This braided Raspberry Pastry features sweet jam, a sugar glaze, and a pancake mix pastry. It’s a delicious breakfast treat without all of the fuss of traditional dough.
Growing up, we got this braided raspberry pastry twice a year during our church’s General Conference.
It was truly a special treat, and one of the food traditions we looked forward to the most throughout the year.
My aunt made it for my dad growing up, my dad made it for me, and now I make it for my children.
We call it Conference Cake in our house, but I’ll refer to it here as a a braided raspberry pastry.
This recipe works because it’s:
- Fancy without the fuss. Everyone will be impressed with the pretty design and glaze on this pastry. But no one will know how easy it is to make!
- A family favorite! Many generations have loved this recipe and it’s sure to be a hit with your family.
- Easy to customize. Any jam works well in this recipe, so choose your favorite.
- A great use of pantry ingredients. Most people have pancake mix, butter, and cream cheese on hand which make this recipe a great one on short notice.
Step-by-Step Instructions
PREHEAT your oven to 425 degrees and grease a half sheet pan or line with parchment paper.
IN a large bowl, cut 4 ounces of cream cheese and 4 tablespoons of cold butter into 2 cups pancake mix with a pastry cutter or sturdy fork until the mixture resembles crumbs.
ADD 1/4 cup milk or enough to make a dough. Mix the dough with a wooden spoon or your hands until well combined.
KNEAD the dough on a floured surface until smooth (about 2-3 minutes) and roll out to a rectangle the size of the pan.
CAREFULLY transfer the dough to the greased baking sheet. Spread 1/2 cup jam down the center of the pastry and cut 11-13 thin diagonal strips on the bare pastry with a paring knife.
FOLD the pieces over the jam and each other alternating sides and starting at the top.
BAKE for 12-15 minutes at 425 degrees until the pastry is golden brown and jam is bubbling.
WHILE the pastry is baking, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a small bowl. Remove the pastry from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.
DRIZZLE the glaze onto the warm pastry with the whisk.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
The original recipe calls for Bisquick which you can use instead of pancake mix. I rarely have Bisquick on hand, so I started using pancake mix years ago and it works just as well.
You can always substitute margarine for butter but the taste won’t be as good.
Funny enough, I still don’t own a pastry cutter so it makes the cutting process a little tricky. I do find that my hands are some of the best tools I own so I’ll usually smash the butter and cream cheese in the pancake mix with my hands to break them down and then use a fork to blend everything together.
If you’ve never made a dough before, you just need enough milk to get the crumbs to stick together. You don’t want too much or you’ll end up with a sticky mess. Just add a tablespoon at a time until the dough starts to stick together.
The easiest way to transfer the dough rectangle to the baking sheet is to fold it in half horizontally, place it on the baking sheet, and then unfold it.
We usually use raspberry jam in this recipe but you can always use strawberry, blackberry, peach, apricot, or any other favorite jam. Homemade tastes best!
If you’d like your glaze to be thin, you can add more milk. If you’d like it to be extra thick, add more powdered sugar. Just be sure to drizzle it on once the pastry has cooled or it could run all over the place.
More Like This
Looking for more breakfast recipes? You’ll love these!
- Fluffy Blueberry Muffins
- Butterscotch Overnight Sticky Buns
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Muffins
- 4-Ingredient Pumpkin Pancakes with Pancake Mix
- German Oven Pancakes
FAQs
Here are a few substitutions for the ingredients in these recipes whether you’re looking for vegan/healthy options or just ran out:
–Cream cheese substitutes
–Butter substitutes
Yes you can, although I’ve never tried it before!
I’d choose a thicker milk like soy or cashew to try and mimic the consistency of cow’s milk. A thinner milk alternative could create a sticky dough.
You can, although I’ve never tried it before!
If you do want to make it ahead, I would just make the dough and let it chill wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator overnight. Then the next morning you can roll it out, add the jam, and bake it.
If you add the jam and then refrigerate it, you’ll need to find a place large enough for a half sheet pan in your fridge and the jam could make the dough soggy.
I hope your family loves this easy braided raspberry pastry! If you make it, be sure to take a picture and tag me on Instagram with @ashcroftfamilytable and use the hashtag #ashcroftfamilytable!
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The Easiest Braided Raspberry Pastry
Ingredients
For the Pastry
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cold
- 4 tablespoons butter, cold
- 2 cups pancake mix
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup jam
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a half sheet pan or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cut cream cheese and cold butter into pancake mix with a pastry cutter (or sturdy fork) until the mixture resembles crumbs.
- Add 1/4 cup milk to the dry mixture (or enough to make a dough). Mix the dough with a wooden spoon or your hands until well combined.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth (about 2-3 minutes) and roll out to a rectangle the size of the pan. Carefully transfer the dough to the greased baking sheet.
- Spread the jam down the center of the pastry and cut 11-13 thin diagonal strips on the bare pastry with a paring knife.
- Fold the pieces over the jam and each other alternating sides and starting at the top.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes at 425 degrees until the pastry is golden brown and jam is bubbling.
- While the pastry is baking, whisk together powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and vanilla in a small bowl. Remove the pastry from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.
- Drizzle the glaze onto the warm pastry with the whisk.