Description
This Raspberry Lemon Cake is a delightful and refreshing dessert featuring moist lemon-infused cake layers studded with juicy raspberries, topped with a creamy and tangy lemon buttercream frosting. Perfect for spring and summer celebrations, this cake combines the bright flavors of lemon zest and fresh raspberries for a balanced sweetness and a burst of fruity freshness.
Ingredients
Cake Layers
- 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 (or vanilla yogurt)
- 1 1/2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 5 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
- 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (more as needed)
- Optional: 1 small drop yellow gel food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare Cake Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 8-inch non-stick cake pans, then place a parchment paper round on the bottom of each to ensure easy cake release.
- Cream Butter Mixture: In a large bowl, cream together the 9 tablespoons of butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl sides as needed.
- Add Yolk and Vanilla: Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract, mixing well after each addition.
- Whip Egg Whites: In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Alternately add the dry ingredients and Greek yogurt to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Fold in Egg Whites: Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter until no streaks remain, taking care to retain airiness.
- Add Raspberries: Carefully fold in the raspberries, being gentle to avoid crushing them.
- Fill and Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and level the tops with an offset spatula. Bake on the same oven shelf for about 30 minutes, or until the centers spring back to touch and the edges turn lightly golden. Avoid overbaking.
- Cool Cakes: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Make Frosting: In a bowl, cream together the 1 cup butter and confectioner's sugar (and food coloring if using). Gradually add lemon juice until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. Adjust consistency with more sugar for stiffness or more lemon juice if too firm.
- Assemble Cake: When cakes are completely cool, spread a generous layer of frosting over one cake layer. Place the second cake on top and finish frosting the top and sides evenly.
Notes
- Using frozen raspberries is convenient and works well, but fresh can be used for a brighter flavor.
- Make sure cakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent melting.
- Add lemon juice gradually to the frosting until desired consistency is achieved.
- For a more vibrant color, add a small drop of yellow gel food coloring to frosting.
- If desired, substitute vanilla yogurt for Greek yogurt in the batter.
- Ensure careful folding of egg whites to keep the cake light and fluffy.
