Description

This Lemon Raspberry Cake combines the bright, tart flavors of fresh lemon and raspberries with a moist, tender crumb and a smooth lemon cream cheese frosting. Perfect for spring or summer gatherings, this cake is both refreshing and indulgent, featuring layers of soft cake, tangy raspberry preserves, and creamy frosting adorned with fresh fruit slices for a beautiful presentation.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tbsp lemon zest
½ tsp pure lemon extract (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
2½ cups cake flour
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup whole milk
½ cup full-fat sour cream
½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2½ cups fresh or frozen raspberries
2 tbsp all-purpose flour

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

1 block (8 oz) full-fat cream cheese, softened
10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp fresh lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp pure lemon extract (optional)
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp sour cream

Garnish:

½ cup raspberry preserves
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh raspberries

Instructions

Preheat Oven & Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans to prevent sticking.
Cream Butter & Sugars: In a large bowl, beat the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and lemon zest together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in the lemon extract and vanilla extract if using.
Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition to ensure a smooth batter.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for even distribution.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, blend together the whole milk, full-fat sour cream, and fresh lemon juice.
Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients into the butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix gently to avoid overworking the batter.
Prepare Raspberries: Toss the fresh or frozen raspberries with the all-purpose flour to help prevent bleeding in the batter, then gently fold them into the cake batter.
Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare Frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then add lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon extract if using, salt, and sour cream. Mix until well combined and creamy.
Assemble: Spread a layer of frosting on the bottom cake layer, add a thin layer of raspberry preserves, then top with the second cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the entire cake evenly.
Garnish: Decorate the cake with thin lemon slices and fresh raspberries for an attractive finish.

Notes

For a lighter frosting, reduce the amount of confectioners’ sugar used.
If using frozen raspberries, do not thaw them before mixing into the batter to prevent the raspberries from bleeding and coloring the batter too much.
The cake layers can be baked a day or two in advance and stored at room temperature, or they can be frozen for longer storage. Frost the cake on the day you plan to serve it.
Store leftover cake in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
To make this cake gluten-free, substitute cake flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
Calories: 430 kcal
Sugar: 36 g
Sodium: 220 mg
Fat: 25 g
Saturated Fat: 15 g
Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
Trans Fat: 0.5 g
Carbohydrates: 45 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 5 g
Cholesterol: 110 mg

Keywords: lemon raspberry cake, lemon cake recipe, raspberry cake, lemon cream cheese frosting, summer cake, berry dessert