Goldy’s Dream Cake is a decadent, multi-layered dessert featuring a buttery, crumbly crust, a smooth cream cheese filling, a sweet-tart raspberry jam layer, and a crunchy almond topping. This crowd-pleasing cake is ideal for special occasions or gatherings, with a balance of textures and flavors that make every bite irresistible. Preparing it a day ahead enhances its flavor and makes serving easier.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
45 minREADY
1¾ hrsChef Tips
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature for a smooth filling without lumps.
- Avoid Overmixing: When combining the crust batter, mix just until ingredients are incorporated to maintain a tender texture.
- Jam Application: Warm the raspberry jam slightly for easier spreading, but let it cool before applying to avoid melting the cream cheese layer.
- Prevent Cracks: If the cream cheese layer puffs up during baking, don’t worry—it will settle as it cools. Overnight refrigeration helps set the layers.
- Storage: Store cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
Variations
- Fruit Swap: Replace raspberry jam with strawberry, blueberry, or apricot preserves for a different flavor profile.
- Nut Alternatives: Substitute almonds with chopped pecans or walnuts for a varied crunch.
- Citrus Zest: Add 1 teaspoon of lemon or orange zest to the cream cheese filling for a bright, tangy note.
- Gluten-Free Option: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour, ensuring other ingredients are gluten-free.
Potential Pitfalls to Avoid
- Soggy Crust: Ensure butter is cold when cutting into the flour mixture to achieve a crumbly texture, and don’t overmix the batter.
- Uneven Layers: Spread each layer (batter, filling, jam, topping) evenly to ensure consistent texture and appearance in every slice.
- Sticking to Pans: Grease pans thoroughly and use parchment paper to prevent the crust from sticking, making removal easier.
- Undercooking: Check doneness with a toothpick, as oven times may vary. The center should be set, not jiggly, when done.
Ingredients
Directions
- Preheat Oven: Set oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease two 9-inch springform pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Prepare Crust Mixture: In a large bowl, combine 4 ½ cups flour and 1 ½ cups sugar. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter or food processor until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 2 cups of this mixture for the topping.
- Form Crust Batter: To the remaining crumb mixture, add salt, baking powder, baking soda, 2 eggs, sour cream, and almond extract. Mix until just combined (avoid overmixing to keep the crust tender). Divide the batter evenly between the two pans, spreading it across the bottom and slightly up the sides (about 1 inch high) to form a crust.
- Make Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese, ⅓ cup sugar, 2 eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Spread half of the filling evenly over the crust in each pan.
- Add Jam Layer: Gently spread ¼ cup raspberry jam over the cream cheese layer in each pan, ensuring an even distribution without mixing into the filling.
- Prepare Topping: Pulse almonds in a food processor until coarsely chopped (or chop by hand). Mix with the reserved 2 cups of crumb mixture. Sprinkle evenly over the jam layer in both pans.
- Bake: Place pans on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the topping is golden brown.
- Cool: Let cakes cool in pans for at least 30 minutes. For best results, refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to meld and make slicing easier.
- Serve: Remove from springform pans, slice, and serve chilled or at room temperature.
Comments
This cake looks absolutely delicious, love how the cake turned out, the texture and the color are both very attractive, the raspberry jam on top gave the nice color, also brought more flavor into the cake.