Description
Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake made with moist lemon sponge layers studded with raspberries, filled with thick homemade raspberry filling, and frosted with creamy lemon raspberry buttercream. A bright, bakery-style dessert perfect for spring and summer celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (265g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80ml) fresh lemon juice (from 3–4 lemons)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (75g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups (137g) frozen or fresh raspberries, broken into pieces
- 1 tsp all-purpose flour (for coating raspberries)
- For Raspberry Filling: 2 cups (228g) raspberries
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tbsp (12g) cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tbsp (22ml) water
- For Lemon Raspberry Buttercream: 1 cup (24g) freeze-dried raspberries
- 1 1/2 cups (339g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tbsp (22ml) fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsp (45ml) whole milk
- 5 cups (600g) powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and line three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In a separate cup, mix milk and lemon juice and set aside.
- Beat sugar and lemon zest until fragrant. Add butter and cream until light and fluffy. Mix in vegetable oil until smooth.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Add dry ingredients and mix gently. Slowly pour in the lemon milk mixture and mix until just combined.
- Toss raspberry pieces with 1 tsp flour and gently fold into the batter.
- Divide batter evenly into pans and bake 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool cakes for 5 minutes in pans, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the filling, whisk cornstarch and water. In a saucepan combine raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring and mashing berries. Boil for 5 minutes until thickened. Cool completely and refrigerate.
- For buttercream, grind freeze-dried raspberries into powder and sift seeds. Beat butter until creamy and pale. Add lemon juice, milk, and raspberry powder. Gradually mix in powdered sugar and salt until smooth.
- Level cake layers. Place first layer on a cake board and pipe a buttercream dam around the edge. Fill center with raspberry filling and top with buttercream.
- Repeat stacking with remaining layers. Apply a crumb coat and chill for 30 minutes. Finish frosting smoothly and garnish with fresh raspberries and lemon slices if desired.
Notes
- Use frozen raspberries to reduce excess juice bleeding into the batter.
- Always coat raspberries lightly in flour to prevent sinking.
- Chill raspberry filling thoroughly before assembling for stable layers.
- Store cake in refrigerator up to 5 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
- Cake layers can be frozen for up to 2 months if tightly wrapped.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 52g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 63g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake, lemon raspberry cake, raspberry filling, lemon cake layers, buttercream frosting, spring dessert, summer cake recipe