Every cook should have a cake recipe that is so simple to make they don’t have to depend on a boxed mix to come to their rescue when having guests coming over unexpectedly or simply lack the time. This cake should also taste so phenomenal that guests will beg for the recipe and family members will repeatedly request it. Too much to ask, you say? Not with this cake.
In all the years that we’ve been making it, it is so popular with friends and family that we make it for many occassions because it is so loved. This is also the recipe that I give out the most. The people have spoken, not just the cook, who is thrilled not to stand in the kitchen for hours toiling over multiple layers, intricate details and elaborate techniques.
The cake is moist and light, but sturdy enough for the frosting. I use my standard frosting recipe that I use for most of my cakes – light, fluffy and creamy. The addition of fresh raspberries gives the cake such a refreshing taste and since I absolutely adore raspberries, I think it gives it the perfect sweet and tart note of spring. The cake is very versatile, so you can adjust it to your taste and add any berries, fruit, nuts, chocolate or candy. Since it’s so easy to make and is made up of pieces of cake, this is literally a “Piece of Cake”.
Ingredients:
Cake:
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in 1 teaspoon of vinegar
1 1/2 cups flour
Frosting:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 can of condensed milk
1 (16 oz) package sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup heavy cream, very cold
1 pint fresh raspberries
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13×9 inch deep baking pan with aluminum foil.
With a whisk attachment on a standing mixer or using a hand mixer and a large bowl, mix the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add the sour cream. Dissolve the baking soda in vinegar and also add to the cake batter. Mix to combine.
Add the flour and mix until incorporated. The batter will still be on the thinner side.
Pour into prepared baking dish.
Bake for about 30 minutes until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool slightly, just until you can handle it. Tear the cake into pieces. This is the fun part. I always feel like I’m one of the elders in a Russian church breaking bread for communion. The cake should be almost cool when you’re done tearing it apart, but if it isn’t, just set aside until it’s completely cool.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. With a paddle attachment on a standing mixer or using a hand mixer, mix the cream cheese until creamy and it has an even consistency.
Add the condensed milk. Mix to combine. Add the sour cream and vanilla and also mix to combine.
In another chilled bowl with a chilled whisk attachment, whip the very cold heavy cream until stiff but still somewhat soft peaks form.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the rest of the frosting with a rubber spatula. When the cake is cool, pour in part of the frosting and mix.
Keep adding more frosting until all the the cake is completely covered in frosting, but don’t add too much or the cake will be mushy. Set aside the remaining frosting to spread over the assembled cake. Add the raspberries to the cake and VERY GENTLY mix to combine.
You can form the cake into any shape that you like - circle, square, etc. You can also use the sides of a springform pan to help you shape it, by placing the rim on top of the serving plate, putting the cake inside the springform and then taking the springform off. You can even form it into a heart for a romantic date or Valentine’s Day. I simply plopped all the cake onto my serving platter and made a rounded shape.
Cover with the remaining frosting and decorate with chocolate shaving, chocolate glaze, berries, nuts or whatever else you like.
This looks amazing Olga. Thanks so much for the recipe. Can you use frozen raspberries for this or you have to use only fresh?
I tried using frozen raspberries before, and it works ok, but not great, since the berries unthaw and make the cake around them a little wet.
I will be trying this cake for sure. Looks delicious and as usual, great step by step photos.
What an interesting idea! I am sure this is why people want the recipe, because it is so unique, and I am sure tastes delicious.
Wow! This s is awesome style of how you made the cake. I love all the ingredients in it.
Delish✿✿✿
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These thing are so useful in any kitchen.
Thanks for posting this Olga, one of my favorite cakes! You gave me this recipe before and I lost it when I moved, so I’m glad you posted it! Can’t wait to make it again.
Gorgeous cake Olga!!! Will definatly make it!!!
Looks really good! Will definitely make it soon! Can I just use store bought whipping cream, such as cool whip instead of making my own?
Thanks!
Alina, Cool Whip is fine too.
Hi! I made it and it turned out great!! The guests even asked for the recipe!! Thank you!!!
so good and easy my fam loved it! thnx girl
Hi olga! Can I subtitute vanilla yogurt when im making the cake mixture instead of sour cream?
Hi Julia! Yogurt will be fine too.
Made 2 individual cakes to take to 2 different events! such a delicious cake!!!!
”Mm… The sour raspberries make a shocking peek from all the sweetness in the cake, nice!” a guy said while eating.
Thank you Olga, for sharing this yummy reciepe!
How long should I wait until I can serve this cake? Or will it be moist right away?
Hi Alina,
This cake will be moist right away. It’s better if you can refrigerate it for at least half an hour before serving, but I’ve served it immediately and it was fine too. Refrigerating will help the cake set up more, otherwise it isn’t as firm. It will taste just as great right away, though.
Have made this twice now. I also add blueberries. Thank you soo much. It’s delicious
I appreciate all your work 
Blessings!!!!
That’s awesome, Alla! I’m glad you liked it. Our whole family loves this cake. We put in all kinds of berries in it, or sometimes leave it plain and simple.
Hi, Olga. Great cake. Just made it. Haven’t tried yet though
. I feel like the dough part didn’t rise all the way. I can never get biskiviti to rise how I would like it. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Lily,
Biskviti are simple to make but also very easy to mess up:). I’ve had plenty of experience.
Here are some tricks I’ve learned. #1 reason that the cake doesn’t rise enough – the eggs are not whipped enough. Start with room temperature eggs. If you don’t think ahead, just put the eggs in warm water for 5 minutes, this will work great. Mix the eggs for at least 5 minutes. At first I actually timed myself. I was so surprised because what I though was 5 minutes and what it actually turned out to be was a huge difference:). Beating the eggs until they’re light and fluffy is what makes the cake rise. You also don’t want to deflate the eggs when you add the rest of the ingredients. This can happen when you add the dry ingredients or when you beat the flour too much. For biskvit (sponge cake) I sift the flour over the whipped eggs and then fold it in carefully with a rubber spatula. For this cake, I add the flour and then mix it only long enough to combine, not a second more. If there are still a few streaks of flour, that’s ok, you can finish mixing it with a rubber spatula. You can read more about cake baking tips on this post – 8 Cake Baking Tips.
Olga – svtoroj raz peky etot tort, tolko on y menya pechetsya more than min like around hour, don’t know what happened
did everything like you, mozhet ya cho to ne tak delayu?
Thank you so much
Hi Natalya!
Hmmm…. I’m not sure how to help you. I’ve never had any issues with this cake. I don’t really know what you could have done wrong, since I don’t know how you were making it. What kind of baking pan are you using to bake the cake in?
I used glass pan…. Last time when I did this cake, I cook around 1 hour, but last time I used glass pan but smaller than yours, so ya podymala vot v etom problema, but this time i choose another glass pan ( ya dazhe ego pomerala by ryletka
) any ways, it was same thing, and my mom have new oven, so i don’t know what going on 
, it is funny, but any ways the buskvit turn pyshustuj really bit brown but it is ok, like after 30 min I cover cake with the foil on top, perezhuvala wtobu ne podgarel 
vot takiye y nas dela s tortom. But thank you so much for this recipe every body love the cake
I’m so sorry to hear that, Natalka! I always use the 9×13 inch glass baking pan and never had any problems with it. I hope it turns out better next time.
Olga cake turn very good, everybody LOVED…thank you so much
delicous i would say!!!!! =)
How long does that cake have to be in fridge for order to be set to cut into????
Marin,
You can cut it right away, although it will be a little soft. I would keep it in the refrigerator for half an hour at least, preferably for an hour.
Made this for my guests and ended up giving your site away. It was delicious. The cream was so unbelievably good, and it was easy to make like the name suggests
Thank you, Alina!
Hey Olga cute cake!:)is the batter kinda sticky when baked?
Hi Alana,
No, the cake isn’t sticky when it’s baked.
Hi! Will this cake be good if I make it the night before and serve it around lunchtime the next day? Won’t be too mushy? Any tips for that ?
No, it won’t be too mushy. The texture of the cake is perfect to be made ahead of time.
Hi Olga,
How many days ahead of time can I make the cake(with out frosting)?
Hi Nadia,
Make it as far in advance as you usually make any cake. I wouldn’t do it more than a few days early, but that’s up to you. The important thing is not to put in the raspberries if you don’t plan on eating it within a day, since they will become mushy and watery.
I used strawberries instead of raspberries, and it turned out perfect!!!
Hi Diana,
I’m glad you liked it. Strawberries are great here too. Sometimes we add blueberries or blackberries too:).
Made this cake for thanksgiving and everyone loved it! Thank you for sharing this recipe. God bless you!
Hi there Olga I recently came across your website and can say for sure I will be visiting you often
quick question during the winter months what can I substitute for the fresh raspeberries? The ones I saw at the store did not look so good..you mentioned that frozen raspeberries are not such a great idea would other frozen berries work? look forward to your reply
Welcome, Luba!
I’m so glad you stopped by:).
You can use any other berries or fruit – blueberries, peaches, strawberries, kiwi, segmented oranges or clementines, etc. You can even add chocolate chips or chopped nuts. Actually, you don’t even need to add anything to it. Most of the time we eat it without any fancy additions and it tastes great too.
Thanks Olga will be trying this soon! Take care
This is a great cake! I made it on several occasions and had raving reviews! Everyone loved it there was nothing left from the cake in a matter of hours.
P.S. Although I did reduce the amount of whipping cream and sour cream – I just like it a little drier. Doubled the raspberries.
happymedley.blogspot.com
Making this cake tonight but substituting raspberries (which i LOVE) with strawberries. Hopefully it turnes out as good!
I just love how easy you make all of the recipes look. This step by step approach is really working out for me lol
Thank you Vika! Raspberries are my favorite, but I love strawberries in this cake too.
I made this cake today. It turned out SO good! I forgot the last time I made a cake but when I saw this recipe, I couldn’t resist!!! Thank you for having such a great recipe and website, I will be visiting it a lot:)
Thank you, Ally! I’m so glad you enjoyed it:).
Thanks Olga for this great and easy recipe! Just wanted to ask you if you use cake flour often or not. I bought it when I was making the italian rum cake and now wondering if it would be a great idia to use it for a cake like this one?
Hi Luba!
I use cake flour for many different recipes. I wouldn’t recommend it for this cake, though. Cake flour is very soft and has a low protein content. The cake won’t turn out correctly with cake flour.
Here are a few other ideas to use cake flour for: Cannoli Cake, Cranberry-Raspberry Cake Roll. I use the sponge cake recipe for many variations of cake. You can use any kind of fillings and frostings.
I’ll be sharing more recipes in the future.
Hey Olga,
If I don’t have heavy whip cream, can I use half and half or whip cream or omit that all together? Will the cream still come out nice?
Hi Lina,
Whipped cream makes the frosting very light, fluffy and gives it a great creamy flavor. Half and half will not whip up. You can omit the heavy cream, but the frosting will be heavier, and, in my opinion:), won’t taste as good. Hope that helps.
thank you Olya for this wonderful website and this tasty recipe! Made this cake last week and my husband loved it. It was perfect! Keep them coming!
Just wanted to say that this was one delicious cake. My hubby loved it and my guests enjoyed it too. Mmm Mmm good! Thanks again for tasty recepies. Oh and BTW its very moist and the cake doesn’t need to stand in the fridge very long for it to be perfect. Add more raspberries – for more yumminess.
Awesome! Glad you like it, Olga. You’re right, it doesn’t need to stand in the fridge for too long. Sometimes, when we’re in a rush, we serve it right away.