lemon raspberry cake

This Lemon Raspberry Birthday Cake is a fun spin on classic birthday cake with fluffy, moist lemon cake layers coated in a smooth raspberry buttercream. The lemon and raspberry flavors pair beautifully together in this delicious layer cake recipe.

Lemon Raspberry Birthday Cake

all-purpose flour

salt

baking powder

eggs (room temperature)

sugar

vanilla extract

lemon extract

lemon

buttermilk

butter

vegetable oil

salted butter (2 sticks, softened)

raspberry puree

raspberries and sprinkles (for topping)

Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the center. Lightly butter two 8” x 2” round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment circles the same size as your cake pans and butter the parchment. If your 8” pans aren’t at least 2” deep, use 9” pans.

In a small bowl sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder then whisk to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon zest until thickened and light gold in color, about 2-3 minutes at medium-high speed. The batter should fall in thick ribbons from the whisk.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the egg mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix once more just to make sure everything is incorporated.

Heat milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it just comes to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter and oil, whisking until the butter has melted.

Slowly mix the hot milk mixture into the batter, mixing on low speed until everything is well combined. Scrape down the bowl and mix again just until smooth.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake the cakes until the edges are pulling away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 26 to 30 minutes for two 9” pans, or 38 to 42 minutes for two 8” pans. Remove the cakes from the oven, carefully run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the edges, and allow cakes to cool for 15 minutes in the pans. Then transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

To Make Cakes

Beat the butter and raspberry puree in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until fully combined and fluffy.

Add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, mixing to combine after each addition until all of the powdered sugar has been added. Scrape down the bowl and mix again to make sure everything is combined.

If frosting is too loose, add another cup or two of powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.

To Make Raspberry Frosting

Place a small dollop of frosting onto the center of a cake serving plate and place one of the cake layers on top. This helps keep the cake from sliding around as you frost. You can tuck pieces of waxed or parchment paper underneath the edge of the cake to keep the plate clean if desired. Spread the bottom layer with about 1 cup of frosting and spread out into an even layer with an icing spatula. Place the second cake layer on top of the frosted cake layer bottom-side up. Center the cake and gently press down in the middle to even the cake.

If have the time, place the cake in the refrigerator or freezer, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes or up to two hours to firm it up. This will make the layers less likely to slide around as you work, and the cake won’t shed crumbs as you frost. If you’re pressed for time, you can skip this step.

Either scoop the remaining frosting onto the top of the cake and spread out evenly on the top and down the sides with an offset spatula, or use a piping bag to pipe ribbons of frosting onto the top and around the sides of the cake. Then take a pastry scraper and go around the sides of the cake by turning your cake plate while gently pressing into the sides of the cake to create a smooth frosting layer. Once sides are smooth, smooth the top and scrape away any excess frosting.

Finish the cake by piping several dollops of frosting around the top with a star tip, spacing them as evenly apart as possible and leaving a little space in between. Place fresh raspberries in a standing position in between the frosting dollops. Press sprinkles into the bottom of the cake all around the sides and add a few sprinkles around the top edge of the cake. Slice and enjoy!

Assembling the Cake

The Best Light and Fluffy Lemon Cake with Fresh Raspberries and a Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.&nbsp;

Lemon Raspberry Cake

Canola Oil ((or vegetable or olive oil))

Eggs

Buttermilk

Tablespoon Lemon

Tablespoons Lemon

Sugar

Flour ((plus 2 Tablespoons more for the raspberries))

Baking Powder

Baking Soda

Salt

Fresh Raspberries ((plus more for garnish))

Butter ((softened))

(1) 8-ounce pkg. Cream Cheese ((softened))

Lemon Zest

Fresh Raspberries

Lemon Slices

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, add oil, eggs, buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cream for 2 minutes. 

In large bowl, add sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into egg mixture and fold.&nbsp;

In a small bowl, carefully toss raspberries with 2 Tablespoons of flour to coat them. This helps to keep the raspberries from sinking to the bottom. Fold into the batter.

Spray three 8-inch or three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. You can also use two 9-inch pans but the baking time will be longer. Place batter into baking pans. If using three 8-inch pans, bake for 20-26 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. If using three 9-inch pans, bake for 19-23 minutes. If using two 9-inch pans, bake for 30-36 minutes. Cool.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl often. Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest and cream together. Chill.

To make Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

Remove cakes from pan. Spread frosting on top of one cooled cake layer. Place other cooled cake layer on top and spread frosting all over. Garnish with fresh raspberries and lemon slices.Optional: Let chill for 20-30 minutes to let the frosting set up.

To assemble cake:

This lemon raspberry cake is made with moist lemon cake layers, a raspberry filling, and is frosted with a tangy cream cheese frosting.

sugar (400 grams)

Tbsp fresh lemon zest (6 grams)

+ 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (270 grams)

tsp baking powder (6 grams)

tsp fine salt (3 grams)

lemon juice,

vegetable oil (15 grams)

raspberries (optional)

raspberry jam

unsalted butter, room temperature (226 grams)

full-fat cream cheese, room temperature (113 grams)

lemon juice (12 grams)

fine tsp salt (3 grams)

tsp vanilla extract (4 grams)

sugar (625 grams)

raspberries

lemons

Add 2 cups of granulated sugar and 1...

Add 2 cups of granulated sugar and 1 Tbsp fresh lemon zest into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Massage the sugar and zest together with your finger tips to release the oil in the zest.

Add 2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour,...

Add 2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt into the lemon sugar. Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer to mix on a low speed until combined.

Mix in 2/3 cup (1 & 1/3 stick)...

Mix in 2/3 cup (1 & 1/3 stick) unsalted butter slowly into the dry mix, on a medium-low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain and the mixture becomes crumbly.

Pour in 2/3 cup or about 5 egg...

Pour in 2/3 cup or about 5 egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated and the batter looks wet.

Mix in 3/4 cup of buttermilk, 1/4 cup...

Mix in 3/4 cup of buttermilk, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 Tbsp vegetable oil, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.

Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans....

Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. If desired, place 1 cup of fresh raspberries on top of the cake batter.

Bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick...

Bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run a small offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.

Place cake layers into the freezer for 30...

Place cake layers into the freezer for 30 minutes to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers.

Use a serrated knife to level the tops...

Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers right before you plan to assemble your cake.

Beat 1 cup of unsalted butter and 1/2...

Beat 1 cup of unsalted butter and 1/2 cup of cream cheese on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a stand mixer and paddle attachment or hand mixer, until smooth.

Add in 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1...

Add in 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp lemon zest, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. Beat on low until incorporated.

Slowly mix in 5 cups of powdered sugar...

Slowly mix in 5 cups of powdered sugar on a very low speed, 1 cup at a time. Mix on low until the desired consistency is reached.

If the frosting is too thick, add in...

If the frosting is too thick, add in additional lemon juice (1 Tablespoon at a time).

If the frosting is too thin, add in...

If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time).

Place the frosting in a large piping bag...

Place the frosting in a large piping bag and secure the top with a rubber band.

Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof...

Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or flat plate, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.

Pipe a thick ring of frosting on top...

Pipe a thick ring of frosting on top of the cake layer. Spread about 1/4 cup of the raspberry filling inside the ring of frosting. Pipe a layer of lemon cream cheese frosting on top of the filling.

Repeat with remaining cake layers then chill the...

Repeat with remaining cake layers then chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) to help the cake filling firm up and make it easier to cover the cake in a crumb coat.

Spread a thin coat of frosting around the...

Spread a thin coat of frosting around the cake and smooth the frosting using a bench scraper.

Chill the cake again in the fridge (30...

Chill the cake again in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the crumb coat is firm to the touch.

Add a second, thicker layer of lemon cream...

Add a second, thicker layer of lemon cream cheese frosting to the cake and smooth using an icing comb.

Decorate as desired! I chose to make a...

Decorate as desired! I chose to make a ring of fresh raspberries and lemon peel spirals, and dust them with a bit of powdered sugar.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/rto29gel6hjszxph8bgu.mp4

This delicious lemon raspberry cake is made with fluffy lemon cake layers and a bright raspberry filling, and frosted with a lemon cream cheese buttercream.

This lemon raspberry cake is a beautiful, bakery-worthy dessert that’s surprisingly easy to make at home! With moist, fluffy lemon cake, fresh lemon zest, and juice, and a homemade raspberry filling made with frozen raspberries, every bite bursts with flavor. Finished with an irresistible raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream, the cake only gets better with time, making it the perfect make-ahead treat for birthdays, holidays, or any special occasion!

Moist Lemon Cake with Raspberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

lemon juice

cornstarch

water

cake flour

fine sea salt

unsalted European butter (room temperature)

heavy cream

unsalted butter

raspberry jam (from above)

raspberries, lemon slices, freeze dried raspberries, for decorating

Cook the raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice over medium heat until the berries have released their juices and are boiling, mashing occasionally. Then whisk together the cornstarch and water. Stir the slurry into the pot, and cook 1-2 minutes longer, until thickened. Push the filling through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds, stir in the vanilla, then reserve 1/2 cup of the filling for the frosting. Set both aside to cool.

For the Raspberry Jam

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease the sides of three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar. Then add the flour, salt, and baking powder, and whisk to combine.

On low speed, mix in the butter until it has a sandy texture.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.

Mix in half of the wet ingredients, until all of the flour has been moistened. Then scrape down the bowl. Mix in the remaining wet ingredients, pulsing at first until it starts to combine, then mixing on low speed until just combined, scraping down the bowl once to ensure everything is well combined. It is naturally a thicker cake batter!

Evenly distribute the cake batter into the prepared cake pans (485 grams in each), using a spatula to smooth and tops. Bake for 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out covered in a few moist crumbs. Let the pans cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove them from the pans and allow them to finish cooling on the racks. Be gentle, the cake layers are very delicate!

For the Cake

In a large bowl over a double boiler with simmering water, whisk together the egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking frequently, until the sugar is dissolved and a thermometer reads 165°F.

Pour the meringue into a stand mixing bowl with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until the meringue cools to roughly 90-95°F, about 10-15 minutes.

Turn the speed down to low and mix in the butter 1-2 tablespoons at a time. When all of the butter is combined, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until it looks light and fluffy. Finally, mix in the reserved raspberry jam and salt.

For the Swiss Meringue Frosting

Trim a thin layer off the tops of each cake layer with a serrated knife to expose the crumb. Place the first layer on your serving board. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on the crumb. Pipe a border of buttercream around the edge of the cake, then fill the center with half of the raspberry jam. Place the next layer on top, and continue with the same steps, placing the last cake layer upside down so that the top of the cake is flat.

Cover the cake in a thin layer of buttercream as a crumb coat, then refrigerate for 20-30 minutes until firm. This can help set the cake so that the filling doesn’t spill out the sides!

Use the rest of the buttercream to cover the sides and top of the cake. Use any remaining frosting to pipe dollops on top of the cake. Garnish with freeze-dried raspberries, fresh raspberries, lemon slices, or lemon zest. Let the cake marinate in the fridge for 4-6 hours or overnight for the best flavor and texture! Let it come to room temperature before serving.

For Assembly

Made this cake for Easter and everyone loved it! Not too sweet, but so fresh and delicious!

Im usually more of a chocolate cake guy, but this may be my new favorite!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/qVZjJKdk.mp4

Gorgeous lemon raspberry cake made with fresh lemon juice and zest, raspberries, poppy seeds, and a luscious lemon raspberry frosting. This lemon poppy seed cake is gluten-free thanks to almond flour and oat flour, and is easily made dairy-free. Perfect for spring and summer holidays and sharing with loved ones!

Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Cake

Wet ingredients:

eggs,

honey

almond extract

Dry ingredients:

almond flour

oat flour** (do not pack!)

poppy seeds

baking soda

For the lemon raspberry frosting:

(12 ounces) butter

lemon zest

raspberries (to make 1-2 tablespoons raspberry puree)

For the filling:

raspberries,

For the garnish:

raspberries (do not cut!)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line the bottom of three 6-inch round cake pans or two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper rounds. Spray parchment paper and sides of the pans with nonstick cooking spray. YOU SHOULD USE PARCHMENT PAPER or the cake is likely to stick. Please do not forget.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice and almond extract. The mixture should be smooth and well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk the almond flour, oat flour, poppy seeds, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well with a rubber spatula until smooth.

Divide batter evenly between pans and spread out with a spatula to smooth the tops. Bake for 18-28 minutes in the two 8-inch pans or 25-35 minutes for three 6-inch pans. Cakes are done when a tester comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting or removing from the pans. The cake should be room temperature when you frost it. This is very important. Cakes can be made a day ahead if you’d like.

Make your frosting: Add ½ cup raspberries to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour mixture through a sieve over a small bowl and use the back of a spoon to get all of the juice out so you only have the seeds remaining. Set the raspberry juice puree aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the softened butter or vegan butter and whip on high until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add 4 cups powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of the raspberry puree; beat on high for 1-2 minutes more until well combined. Taste and add more powdered sugar to your liking, if necessary. You may need to scrape the frosting down the sides of the bowl and then beat again. Optional: You may need to add in a little bit of milk (about 1 tablespoon) to thin the frosting out so it’s a little more creamy, but it depends on how you like it! I love a thick frosting.

Now it’s time to frost the cake: place about 1 tablespoon down onto the cake stand and spread out. Invert a cake onto the cake stand, add about ½ heaping cup frosting between each layer. Cut the raspberries reserved for the filling in half lengthwise, and place them over the filling between each layer, covering the entire surface. You want to sort of smoosh them into the frosting as best you can. It’s okay if they break a bit, but it is important that they are well nestled into the frosting so that there aren’t large gaps between the cake layers. Repeat with each cake, then frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining lemon frosting. If the cake is slightly ‘naked’ on the outside, that’s okay, it’s going to be delicious!

Garnish with fresh raspberries just before serving the cake to make sure they stay as fresh as possible!

Cake will stay good at room temp for a day or so, then should be placed in the fridge. Cake will stay good for 5-7 days in the fridge, and should be well-covered to ensure freshness.

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