Lemon Raspberry Cake

5 from 4 votes

Lemon Raspberry Cake is a super lemony cake with light and fluffy layers and the perfect amount of fresh raspberries mixed in.

Prep Time25

Cook Time28

Cooling and Chilling Time1 30

Total Time2 23

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Lemon Raspberry Cake

Servings:

Calories: 559kcal

Author: Kelly Anthony

Ingredients

For the Cake:

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ⅛ teaspoons fine sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
Zest of 2 lemons
¼ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups fresh raspberries, rinsed and dried (plus extra for decorating, if desired)

For the Icing:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, room temperature
5 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅓ cup raspberry preserves

Instructions

To Make the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and have ready 2 greased 9" baking pans, lined with parchment paper on the bottom.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt over a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and using a handheld mixer, mix until fluffy and pale yellow in color (about 3-5 minutes). You could also use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for this task.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl using a silicone spatula and mix once more.
In a large measuring pitcher, combine the buttermilk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
With the mixer on low, add a third of the dry ingredients to the sugar-egg mixture, followed by half of the buttermilk mixture. Add another third of the dry ingredients, followed by the remaining half of the buttermilk mixture.
Add the remaining dry ingredients, along with the raspberries to the bowl. Fold the berries and the dry mix into the batter using a silicone spatula, scraping the sides and the bottom of the bowl as you fold.
Divide the batter amongst the prepared pans and smooth over the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Set the cake aside to cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

To Make the Icing:

For the frosting, you will need a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and cream cheese to the bowl and mix on medium-high speed for 2-4 minutes, until very smooth.
Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt and mix on low. Once the sugar is mostly incorporated, you can begin mixing on medium-high. Mix for 2 minutes more, until light and fluffy.
Level out any uneven cake layers using a long, serrated knife. Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand or serving dish and use a piping bag fitted with a large round tip to pipe a wall of cream cheese frosting around the edges of the cake. Add the raspberry preserves to the center and spread to the frosting wall.
To create the crumb coating, place the second cake round on top, and use an offset spatula to spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting all over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.
Once the time is up, add a thick layer of frosting to both the top and sides of the cake. Decorate the top with raspberries and lemon wheels, if desired.

Notes

HOW TO KNOW WHEN THE CAKE IS DONE:

The cake is ready when the center of it springs back ever so slightly after a gentle poke or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs clinging to it.

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