Raspberry Lemon Cake with Raspberry Frosting

If you love raspberry desserts, this homemade raspberry lemon cake is a must-bake! With soft, lemon-scented layers, sweet raspberry preserves, and a light whipped raspberry frosting, it’s absolutely dreamy. Recipe makes one 8-inch layer cake.

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This is one of my favorite layer cake recipes to make with fresh raspberries and perfect for any celebration, from Mother’s Day to a special birthday!

The lemon cake crumb tastes so soft and buttery, a nice complement to the sweet raspberry filling. Topped with a tumble of raspberries, a touch of cream cheese adds the most luscious flavor and texture to the raspberry frosting.

Love baking with raspberries? Find more inspiration in my full collection of raspberry dessert recipes!

Ingredient Notes

For a soft and fluffy layer cake with a fine crumb, cake flour is the secret. Fresh lemon zest adds natural lemon flavor to the cake layers, and for moisture and lightness, we’re using Greek yogurt and buttermilk.

Raspberry preserves flavor the raspberry cream cheese frosting and act as a filling between the cake layers. I love Bonne Maman raspberry preserves! You can also use your favorite brand of raspberry jam.

You’ll also need fresh raspberries to layer over the jam and decorate the top.

Assemble the Cake

I chill the cake during the assembly process for stability and to help the layers settle. To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a rotating cake stand and use an offset spatula to swirl raspberry frosting over the cake. Pipe a ring of frosting around the outer edge of the cake layer and chill the layer for 10 minutes.

Fill the center of the cake layer with 2 tablespoons raspberry preserves and 1/2 cup fresh raspberries. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the second cake layer, and place the layer (frosting side down) over the raspberries. Chill the stacked cake for 20 minutes.

Apply a layer of frosting to the top and sides of the cake while you rotate the cake stand, then gently smooth the sides with a bench scraper. Chill the frosted cake for 30 minutes before serving topped with fresh raspberries (or lemon slices).

More sweet raspberry lemon recipes:

• Raspberry Lemon Loaf Cake
• Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes
• Raspberry Almond Bundt Cake

Plush Raspberry Lemon Layer Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Laura Kasavan
• Prep Time: 3 hours
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
• Yield: 1 8-inch cake
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Raspberry lemon layer cake is the BEST cake! You’ll love this light and fluffy cake with whipped raspberry frosting and fresh raspberries. Recipe makes one 8-inch layer cake.

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Ingredients

Lemon Cake

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour (see note below)
• 1 1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon zest
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt, at room temperature

Whipped Raspberry Frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 oz full fat cream cheese, at cool room temperature
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves
• 1–2 drops deep pink gel food coloring
• 1 Tbsp heavy cream

Filling

• 2 Tbsp raspberry preserves
• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries

Topping

• fresh raspberries

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Line the bottom of the cake pans with parchment paper.
2. Make cake: Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy; beat in lemon zest and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Combine buttermilk and Greek yogurt in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture (begin and end with flour mixture).
4. Divide batter evenly between cake pans and smooth with an offset spatula. Tap pans sharply to reduce air bubbles.
5. Bake cake layers for 24 to 25 minutes, until the top and edges are golden, cakes spring back to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool cakes for 15 minutes in pans on a wire rack before inverting onto wire racks to cool completely.
6. Make raspberry frosting: Beat butter, cream cheese, and salt in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until combined. Beat in vanilla. Mix in powdered sugar on low speed 1 cup at a time until incorporated, scraping down bowl as needed. Gradually mix in raspberry preserves until combined. Mix in gel food coloring and heavy cream and beat frosting for 1 minute, until light and airy. If frosting is too soft to use immediately, chill for 15 to 20 minutes in the refrigerator before using.
7. Assemble cake: Place one cake layer on a rotating cake stand and use an offset spatula to swirl frosting (about 1/2 cup) over the cake. Pipe a ring of frosting around the outer edge of the cake layer and chill the layer for 10 minutes.
8. Fill the center of the cake layer with raspberry preserves and 1/2 cup fresh raspberries. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the second cake layer, and place the layer (frosting side down) over the raspberries. Chill the stacked cake for 20 minutes.
9. Use offset spatula to apply a layer of frosting to the top and sides of the cake while you rotate the cake stand, then use a bench scraper to gently smooth the edges of the cake and remove any excess frosting. Chill the frosted cake for 30 minutes before serving topped with fresh raspberries.
10. Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.

Equipment

Cake Pans

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Stand Mixer

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Notes

To make your own cake flour: For every 1 cup of cake flour, place 2 tablespoons cornstarch in an empty 1-cup measure, then top up with all-purpose flour. Sift the mixture several times to evenly distribute the cornstarch.

Cake layers: For perfectly even cake layers, place your cake pans on a kitchen scale and weigh each pan as you add the batter.

Raspberry preserves: If your preserves contain seeds, press through a fine mesh sieve before adding to the frosting.

Make ahead: The cake can be baked, cooled, and frosted one day in advance. Cover the frosted cake and chill overnight. The next day, add the fresh raspberries just before serving.