My Raspberry Lemon Cake recipe with lemon buttercream is made with yogurt, fresh raspberries, and lots of lemon juice for an old fashioned from scratch layer cake that’s perfect any time of day…or maybe I should say multiple times of day ;)
This casual layer cake is right up my street ~ nothing too fussy but it hits all the right spots. I consider it a tea cake because it’s just the thing with a cup of tea or coffee for an afternoon pick me up. Yes, you can definitely serve it as an after dinner dessert, but it seems a shame to waste such a good cake on people who’ve just had a big meal. And anyway, I’m always looking for ways to insert more cake into my day :)
This cake is assembled a little differently from most of the cakes I make…the 3 eggs are separated, with the yolks being creamed with the butter and sugar, while the whites are beaten and folded into the batter. It gives the cake a light sponge cake texture which is really nice.
Normally when I see the words eggs and separated in a recipe I cringe, but actually and it’s super quick to beat the whites, so it’s very little extra effort.
Some homemade treats are made to pack up and bring ~ to the bake sale, the book group, the office…but others, like layer cakes, are meant to stay at home and sit fetchingly on the kitchen counter, preferably under a glass dome.
Raspberry treats on this blog can run the gamut from casual little Raspberry Lemon Blondies to the more exotic Raspberry Pavlovas. In either case the focus is squarely on the unique and glorious flavor of fresh raspberries.
The flavors of this cake really sing, partly because whole raspberries are folded into the batter just before baking. Some of them break apart as you stir them in, but most stay whole and provide bursts of tart berry flavor in every bite.
Your reward for the light as air yogurt cake is the thick layer of insanely sweet tart lemon buttercream. It’s like lemon fudge, only better :)
I might be in the minority here, but I love the cake cold from the refrigerator. It does wonderful things to the buttercream.
tvfgi recommends: sturdy non-stick cake pans
How to care for your cake pans so they release your cakes perfectly every time!
- I always hand wash my cake pans in warm water and dish soap, I never put them in the dishwasher. Be sure to dry them thoroughly before putting away.
- Don’t ever let metal utensils touch the surface of your pans.
Reader Rave ~
“I was looking for a cake recipe for the whole family and I stumbled on this article. I read and followed the instructions carefully and I made it deliciously! Every member of my family is so happy! Thanks for this” ~ Kate
An old fashioned Raspberry Lemon Cake recipe with lemon buttercream frosting, made with yogurt, fresh raspberries, and lots of lemon juice for a sweet/tart delicious dessert.
Ingredients
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 heaped cup raspberries
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 5 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
- juice of 1 and 1/2 lemons (about 3-4 tablespoons)
- (optional) 1 small drop yellow gel food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F Butter and flour 2 non-stick 9 inch cake pans (you can use 8 inch pans, as well, just increase the cooking time.) I like to put a round of parchment paper on the bottom of the pans just to insure a good release.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add to the butter mixture alternately with the yogurt and mix until well combined. Scrape down the bowl. Fold in the whipped egg whites, and when no white streaks remain, fold in the berries.
- Spread the batter evenly between the two cake pans and even out the tops with an offset spatula.
- Bake the cakes on the same oven shelf for about 25 minutes, or until the center springs back when touched and the edges are just starting to turn golden. Don't over bake.
- Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes before turning them out and cooling them completely on a rack.
- To make the frosting cream the butter, sugar, (and the drop of food coloring, if using) adding enough lemon juice to make a creamy spreadable frosting. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add more sugar for a stiffer frosting, and more lemon juice if it's too stiff.
- Frost the cake when completely cool. Add a generous amount of frosting to the first layer, then top with second layer and finish frosting top and sides.
Notes
The tiny bit of yellow coloring gives the merest hint of color to the frosting, just so it isn't stark white, which I like. The cake part of this recipe is from Claire K Creations
Make this Raspberry Lemon Tea Cake your own ~
- It’s a no-brainer, but use other types of berries in this cake.
Thanks for pinning!
101 Comments
Micaela del Toro
June 13, 2019 at 9:10 amHow many tablespoons are a cup?…
beck campbell
June 13, 2019 at 5:06 amI hope you don’t mind but I found this recipe and featured it on my blog….THANK YOU! I hope I gave proper credit. It really is a “too die for” recipe!
ChrisKC
June 9, 2019 at 8:13 amSue I’m wondering about using cake flour vs all purpose and curious if you use that in any of your cakes?
Sue
June 9, 2019 at 8:25 amI really love cake flour Chris, and I use it every once in a while when I happen to have it around, or when I want a cake to be extra delicate and light. I just used cake flour in my lemon layer cake with the poppy seed frosting, and I used the equivalent (flour + cornstarch) in my orange blossom bundt cake. I’m a big fan!
ChrisKC
June 9, 2019 at 2:46 pmThanks I must find that recipe!
Diane Davis
June 8, 2019 at 8:52 pmWhen you say flour “sifted”….Do you measure the amount needed and then sift or sift, then measure?
Sue
June 9, 2019 at 6:53 amI measure the amount, then sift.
Gayle
June 6, 2019 at 6:54 pmHi Sue,
Can you list the nutrient contents? Thank you!
Sue
June 6, 2019 at 7:09 pmI generally don’t do that for my desserts Gayle, unless they’re specifically healthy. My best advice is to plug in the ingredients to a nutrition calculator that you trust.
Georgia
June 6, 2019 at 4:30 pmCan this cake be made as a sheet cake? 9 X 12?
Sue
June 6, 2019 at 5:08 pmThese layers are fairly thin, but I think the batter would fit in a 9×12. It would not be super thick, though.
Lynda Barry
June 5, 2019 at 10:58 amSue, this looks SO YUMMY! … But I’m wondering it would convert well to cupcakes??
Thank you, Lynda
Janet
June 4, 2019 at 4:41 amI plan to try this delicious looking lemon cake. I have a question however. Presently i have sour cherries growing in abundance. Do you think they could be substituted for the raspberries? Because they are tart, I might mix them first with a few tablespoons of sugar? What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance
Sue
June 4, 2019 at 8:47 amHey Janet ~ I don’t have a lot of experience with tart cherries, but they should work fine in this cake. I don’t know how sour they are, but I’ve used fresh cranberries in cakes and they’ve been fine, without the extra sugar, so I’m tempted to say try it without tossing in sugar.
Sue
June 4, 2019 at 8:48 amBy the way, I have a nice sour cherry almond bar recipe, here.
Steph
May 30, 2019 at 6:36 pmHi, I’m a bit new to baking sweet stuff. This looks delicious!
I have been given one of those cake layering tools and was wondering if you think this cake might stand up to being in 3 layers?
I have heard some cakes aren’t suitable?
Sue
May 30, 2019 at 7:01 pmI think if you want three layers you might double the recipe and then you’d get slightly thicker layers. These layers are rather thin, so I don’t think you could get three out of this recipe.
Zee
June 3, 2019 at 1:56 pmCan you replace the raspberries with strawberries?
Sue
June 3, 2019 at 2:57 pmI think that should work fine, chop them to about the same size…
Victory
May 27, 2019 at 2:09 pmMade your cake today, it turned out beautifully. I did add 2 tablespoons of lemon zest to the cake batter and put raspberry jam on top of the icing between the layers. Yummy! Wish i could have sent a picture also.
Sue
May 27, 2019 at 2:30 pmI’d love to see a photo, can you tag me on Instagram?
SANDRA J LAFFEY
May 27, 2019 at 9:41 amHave you ever tried all-purpose gluten free flour in this?
Sue
May 27, 2019 at 9:48 amI haven’t…maybe someone else will weigh in.
Deb
May 25, 2019 at 12:54 pmMade these as cupcakes. Made 18 bakes for 18-20 min. Addes 2TBSP lemon zest and used lemon yogurt. Light lemony cake then cut tunnel in each cupcake added a bit if seedless raspberry jam and lemon curd them iced. Like a victoria sponge. Very jummy
Sue
May 25, 2019 at 2:40 pmInteresting!
Victoria
May 25, 2019 at 11:41 amFinally made this cake last night for a family birthday celebration. Honestly I am a chocolate lover so this was a stretch for me. But I did it!
The batter was so extremely thick by the time I got it all mixed it I was doubtful it would rise or look anything like a cake. I was wrong! It rose perfectly!
So, the taste was good. Someone posted earlier they thought the cake was extremely sweet. Mine was not as sweet as I had expected. You can taste the yummy tang of the yogurt in it…?. It was still good. A dense and heavy cake though. Onto the icing. I didn’t follow the prescribed recipe for the buttercream since I use my mom’s recipe. Not sure how much powdered sugar is used…guesstimate would be about 3 cups with one stick of butter and the juice of 1/2 a lemon plus a capful of milk to make it spreadable. WOW! The icing was incredible. Tasted like lemonade and was perfect with the cake. Then covered a few raspberries in sugar and set on top. YUMMY!
Brittanie Rodriguez
May 20, 2019 at 5:34 amTOOOOO SWEEET! Haha, I made this last night, and the flavor was excellent! But it’s way too sweet and rich! I saw someone comment that they cut the sugar in half, I wish I would’ve done that. Maybe for the frosting, not the actual cake. Idk, I’ll have to do more research on this. Also, it’s very fresh and fruity tasting so I bet this would serve excellent chilled!!! Definitely my kind of cake! Thanks for the recipe!
Sue
May 20, 2019 at 6:48 amLet us know if you experiment Brittanie, and yes, the cake is awesome chilled :)
Ali
May 11, 2019 at 7:02 pmI’d like to make this recipe as a sheet cake. Are the instruction different?
Sue
May 11, 2019 at 7:07 pmThe only difference might be the baking time, Ali. You would want to use a 9×13 pan, not a sheet cake pan, because there is not that much batter in this recipe. The baking time will probably be about the same, or a little less, so check it early.
SUZANNE SIEM
May 10, 2019 at 10:50 amWe are a family who loves lemon deserts.
This looks like a winner. Making today to surprise family with something different.
I do have a request.
I lost very old butter cake recipe. ?
It was just flour butter sugar and eggs.
Very crumbly texture and a little on the heavy side. You can really taste the butter.
The color was the color of a butter stick.
. I was wondering if you have ever come across a recipe, Would be ever so grateful if you would respond with any suggestions.
Oh… You had to use a wooden spoon or it wouldn’t turn out, yes it’s true I tested that out . Obviously 1 cake didn’t turn out.
Like I said this recipe had been handed down for generations, I so sad it’s lost.
Sue
May 10, 2019 at 11:48 amI’ll check into it Suzanne, I love a challenge! Do you have any idea what the back ground of the recipe was…European, Amish, Southern, etc?
Meagan
May 2, 2019 at 10:05 amAny tips on why a cake would sink in the middle?? ? I did sour cream instead of yogurt but that’s all I did differently…
Sue
May 2, 2019 at 11:19 amIt sounds like it didn’t get baked long enough Meagan, did you do the toothpick test? And definitely check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer in case it’s off, which most ovens are.
Krista Hilbert
April 27, 2019 at 6:46 pmIs there anything I can substitute for the Greek yogurt? I just realized I bought all the ingredients except that one!
Sue
April 27, 2019 at 7:26 pmYou can try whole milk, buttermilk or sour cream, Krista, but in the case of the milks, you might use a touch less.
Sakina
April 25, 2019 at 1:09 amMade this cake and it was a great hit! It’s so easy and refreshing. Thank you!
Sue
April 25, 2019 at 9:30 amYou’re welcome Sakina, thanks for letting me know :)
Frustrated
April 24, 2019 at 11:51 amIs the batter suppose to be thick and sticky? Mine was very thick I added milk to make it where I could spread it.
Sue
April 24, 2019 at 11:56 amThe batter is thick but spreadable, so it sounds like yours was a little thicker than mine. Baking is an exact science and little differences can make a big difference, like what flour you used, how you measured it, etc. Hopefully the little extra milk worked for you!
PJ
April 20, 2019 at 8:39 pmI made this lemon-raspberry cake today and when I was done and ready for a bite I was let down. The cake has no lemon in it. I knew right away that I hadn’t added any juice to the cake but didn’t really think about it. Though the icing is fabulous, I think lemon cake would really pop those raspberries!!!
Sarah Walker
April 20, 2019 at 6:37 pmI used blueberries, and some lemon zest in the batter, I saw you had mentioned to someone else the zest is an idea and any kind of berry will work. Taking to family for Easter dinner. It smells wonderful. I was a bit nervous about the egg whites hoping when it is cut tomorrow I don’t have white streaks. That was a new experience for me.
I enjoy looking at your recipes and have had good luck with them.
Thank you! Sarah
Sue
April 20, 2019 at 10:34 pmIt’s always a little nerve wracking when you are experimenting with new techniques, I hope all goes well for you Sarah <3
Sarah
April 21, 2019 at 2:44 pmIt did!!! It was a hit not dry, I am glad I put zest in the cake batter . I also used way more lemon juice at least double in the frosting as well as zest there too it was a beautiful moist cake will be making again thank you!! Sarah
Sue
April 21, 2019 at 6:08 pm:) You’re welcome!
Mary
April 20, 2019 at 11:13 amHi Sue, I made this cake this morning, in fact it is still cooling. Smells wonderful. One question: I followed the directions and ingredient measurements, and the batter was almost too think to spread. Is this how it is supposed to be?
Sue
April 20, 2019 at 11:22 amIt should be a thick batter, Mary, it doesn’t pour like a cake mix batter would. I’m sure yours was perfect!
Mary
April 20, 2019 at 11:29 amThanks Sue. I have it out of the pans and it looks great.! I can’t wait to serve it tomorrow!
Andrea Chapman
April 20, 2019 at 9:25 amOhh what a great birthday cake this would make – I know I would love it!
Mary
April 18, 2019 at 3:17 pmHow would a cream cheese icing work with this cake?
Sue
April 18, 2019 at 3:24 pmI think it would be nice!
Kata Eijsackers
April 18, 2019 at 12:02 pmHi sue,
I really would love the try your recipe!
Could you help me with the measurements of the ingredients? How many milligrams of milliliter is one cup?
Thanks!
Sue
April 18, 2019 at 12:34 pmIt depends on the ingredient Kata, 1 cup sugar is 198 grams. 1 cup yogurt is 245 grams. 1 cup raspberries is 125 grams (although I call for a heaped cup, so a little more) 1 cup powdered sugar is 125 grams.
Katina Garcia
April 17, 2019 at 9:30 amIs there any lemon in the cake portion or just the frosting?
Sue
April 17, 2019 at 9:42 amI just have it in the frosting Katina, but you could add some lemon zest to the cake if you like.
Valerie Valentine
April 17, 2019 at 6:04 amThis looks yummy! Definitely trying this one.
Hope
April 16, 2019 at 5:47 pmI am going to make this for our Easter Gathering. Am I able to make the cake portion the day before and possibly plastic wrap them to keep them moist and frost them the next day? I want it to be fresh but also keep myself on schedule with littles lol.
Sue
April 16, 2019 at 6:24 pmThat should work!
Kate Berkey
April 15, 2019 at 6:52 pmI was looking for a cake recipe for the whole family and I stumbled on this article. I read and followed the instructions carefully and I made it deliciously! Every member of my family is so happy! Thanks for this
Sue
April 15, 2019 at 7:15 pmWhat a lovely comment, thanks Kate!
Amy Dunwiddie
April 15, 2019 at 9:09 amCan this be baked in a 9 x 13 cake pan instead of a layered cake?
Sue
April 15, 2019 at 9:13 amI haven’t done it that way, but I assume it would work fine. The cake would be thin, like a snack cake, since there isn’t a ton of batter.
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
April 15, 2019 at 6:06 amI’m a huge fan of lemon desserts Sue. And add those juicy raspberries and that just seals the deal! Fabulous cake for Easter and spring!
Stan
April 15, 2019 at 5:55 amMade the cake this weekend – fabulous!
Sue
April 15, 2019 at 7:29 amThanks Stan! I want to make it again :)
Bill
April 13, 2019 at 12:36 pmHello, I want to change to cupcakes. Any suggestions? Thanks
Sue
April 13, 2019 at 1:28 pmI think you can do that without a problem Bill, just watch your cooking time, cupcakes typically take about 15-20 minutes.
Lynda Barry
June 5, 2019 at 11:05 amHI Bill/Sue. If you tried making the cupcakes can you tell me how FULL to fill the cups? (regular cupcake size). I noticed that Sue said the batter is not like typical cake batter consistency so i wonder if that would change the amount one would pour into a cupcake liner. – Thank you in advance! – Lynda
Sue
June 5, 2019 at 11:11 amI think you can fill the cupcake liners like normal, which is about 2/3 full.
Lynda
June 8, 2019 at 10:18 amThank you!
Diane
April 13, 2019 at 6:02 amHi! Just noticing there isn’t any extract in the cake. Is there supposed to be? I.e. vanilla or lemon? Planning on making this for Easter and hoping it tastes like Spring! Thanks!
Sue
April 13, 2019 at 7:19 amHi Diane, I didn’t use extract in this cake. You could use vanilla or almond, but I didn’t want to compete with the lemon and raspberry combo. The frosting lends plenty of lemon so there’s no need for lemon extract in the cake, but you could use zest if you wanted to.
Diane
April 13, 2019 at 11:23 amThanks! Can’t wait to make this.
Brandy L Stauffer
April 13, 2019 at 5:17 amWell I know what I’m doing with the rest of last seasons blackberries and raspberries ?? and once this year’s start coming in I’ll have to make it again with fresh berries… might just become my birthday cake
Sue
April 13, 2019 at 7:19 amBlackberries would be really nice, I’m going to try that for sure.
Gerlinde @Sunnycovechef
April 12, 2019 at 10:36 amI am pinning this wonderful looking cake and hope to make it when I return from Germany.
Irish Chef
April 12, 2019 at 10:14 amWonderful way for me to use this huge amount of full-fat Greek yogurt waiting in my fridge!
Just wanted to double check with you if that ‘ 1 tablespoon of baking powder’ is correct in your recipe?
Sue
April 12, 2019 at 11:13 amThat is correct! Hope you love it :)
Irish Chef
April 13, 2019 at 2:45 pmAnd I did love it.
Have you ever tried this as a buttercream substitute? Melt 125grams white chocolate; let cool a bit. Beat into it 70 grams thick Greek yogurt and 3 TBL icing sugar. Chill till it’s spreadable. :-)
Sue
April 13, 2019 at 4:22 pmNo but it sounds interesting…it also sounds like it would have an amazing texture.
ReneeW
April 12, 2019 at 9:38 amDo you think this might work in a 9×13 pan Sue?
Sue
April 12, 2019 at 10:02 amI think you could…it’s not a huge amount of batter, so it would not be a super thick sheet cake, but it should work fine.
Alene
April 12, 2019 at 9:11 amI’m thinking of giving it a shot at making it with gluten free flour. It just looks so yummy, and I have a weakness for lemon cakes! Actually, I have a weakness for any type of yellow layer cake! Actually, planning to make your fruit-nut bread this weekend. I adore it, can easily make it g.f., and it substitutes for breakfast!! Thank you for your beautiful website and your recipes. That photo of the chicken salad surrounded by fruit was gorgeous! I wanted to jump into the picture!
Sue
April 12, 2019 at 9:13 amThanks for the kind words, <3 I think you’ll love the fruit and nut bread, and I do think this cake should do ok with a good gf baking mix. I usually think the baking mixes do better than a single flour.
Taylor Kiser
April 12, 2019 at 8:54 amLove the spring flavors going on in this cake! It’s so pretty and looks delicious!
2pots2cook
April 12, 2019 at 8:37 amAgree with your point: when it comes to that kind of cake I prefer to keep it at home so both of us enjoy bite by bite for the whole weekend !
Sue
April 12, 2019 at 8:39 amYou got it!
Natalie
April 12, 2019 at 8:12 amI love raspberry and lemon combined! This cake looks so delicious!
Sue
April 12, 2019 at 8:31 amThe combination is really refreshing in a cake :) Thanks Natalie!
Katie
April 12, 2019 at 8:11 amI love the combination of flavors- the lemon gives that little burst of sour and the raspberry balances it all perfectly!
Beth Neels
April 12, 2019 at 8:02 amOh, man! Raspberries and lemons are such a delicious combination! And this cake looks ultra moist and delicious! I can’t wait to give it a try!
Pat Marrion
April 12, 2019 at 7:51 amCould one use frozen raspberries in this recipe? It’s a long time until fresh are available here (I won’t buy imported ones!). Thanks
Sue
April 12, 2019 at 7:53 amThat would work, just use them from frozen.
Pamela
April 12, 2019 at 7:47 amThe cake looks yummy
Sue
April 12, 2019 at 7:47 amThanks Pamela :)
Marie-Charlotte Chatelain
April 12, 2019 at 7:45 amOh my goodness could this cake look any more delicious!?!? The crumb looks simply divine and the flavor combo screams springtime! I will have to try this one soon!
Sue
April 12, 2019 at 7:47 amLet me know how it turns out for you ~ the texture is lovely!
Lsurie
April 12, 2019 at 7:35 amDo you use nonfat Greek yogurt ?
Sue
April 12, 2019 at 7:42 amYou can use any type of yogurt but I used regular full fat yogurt.
Tricia
April 12, 2019 at 5:23 amWow this cake is so pretty! I made a blueberry lemon cake very similar to this yesterday. Great minds think alike! I love the combination with raspberries – I’ll have to give this a try. Pinning :)
Sue
April 12, 2019 at 7:29 amYikes, I have a blueberry lemon version planned next! We need to have a dessert party!