My Raspberry 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 for birthdays and special occasions, or any time you want to pamper yourself!
my raspberry lemon cake is over the top delicious but not at all fussy.
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 recipe is inspired by European style cakes, it has a moist, dense texture, and it’s not over the top sweet. The berries add just the right fruity element, and the frosting pulls it all together with a burst of tartness.
what you’ll need for this simple raspberry cake
- flour ~ I use all purpose flour, but you could use cake flour as well.
- butter ~ unless otherwise stated I always bake with unsalted butter. Be sure to bring your butter to room temperature before using.
- granulated sugar
- confectioner’s sugar
- eggs ~ unless otherwise stated I always use large eggs for baking. We’re going to separate them.
- yogurt ~ any kind you love, I use full fat vanilla. Yogurt has the surprising ability to make baked goods extra tender.
- raspberries ~ for this cake I like to use frozen berries because they don’t break up when I fold them into the batter. If you’ve got fresh berries you might pop them into the freezer for a bit to firm them up.
- lemon juice and zest ~ the zest is where all the flavor of the lemon hides!
- baking soda, baking powder, and salt
easy method for making a raspberry cake
This cake comes together a little differently than most cakes. The eggs are separated, and the whites are beaten and folded into the batter. It gives the cake a light sponge cake texture which is really nice.
- Separate the eggs, and whip the whites to soft peaks.
- Cream the softened butter, sugar, and lemon zest beating in the egg yolks one at a time. Add the vanilla.
- Alternately fold in the dry ingredients with the yogurt. Fold in the berries.
my best tips for baking with raspberries
The flavors of this cake really sing, partly because whole raspberries are folded into the batter just before baking. But fresh raspberries are incredibly delicate, and will inevitably break apart as you stir them in. I’ve got a solution for that!
- Use frozen berries if you would like them to stay in tact when folded into the cake batter. Do not thaw them before using.
- If you have fresh berries, consider popping them in the freezer for a short while to firm them up before using.
the tart lemon buttercream is everything!
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.
I recommend sturdy nonstick pans for layer cakes
For those times when only a layer cake will do, you need good sturdy reliable cake pans. I like to use thick walled nonstick pans like Chicago pans, or USA brand pans. Both cook evenly and release the cakes every time. I have a set of both 8 inch and 9 inch pans, there really is a big difference in the size of the cakes when you bake in the different pans ~ sometimes the smaller cake pan works better, and vice versa.
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.
Raspberry treats on this blog can run the gamut from casual little Raspberry Almond Bars to the more exotic Raspberry Pavlovas…
- Black Raspberry Ice Cream
- Raspberry Champagne Sorbet
- Raspberry Coffee Cake
- Perfect Black Raspberry Muffins
- Easy Raspberry Galette
- Raspberry Eton Mess
- Raspberry Desserts to Make All Summer
Add The View from Great Island as a Trusted Google Source
Raspberry Lemon Cake
Video
Equipment
- 8 inch cake pans Buy them here.
- parchment paper rounds, optional
Ingredients
cake
- 9 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt (you can use vanilla yogurt as well)
- 1 1/2 cups raspberries (I like to use frozen berries)
lemon buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 5 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
- 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, you may need a bit more.
- optional 1 small drop yellow gel food coloring
Instructions
cake layers
- Preheat your oven to 350F and butter and flour 2 non-stick 8 inch cake pans. I like to put a round of parchment paper on the bottom of the pans just to insure a good release.
- Cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest together until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, along with the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside.
- In another separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with the yogurt and mix until well combined. Scrape down the bowl.
- Fold in the whipped egg whites, working gently until 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 30 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.
frosting
- 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
9-inch pans: the cake will be wider and the layers thinner. The bake time will be shorter. This cake has been wildly popular since its original posting, but a few of you have had issues with it, so I’ve re-tested the recipe and tweaked a few details. The changes are reflected in the above recipe. It’s the same amazing cake, only even better. Hope you love it!
I 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!!!
I 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
It’s always a little nerve wracking when you are experimenting with new techniques, I hope all goes well for you Sarah <3
It 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
🙂 You’re welcome!
Hi 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?
It should be a thick batter, Mary, it doesn’t pour like a cake mix batter would. I’m sure yours was perfect!
Thanks Sue. I have it out of the pans and it looks great.! I can’t wait to serve it tomorrow!
Ohh what a great birthday cake this would make – I know I would love it!
How would a cream cheese icing work with this cake?
I think it would be nice!
Hi 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!
It 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.
Is there any lemon in the cake portion or just the frosting?
I just have it in the frosting Katina, but you could add some lemon zest to the cake if you like.
This looks yummy! Definitely trying this one.
I 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.
That should work!
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
What a lovely comment, thanks Kate!