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Raspberry Loaf Cake Ispahan

Sliced raspberry loaf cake Ispahan on a white serving board.
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5 from 14 reviews

This raspberry loaf cake Ispahan is a moist and fragrant cake made with fresh raspberries and a hint of rose. Created by Pierre Hermé, this Ispahan cake looks sophisticated but is easy to make.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4.2 oz. (120 g) fresh raspberries

For the cake batter: 

  • 5.6 oz (160 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup + 3 1/2 tablespoons (110 g) icing (powdered) sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups + 4 1/2 tablespoons (170 g) almond flour
  • 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 whole large egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup + 2 1/2 tablespoons (80 g) all-purpose flour
  • 3 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons (35 g) granulated sugar
  • 5 teaspoons (25 g) whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon rosewater

For decoration (optional):

  • icing (powdered) sugar
  • fresh raspberry
  • red rose petals

*Don't you have the correct baking pan on hand right now? Try this simple Cake Pan Converter!

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Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Sift dry ingredients (almond flour and icing sugar) into a large bowl and set aside. Sift all-purpose flour into a separate bowl.
  2. To make the cake batter, place the softened butter and almond mixture in a large mixing bowl and beat for 3 minutes using an electric mixer. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
  3. Add the whole egg, including the egg yolks, to the butter mixture and whisk for 2 minutes. Then add milk mixed with rosewater and beat for 1 minute.
  4. In a separate small bowl, beat egg whites, gradually adding sugar until soft peaks form (photo 3). Gently fold the fluffy egg whites into the cake batter as you add the flour.
  5. Gently stir the mixture with a rubber spatula, starting from the center and working outward. Be careful not to over-mix! It is best to under-mix than over-mix. Transfer the cake batter to a piping bag.
  6. Butter a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan (opt for a nonstick or a light-colored aluminum pan) and dust it with flour. Alternatively, use nonstick spray to spray the bottom and sides of the baking pan. Next, line the pan with parchment paper, ensuring that it extends beyond the long sides of the pan.
  7. Spread 1/3 of the cake batter evenly in the prepared loaf pan. Place a layer of raspberries on top, leaving some space around the edges. Top the raspberries with another 1/3 of the batter. Next, cover the raspberries with another 1/3 of the batter. Add more berries, again avoiding the edges of the tin. Finally, pour the remaining batter over the fresh raspberries.
  8. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C) and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes until golden brown (photo 6). A knife inserted into the center of the cake should leave no streaks of batter.
  9. Remove the cake from the mold immediately after baking. Let it cool on a wire rack to room temperature.

     

Notes

  1. Make sure to use room-temperature ingredients.
  2. If using a silicone baking pan, read about baking with silicone molds.
  3. When breaking eggs, be cautious to avoid egg yolk and eggshells in the egg whites. Gently beat the whites until they are not too firm.
  4. Add a few drops of red food coloring to the batter to achieve a slightly rose cake color, if desired.
  5. Only use fresh berries for the cake; frozen ones will make it too watery.
  6. Divide the cake batter into three equal parts to make layers of batter and raspberries.
  7. Using a pastry bag is optional: you can spoon the batter into a cake tin.
  8. Don't open the oven door during baking.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.bakinglikeachef.com/cake-ispahan-by-pierre-herme/