Raspberry Lemon Cake

Table of Contents

Raspberry Lemon Cake is a bright, delicious cake with lemon zest and raspberry tartness. The raspberry swirl and lemon glaze provide flavor to every mouthful of the soft, moist, and fluffy cake. This cake will wow at a family gathering, birthday party, or as a treat.

The lemon’s acidity and raspberries’ sweetness make it a year-round treat. The cake and glaze blend these two fruits for a vibrant color and refreshing taste that will keep everyone coming back for more.

Ingredients:

For Cake:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt 1 cup softened unsalted butter

1.5 cups granulated sugar

3 big eggs

Two teaspoons vanilla

Two lemon zests

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup whole milk (or buttermilk for tang)

1-cup fresh or thawed raspberries

One tablespoon all-purpose flour (for tossing raspberries)

For Lemon Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest (optional for citrus flavor)

For Raspberry Swirl:

1/2 cup fresh or thawed raspberries

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions:

Make the Raspberry Swirl

Combine raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook raspberries for 5-7 minutes, mashing them with a spoon to release juices. Leave the mixture to cool once it thickens and becomes syrupy.

If you want a smoother swirl, sift the raspberry mixture to eliminate the seeds. Leave the mixture as is for a rougher swirl.

Make Cake Batter

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). For easy removal, grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans or line them with parchment paper circles.

Mix the dry ingredients:

Mix flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar for 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy.

Add eggs and flavorings

Beat well after adding each egg. Mix in vanilla and lemon zest.

Add flour mixture to wet ingredients in three parts, alternating with lemon juice and milk (begin and end with flour). Avoid overmixing and mix just enough.

Toss fresh raspberries with 1 tablespoon of flour in a small bowl. This keeps the berries from sinking beneath the cake. Fold raspberries into batter gently.

Bake Cake

Spoon batter into pans:

Divide cake batter evenly between prepared pans. A spatula smooths the tops.

Add raspberry swirl:

Drop spoon ful of the cooled raspberry mixture into the cake batter and gently swirl it with a skewer or toothpick to marble it. Don’t overmix—you want that gorgeous swirl pattern.

Bake the cakes:

Bake the cake pans for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs. For the final 10 minutes, loosely cover the cakes with aluminum foil if the top is browning too quickly.

Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Lemon Glaze

Make the glaze:

Whisk powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and optional lemon zest in a small bowl until smooth. Add lemon juice if the glaze is too thick.

Cake Assembly

Frost the cake:

Place one layer on a tray after the cakes cool. Half the lemon glaze over the top and gradually drip down the edges.