Raspberry Lemon Cake
This Raspberry Lemon Cake is a light, fluffy dessert infused with zesty lemon and bursting with juicy raspberries. Topped with a creamy, tangy lemon cream cheese frosting, it's perfect for celebrations, brunches, or just because.
Ingredients
- For the Cake Batter:
- 2 ½ cups cake flour or substitute all-purpose flour + cornstarch
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract optional but recommended
- Zest of 2 lemons
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup whole milk room temperature
- 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries tossed in 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients:
- In a bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar:
- Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in lemon zest and lemon extract.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with sour cream and milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.
- Add Raspberries:
- Gently fold in raspberries tossed in flour to prevent them from sinking.
- Bake:
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Frosting:
- Beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until fully incorporated. Stir in lemon juice and zest until creamy and fluffy.
- Assemble the Cake:
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of frosting on top, then add the second cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake evenly.
- Decorate:
- Garnish with fresh raspberries, thin lemon slices, or edible flowers as desired.
Notes
- If you don’t have cake flour, make a substitute by replacing 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour with cornstarch for every cup of flour.
- For extra lemon flavor, add a teaspoon of lemon extract to the batter.
- To prevent raspberries from sinking, always toss them in flour before folding into the batter.