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Introducing the ultimate summer dessert: lemon raspberry cake! Zesty lemon layers, juicy raspberries, and creamy lemon frosting make this a must-try dessert. It’s impressive, delicious, and everyone will want a slice.
If lemon raspberry cake is up your alley, chances are you’ll love these other desserts: lemon cheesecake, raspberry pie, and lemon blueberry cake!
Lemon Raspberry Cake Recipe
Imagine this: layers of fluffy lemon-infused cake filled with juicy raspberries, all covered in a velvety lemon frosting. That’s the magic of lemon raspberry cake, the ultimate summer treat that’ll have you coming back for slice after slice! The tangy lemon and sweet-tart raspberries create a flavor combo that is SO irresistible.
And guess what? Making this cake is a lot easier than you’d think! Even if you’re new to baking, you’ll nail it. The lemon zest adds a zingy twist, and the buttermilk keeps it moist and tender. Whipping those egg whites makes it light as air, and don’t even get me started on those juicy summer raspberries! Trust me, this cake isn’t just yummy; it’s a whole experience! You’re going to love it as much as I do.
Lemon Raspberry Cake Ingredients
Let’s talk about the ingredients that makes this lemon raspberry cake so amazing! Want to add your own twist? Try using different berries like blueberries or blackberries. You can also swap the lemon zest with orange or lime zest for a citrusy surprise! No matter what you choose, one thing’s for sure – this cake is a guaranteed hit at any gathering!
- Granulated Sugar: This is what makes the cake taste oh-so-delicious! It adds the right amount of sweetness.
- Lemon Zest: Get ready for a burst of lemony goodness! Lemon zest is like a flavor booster, making the cake extra tangy and refreshing.
- Cake Flour: This special flour gives the cake a tender and soft texture that’s simply heavenly.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Work together to make the cake rise properly.
- Salt: Don’t forget a pinch of salt! It balances the sweetness and brings out all the amazing flavors.
- Buttermilk: The secret ingredient for a moist and tender cake! It keeps everything nice and soft.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: More lemony goodness, because why not? It adds even more citrusy flavor and goes perfectly with the raspberries.
- Vanilla: This ingredient brings warmth and extra flavor to the cake, making it even more tasty.
- Vegetable Oil: So everything stays nice and moist!
- Egg Whites: Whipped to perfection, they make the cake soft and airy.
- Fresh or Frozen Raspberries: The juicy gems in the lemon raspberry cake! Use either fresh or frozen raspberries for bursts of sweet-tart goodness in every bite.
For the Filling:
- Raspberry Jam: Adds a burst of berry goodness between the cake layers.
- Lemon Zest: Complements the jam and also adds a little citrus flavor to the filling.
Lemon Buttercream:
- Unsalted Butter (Room Temperature): The creamy base for the buttercream, giving it a smooth texture.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the frosting and helps it hold its shape.
- Lemon Zest: For more delicious lemon flavor!
- Vanilla Extract: Makes everything taste better.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Lightens the buttercream, making it fluffy and easy to spread on the lemon raspberry cake.
How to Make Lemon Raspberry Cake
Lemon raspberry cake is pretty simple to make, but it does take a little patience and attention to detail. Trust me, it’s so worth it! If you like fruity cakes, this will be one of the best that you have!
- Preheat Oven, Prep Pans: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 8-inch round cake pans and then set aside.
- Sugar Mixture: In a small bowl combine the sugar with the lemon zest until fragrant.
- Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl whisk together the lemon sugar, 2 cups of the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add Wet Ingredients: To the same bowl add the buttermilk, lemon juice, vanilla, and oil and beat with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer or a hand mixer just until fully combined.
- Whip Egg Whites: In another bowl whip the egg whites until medium stiff peaks form. Fold ⅓ of the egg whites into the cake batter to loosen it up, followed by the remaining egg whites. Fold until only a few streaks of egg whites remain.
- Coat Raspberries: Toss the raspberries with the remaining ¼ cup of flour. Fold into the cake batter until just combined.
- Bake: Separate the cake batter evenly into the two cake pans and bake for about 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the center of the cake springs back when lightly pressed. Let cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- Butter Mixture: Place the soft butter into the bowl of a mixer and use the paddle attachment to beat the butter for about 3 minutes, until it’s a pale-yellow color.
- Add Powdered Sugar: Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until it has been incorporated. Add the lemon zest, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of cream. Beat on medium-high for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Adjust Consistency if Needed: For a softer frosting, add more cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting is the desired thickness. For this cake, I recommend keeping the frosting stiff enough to form medium-stiff peaks to frost the cake.
Assembly
- First Cake Layer: Place one cake round topside down on the plate or cake stand.
- Add Filling: Use a piping bag with a large round or star tip to pipe a dam around the edge of the cake to prevent the filling from coming out of the sides. Fill the center of the well with the raspberry jam filling.
- Repeat and Frost: Place the second cake round on top of the first, top down. Use the piping bag to pipe frosting all around the outside and top of the cake. Use an offset spatula to smooth the frosting. Top with fresh raspberries and slices of fresh lemon.
Tips for Making the Best Lemon Raspberry Cake
To make sure you end up with a bakery-worthy cake, these are a few extra things to keep in mind!
- Don’t Overmix Your Egg Whites: You want the egg whites to be medium stiff peaks, not extremely stiff. If you overbeat the egg whites, the cake will have a more dense texture as it will take more mixing to completely combine them with the batter.
- Make Cupcakes Instead: You can easily make cupcakes with this recipe instead. Cook for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Making sure your wet ingredients are room temperature before mixing will ensure that everything blends together well and you achieve a soft, smooth batter.
- Using Frozen Berries: If you choose to use frozen raspberries, don’t thaw them. Thawed raspberries tend to get mushy and clump together. Toss the frozen berries in the flour and fold into the batter right away.
- Chill Your Cake Layers: Chilled or frozen cake layers are easier to frost than room temperature ones. Wrap the cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and chill for several hours or freeze overnight before taking them out and assembling the cake immediately.
Storing Leftovers
I doubt you’ll have any leftovers of this amazing lemon raspberry cake, but I’ll leave these tips here just in case. The cake is just so light and fluffy, and not too rich, so it goes fast! Be sure to grab a slice or two for yourself!
- In the Refrigerator: This cake is best kept in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store in an airtight cake container or cover with plastic wrap.
- In the Freezer: The cake layers can be frozen before they are frosted. Once the cake has completely cooled, wrap the layers separately in 2-3 layers of plastic wrap. They will keep for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight. The layers are best frosted when chilled, so it’s best to keep the thawed cakes in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the cake.
More Amazing Cake Recipes
The best cakes are homemade! They’re a labor of love and it’s fun to see them come together. Making cakes from scratch gets addictive, so I’ll leave these other great recipes here for you to try!
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Lemon Raspberry Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- zest of 2 lemons
- 2 ¼ cups cake flour divided
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 egg whites
- 1 ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
Filling
- ½ cup raspberry jam
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Lemon Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 8-inch round cake pans and set aside.
- In a small bowl combine the sugar with the lemon zest until fragrant.
- In a large bowl whisk together the lemon sugar, 2 cups of the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- To the same bowl add the buttermilk, lemon juice, vanilla, and oil and beat with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer or a hand mixer just until fully combined.
- In another bowl whip the egg whites until medium stiff peaks form. Fold ⅓ of the egg whites into the cake batter to loosen it up, followed by the remaining egg whites. Fold until only a few streaks of egg whites remain.
- Toss the raspberries with the remaining ¼ cup of flour. Fold into the cake batter until just combined.
- Separate the cake batter evenly into the two cake pans and bake for about 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the center of the cake springs back when lightly pressed. Let cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- Place the soft butter into the bowl of a mixer and use the paddle attachment to beat the butter for about 3 minutes, until it’s a pale-yellow color.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until it has been incorporated. Add the lemon zest, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of cream. Beat on medium-high for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- For a softer frosting, add more cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting is the desired thickness. For this cake, I recommend keeping the frosting stiff enough to form medium-stiff peaks to frost the cake.
Assembly
- Place one cake round topside down on the plate or cake stand.
- Use a piping bag with a large round or star tip to pipe a dam around the edge of the cake to prevent the filling from coming out of the sides. Fill the center of the well with the raspberry jam filling.
- Place the second cake round on top of the first, top down. Use the piping bag to pipe frosting all around the outside and top of the cake. Use an offset spatula to smooth the frosting. Top with fresh raspberries and slices of fresh lemon.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How much of the recipe would I need for a 12×12 cake? Thank you
I would double the recipe and then bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Great recipe. I will try it. I know one however I use fresh raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries. Also add dried cranberries.
I live in Mexico and do not cake flour. Only good ole harina! What do I. We’d to do to compensate?
Do you have cornstarch available? If so, you can make your own cake flour with harina! For every 1 cup of harina, remove 2 tablespoons of the flour and replace with cornstarch. Then, you will sift it together. Once it’s been fully sifted, then measure out the amount of flour that you need for the recipe!