Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake (Printable View)
Vibrant lemon cake layered with fresh raspberries and creamy lemon frosting for a delightful treat.
# Ingredient List:
→ Cake Components
01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
09 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
12 - 1 ½ cups fresh raspberries, plus extra for garnish
→ Lemon Frosting
13 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
14 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
16 - 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
17 - 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
18 - Pinch of salt
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mix in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until incorporated.
05 - Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk to batter, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until combined—avoid overmixing.
06 - Gently fold fresh raspberries into batter using spatula, taking care not to crush berries.
07 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
08 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and cream, beating until light and fluffy. Adjust consistency with additional cream if necessary.
10 - Place first cake layer on serving plate. Spread with frosting. Repeat with remaining layers. Frost top and sides of assembled cake.
11 - Decorate with extra raspberries and lemon zest if desired. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing to ensure clean layers.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The combination of bright citrus and bursts of fresh raspberry creates this incredible flavor that feels fancy without being fussy
- Once you get the hang of layering, this cake makes you look like a baking genius with surprisingly minimal effort
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are not optional here—I've tried the cold ingredient shortcut and the cake texture suffered for it
- That bit about not overmixing is serious—once the flour hits the wet ingredients, work quickly and stop as soon as combined
03 -
- Brush each cooled cake layer with simple syrup before frosting to keep them incredibly moist and add another layer of lemon flavor
- Toss raspberries in a tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter—this keeps them from sinking to the bottom during baking