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A slice of a two layer Lemon Raspberry Cake.
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Lemon Raspberry Cake

Delicious moist lemon cake layers are studded with fresh raspberries and topped with a homemade raspberry sauce and raspberry buttercream frosting.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour
Assembly Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 867kcal

Ingredients

Lemon Raspberry Cake Layers

  • 2 1/4 cups cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter slightly softened
  • 6 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil or grapeseed oil
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sour cream at room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries broken into pieces, see note #1.
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour to toss the raspberries in

Raspberry Filling

  • 6 oz raspberries fresh or frozen (about 1 1/4 cups)
  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1/2 tablespoon butter salted or unsalted is fine

Raspberry Buttercream

  • 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
  • 2 cups unsalted butter slightly softened
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1-3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • pinch salt

Instructions

Lemon Raspberry Cake Layers

  • Preheat oven to 325° F. Prepare 2 8-inch round cake pans by spraying with nonstick spray and lining the bottom with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl mix together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until homogenous. Add the oil and beat until the mixture lightens in color and texture. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. 
  • In a separate bowl mix together the buttermilk, sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon zest.
  • With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar/egg mixture. Add the buttermilk mixture and then the rest of the dry ingredients. Stop mixing as soon as the dry ingredients are combined and the mixture is homogenous. Be careful not to overmix.
  • Toss the raspberry pieces in 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour and then carefully fold into the lemon cake batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans and bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a couple cake crumbs on it.
  • Let the cake layers cool for 10-15 minutes and turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. If making in advance, wrap the layers in plastic and store in the freezer for up to two weeks.

Raspberry Filling

  • In a small saucepan over medium heat add the raspberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup water. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Heat until the mixture comes to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and add the vanilla.
  • In a small bowl stir the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan of raspberries. Stir and boil over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened a bit.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter until it is completely melted.
  • Pour the raspberry sauce through a fine mesh sieve to strain the raspberry seeds. (This step is optional, you don't have to strain the sauce). Place the raspberry sauce in a bowl to cool to room temperature, or cover and store in the fridge for 1 week.

Raspberry Buttercream

  • In a small saucepan over medium heat cook the raspberries, mashing and stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened a bit. Doing this will concentrate the raspberry flavor and prevent the buttercream from having too much liquid in it. If desired, pour the warm sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove the raspberry seeds. Refrigerate until completely cool.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until it’s light and smooth.
  • Mix in the salt, and cooled raspberry sauce. Slowly add the powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla. Once all the ingredients have been mixed in, beat the buttercream on high for 3 minutes.
  • This buttercream can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. About three hours before cake assembly remove the buttercream from the fridge. Once it has softened, mix it until its smooth and creamy again.

Assembly

  • Spread a small dollop of buttercream on the center of a cardboard cake round or cake stand and place a cake layer on top. Spread a thin layer of buttercream evenly over the top of the cake layer and then pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge to create a dam for the filling.
  • If the buttercream is extra soft, place the cake in the freezer so it can firm up before adding the filling.
  • Spread 2/3-3/4 cup raspberry filling onto the cake layer, being sure to not fill past the rim of buttercream.
  • Place the other cake layer on top and cover the entire cake in a thin layer of frosting. Freeze or refrigerate the cake until the buttercream is firm, then add the final layer of buttercream around the cake. Decorate as desired and enjoy!

Notes

  1. Breaking apart the raspberries: I used my hands to break apart the raspberries instead of cutting them into pieces using a knife. I did this so they wouldn’t leave lots of streaks of red or turn the cake batter pink when I folded them in.

Nutrition

Calories: 867kcal | Carbohydrates: 108g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 88g | Vitamin A: 1280IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 1mg