Of course! A Raspberry Lemon Cake is a beautiful and delicious combination of tart and sweet. Here are two fantastic recipes: one for a classic layered cake and a simpler, faster loaf cake.
Recipe 1: Classic Raspberry Lemon Layer Cake
This cake is stunning, moist, and bursting with fresh flavor. Perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or when you want to impress.
Yields: One 8-inch, 2-layer cake (serves 10-12)
Prep time: 45 minutes
Bake time: 25-30 minutes
Ingredients
For the Lemon Cake:
· 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
· 2 ½ tsp baking powder
· ½ tsp baking soda
· 1 tsp salt
· ½ cup (120ml) unsalted butter, softened
· 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
· 3 large eggs, room temperature
· ¼ cup (60ml) vegetable or canola oil
· 1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
· 2 tsp vanilla extract
· ½ cup (120ml) fresh lemon juice (from about 2-3 lemons)
· 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature*
For the Raspberry Buttercream:
· 1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened
· 4-5 cups (480-600g) powdered sugar, sifted
· ⅓ cup (100g) seedless raspberry jam or puree**
· 1 tsp vanilla extract
· Pinch of salt
· 1-2 tbsp heavy cream or milk, if needed
For Assembly:
· 1 cup fresh raspberries (for filling and garnish)
· Lemon slices or zest for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Make the Cakes:
· Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
· In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
· In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
· Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the oil, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
· Combine the fresh lemon juice and buttermilk in a measuring cup.
· Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk mixture in two parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
· Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
· Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Raspberry Buttercream:
· In a large bowl, beat the softened butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
· Gradually add 4 cups of powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low until combined.
· Add the raspberry jam, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until very fluffy.
· If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add a tablespoon of cream. For a stronger raspberry flavor and color, you can add a drop or two of pink or red food gel.
- Assemble the Cake:
· Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of buttercream over the top.
· Optionally, press a ring of fresh raspberries into the buttercream around the edge (this creates a “dam” to hold the next layer).
· Place the second cake layer on top.
· Apply a thin “crumb coat” of frosting over the entire cake and chill for 15 minutes.
· Frost the cake with the remaining buttercream. Decorate with fresh raspberries, lemon slices, or zest.
Recipe 2: Easy Raspberry Lemon Loaf Cake
This is a simpler, denser, and incredibly moist cake—like a Starbucks loaf, but homemade and even better!
Yields: One 9×5 inch loaf
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 50-60 minutes
Ingredients
For the Loaf:
· 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
· 2 tsp baking powder
· ½ tsp salt
· 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
· 2 tbsp lemon zest
· ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened (or ½ cup plain Greek yogurt)
· 2 large eggs, room temperature
· 1 tsp vanilla extract
· ½ cup (120ml) whole milk (or buttermilk)
· ¼ cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
· 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen raspberries (do not thaw if frozen)
· 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (for tossing with raspberries)
For the Lemon Glaze (Optional):
· 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
· 2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Make the Loaf:
· Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
· In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, baking powder, and salt.
· In a large bowl, rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingers until fragrant. This releases the lemon oils.
· Add the softened butter to the sugar and beat with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
· In a measuring cup, combine the milk and lemon juice (it may look curdled, that’s okay).
· Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
· In a small bowl, toss the raspberries with 1 tablespoon of flour (this prevents them from sinking to the bottom). Gently fold the floured raspberries into the batter.
· Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake:
· Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil.
· Let the loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Glaze:
· Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Drizzle over the completely cooled loaf.
Pro Tips for Both Cakes
· Room Temperature Ingredients: This is key for a smooth, well-combined batter and a good rise.
· Don’t Overmix: Once you add the flour, mix until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten and leads to a tough cake.
· Fresh vs. Frozen Raspberries: Fresh are ideal, but frozen work well too. Do not thaw frozen berries, as they will bleed too much color. Toss them in flour straight from the freezer.
· Zest First: Always zest your lemons before you juice them. It’s much easier!
Enjoy your beautiful and delicious Raspberry Lemon creation