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Raspberry lemon layer cake is the perfect cake for raspberry dessert lovers. Soft and fluffy with lemon-scented layers, sweet raspberry preserves, and whipped raspberry frosting, this raspberry lemon cake is an absolute dream! Recipe makes one 8-inch layer cake.

Raspberry Lemon Layer Cake
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This is one of my favorite homemade layer cake recipes to make with fresh raspberries and the perfect cake 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? You may also love my collection of raspberry dessert recipes!

Raspberry Lemon Layer Cake

Essential Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this lemon raspberry layer cake:

  • Cake flour – For a soft and fluffy layer cake with a fine crumb, cake flour is the secret.
  • Baking powder and baking soda – Give the cake a lift. Both are necessary since the cake uses buttermilk.
  • Salt – For flavor.
  • Butter – Use unsalted butter at room temperature the cake and raspberry frosting.
  • Sugar – Granulated sugar sweetens the cake.
  • Lemons – Fresh lemon zest flavors the cake layers.
  • Vanilla – Use high quality, pure vanilla extract to flavor the cake.
  • Eggs – The cake batter uses two large eggs.
  • Buttermilk – The acidity helps activate the baking soda, which makes the cake fluffy and light.
  • Greek yogurt – The secret to a super moist lemon cake!
  • Cream cheese – Full fat cream cheese adds a touch of tanginess to the raspberry frosting.
  • Powdered sugar – For smooth and creamy raspberry frosting.
  • Raspberry preserves – To flavor the frosting and layer between the cake layers. I love Bonne Maman raspberry preserves! You can also use your favorite brand of raspberry jam.
  • Gel food coloring – One to two drops of deep pink gel food coloring adds the loveliest pink color to the frosting.
  • Heavy cream – Brings the frosting to the right consistency.
  • Fresh raspberries – To layer in the cake and decorate the top.
Raspberry Lemon Layer Cake

The Best Lemon Raspberry Cake

Cake Flour – For a soft and fluffy layer cake with a fine crumb, cake flour is the secret. If you don’t have cake flour on hand, it’s easy to make your own cake flour substitute: For every cup of flour called for in a recipe, place 2 tablespoons cornstarch in an empty 1-cup measure, then top up with flour. Sift the mixture several times to evenly distribute the cornstarch and use as a substitute for 1 cup cake flour.

Room Temperature Ingredients – Bring butter, eggs, buttermilk, and Greek yogurt to room temperature before beginning. Room temperature ingredients incorporate more easily and create a velvety cake batter.

Cake Pans – Bake this cake in two 8-inch round cake pans. To prepare the pans for baking, spray the pans with non-stick baking spray and line each pan with a round of parchment paper.

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

Bake – Bake cake layers for 24 to 25 minutes, until golden 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.

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).

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

The cake can be made and assembled a day ahead and refrigerated overnight. Before serving, let the cake stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Serve topped with fresh berries.

Store leftover cake tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.

Raspberry Lemon Layer Cake

More sweet raspberry lemon recipes:

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Raspberry Lemon Layer 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.


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
  • 12 drops deep pink gel food coloring
  • 1 Tbsp heavy cream

Filling

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

Topping

  • fresh raspberries

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.

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.

Meet Laura

Hi, I'm Laura and I'm so happy you're here! Welcome to Tutti Dolci Baking Recipes, a baking blog celebrating all things sweet! I share approachable baking recipes and elevated classic desserts for every home baker. My goal is to inspire you to bake from scratch with kitchen-tested recipes you can count on.

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8 Comments

  1. Made this cake for my sister’s birthday and the whole family loved it! I used almond extract (instead of vanilla extract) in the frosting to cut down on some of the sweetness and it came out really great.

    1. Hi Jordan, so happy to hear you tried this recipe! The almond extract sounds delicious too. 🙂

  2. Making this cake for my bday. Can’t wait to share with friends. Question. Step 6 says “beat in Vanilla” for frosting. But vanilla is not listed as an ingredient. Should vanilla be added. If so how much?

    1. Hi Armando, thank you for catching that! 🙂 I use 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in the frosting. Happy baking!