Lightly grease an 8-inch (20-cm) square cake pan with baking spray and line with a parchment paper overhang (*this makes it easy to lift out the cake after baking). Set aside.
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Prepare the Hazelnut Crumb Topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, cardamom, and salt. Add the softened, cubed butter and toss until coated. Using your fingertips, cut the softened butter into the dry ingredients, pressing the mixture together with your fingertips until small and medium-size crumbs form. Stir in the finely chopped hazelnuts. Place the crumb topping in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the cake batter.
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Prepare the Cake Batter: Cut the butter into quarters and place in a small saucepan. Set over medium-low heat. Melt and continue cooking the butter, whisking it continuously as it bubbles, until the solids start to brown and it becomes very fragrant. Remove from the heat and immediately transfer the browned butter (along with any brown bits from the bottom of the pan) to a large mixing bowl. Allow the butter to cool slightly – it should be just lukewarm – before proceeding.
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As the butter is cooling slightly, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a separate medium bowl. Set aside.
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Add the lemon zest, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, and eggs to the bowl with the slightly cooled brown butter. Whisk together vigorously for a minute or so, until smooth, pale, and just barely frothy. Add the sour cream and vanilla to the bowl, whisk until incorporated and smooth.
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Add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir together with a whisk until just absorbed, switching to a rubber spatula to scrape down the edges of the bowl and ensure all of the dry ingredients have evenly incorporated. Do not over mix.
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Transfer the batter to the greased, parchment-lined pan. Use an offset spatula to spread the batter into a smooth, even layer. Dollop spoonfuls of St. Dalfour Raspberry Fruit Spread across the batter, then use an offset spatula to spread it into even, thin layer – extending to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle the hazelnut crumb topping evenly over the jam layer.
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Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Baking Note: The fruit spread and crumb topping will create natural caverns, so do not worry if the surface of the baked cake isn’t completely even – this is to be expected. Set the pan on a rack and cool for 10 to 15 minutes; then use the edges of the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan. Place on a rack to cool completely (or serve slightly warm).
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Serving and Storage Tips: This crumb cake is best served slightly warm or at room temperature the day it is baked. However, leftovers can be wrapped tightly in foil, transferred to a Ziplock bag, and kept out at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Tips for Success:
- Experiment with Fruit Spreads: Easily change the flavor profile of this incredible crumb cake by swapping the Red Raspberry Fruit Spread with other delightful St. Dalfour Fruit Spreads. Consider options like Blackberry for a deeper berry note, Peach for a sweeter, summery twist, Apricot for a subtle tang, or Strawberry for a universally loved classic. Each will bring its unique character to the cake!
- Nut Substitutions: If hazelnuts aren’t your preference or readily available, feel free to substitute them with an equal weight of finely chopped pecans or walnuts in the crumb topping. Both nuts will add a delicious, earthy crunch that pairs wonderfully with the other flavors.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: For the cake batter, ensuring your eggs and sour cream are at room temperature is essential. This helps them emulsify better with the browned butter and sugars, resulting in a smoother batter and a more tender, evenly textured cake.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to a tougher, chewier cake rather than a tender one.
- Perfect Parchment Sling: To ensure your parchment paper sling works perfectly for lifting, make sure the overhang is long enough to grasp firmly. A slight spray of baking oil under the parchment can also help it stick to the pan and prevent shifting.