NewsIf you like lemons and raspberries, you will adore this Lemon Raspberry Cake! This raspberry cake bursts with fresh lemon flavor and is topped with delicious lemon cream cheese icing. This lemon raspberry dessert is ideal for Mother’s Day or Easter breakfast!
Lemon Raspberry Cake Recipe
We had three days of nonstop rain last week, and I scarcely left the home. I welcomed the less-than-ideal weather as a chance to nest. I treated myself to delivery (twice!), curled up on the couch for a serious Criminal Minds marathon, and baked until there was no sugar left in the pantry. This Lemon Raspberry Cake came up as a result of these hijinks.
I’ve been making extensive use of Summer fruit. Every weekend you can find me at our local farmer’s market, swiping up as many cartons as I can carry. Last weekend the raspberries looked especially plump and lovely so I splurged and bought 6 cartons!!!
3 for eating and 3 for baking. Summer life is the best, I tell ya!
How to Make Lemon Raspberry Cake
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success:
- This recipe calls for cake flour because it’s extra Our cake has a silky smooth feel since it is finely milled. Cake flour may be found in the baking department of most grocery shops, but if you can’t locate it, don’t worry! It’s simple to make your own cake flour with only two ingredients: cornstarch and all-purpose flour. This is what you do: Remove 2 tablespoons of flour for every 1 cup of flour called for in the recipe. Then add in 2 Tbsp of Cornstarch for every 1 cup of flour (you’re replacing the tablespoons of flour taken out with cornstarch). Sift this mixture a few times (you want it well combined) and that’s it – you just made ready-to-use cake flour.
- Before adding the raspberries to the batter, mix them in all-purpose flour. This dusting of flour helps keep the berries afloat during the baking process, and ensure you won’t slice into a cake full of sunken berries.
- You may use fresh or frozen raspberries for this cake, but don’t defrost them beforehand.
- In this recipe, I used store-bought raspberry preserves, but you may use homemade if you want!
- Make use of fresh lemon juice and zest! To begin, zest the lemons, then cut them in half and juice them. I recommend purchasing 6 or 7 huge, thick lemons to ensure you have plenty on hand.
- Lemon essence is listed as an optional component. If you want a cake with a subtle lemon taste, I don’t believe it’s necessary. If you want a really lemony cake, I recommend adding the extract to both the lemon raspberry cake mix and the icing. I love Watkins pure lemon extract because it’s 100% natural, doesn’t contain any artificial flavors, colors, or additives, and just tastes like pure lemon. I guarantee I’m not being paid to say any of this; I really like their lemon essence!
- I don’t advocate adding more raspberries to the batter than is asked for. Too many berries may weigh down the cake while baking, causing it to sink in the center and bake unevenly. You may top the icing with more raspberries if desired.
- Before you begin baking, make sure your butter, eggs, sour cream, and milk are all at room temperature.
- When you measure your flour, be sure you’re not packing it into the measuring cup. A thick and dry cake will result from using packed flour.
- Before creaming the frosting, make sure your butter and cream cheese are both very soft.
- Just top your cake with fresh raspberries and twisted lemon slices to make it appear precisely like mine in these photographs.
Don’t let this luscious and delicious lemon raspberry cake pass you by this summer!
For more Lemon Raspberry Recipes, Check Out:
- Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake
- Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
- Raspberry Peach Iced Tea Lemonade
- Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream
Please let me know if you attempt this recipe! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on instagram! Viewing your culinary delights brightens my day.
Lemon Raspberry Cake
Ultra moist and flavorful Lemon Raspberry Cake!
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Course Dessert
Cuisine Cake
Servings 1 Layer Cake (9″); 8 large slices
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) room temperature unsalted butter
- 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 and 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries (do not defrost if using frozen)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 full-fat cream cheese block (8 ounces), somewhat softer than room temperature
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter, slightly softened to room temperature
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, more if needed
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
Garnish:
- 1/2 cup raspberry preserves
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (F). To line your cake pans, cut two 9-inch circular slices of parchment paper. Spray each pan generously – sides and bottom – with nonstick cooking spray, then place the parchment paper cut out in the bottom of the pans and spray again. To prevent your cakes from sticking, be sure you spray every inch of pan and paper. Put aside the pans.
- In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), combine the butter, both sugars, lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract; beat on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (don’t skimp on time here!). Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Set aside.
- In a separate basin, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined. Mix the dry components into the wet ingredients on moderate speed until just just incorporated. There should still be some lumps and dried streaks visible. Switch off the mixer. Add in the milk, sour cream, and lemon juice; use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients into the mixture, stirring until everything is incorporated, but being sure not to overmix. Set aside.
- In another bowl, gently toss the raspberries with 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Fold in the raspberries and any residual flour by hand, using a rubber spatula, until barely incorporated. Remember not to over-mix! Overmixing is a common mistake that results in a dry, thick cake.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the tops are firm and slightly brown, and a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted into the middle comes out clean, or with a few moist (but not wet) crumbs adhering to it.
- Let the cakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pans before running a knife around the sides to dislodge any stuck parts and turning them out onto a cooling rack to cool fully.
- While the cakes cool, you can make the frosting.
For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Lower the speed to low and add the confectioners’ sugar gradually. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon essence, and salt until well blended. Return to medium speed and mix until creamy, approximately 2 minutes. Continue beating the frosting until it is extremely light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. If the frosting seems too thin, add a little more confectioners’ sugar, starting with one tablespoon at a time; if the frosting seems to thick, add in a little more sour cream, starting one tablespoon at a time.
- After the cakes have fully cooled, set one round on a cake stand or big plate and evenly spread the frosting on top and sides, then top with the raspberry preserves. Don’t be concerned if they mix a bit. Place the second cake round on top of the frosted one and softly push down to bind them together. Refrigerate the semi-iced cake for 20 minutes before continuing to frost it using a thin spatula, offset spatula, or whatever you have on hand that works best, until the top and sides of the cake are equally frosted. Return the cake to the refrigerator for another 20 minutes before decorating. I like to top this cake with fresh raspberries and thin lemon slices, but you may decorate it as you want.
- The frosted cake will stay fresh, covered and stored in the refrigerator, for 3 days. Just remove it from the refrigerator an hour or two before serving to allow it to come to room temperature.
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