Description
This Raspberry Lemon Cake is a delightful old-fashioned dessert featuring moist cake layers made with Greek yogurt, fresh raspberries, and a bright burst of lemon juice. Topped with a creamy lemon buttercream frosting, it offers a perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors ideal for any occasion.
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 (vanilla yogurt can be substituted)
- 1 1/2 cups raspberries (frozen preferred)
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 5 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
- 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (adjust as needed)
- Optional: 1 small drop yellow gel food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare cake pans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour two 8-inch non-stick cake pans. Optionally, place parchment paper rounds at the bottom for easy release.
- Cream butter, sugar, and lemon zest: In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest together until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add egg yolks and vanilla: Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract, until fully incorporated.
- Whip egg whites: In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in another bowl.
- Combine wet and dry: Alternately add the dry ingredients and the Greek yogurt to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined. Scrape the bowl as necessary.
- Fold in egg whites: Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter until no white streaks remain.
- Fold in raspberries: Carefully fold in the raspberries to avoid breaking them up.
- Fill pans and bake: Divide batter evenly between the two cake pans. Smooth the tops with an offset spatula. Bake on the same oven shelf for approximately 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the edges turn golden.
- Cool cakes: Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make lemon buttercream frosting: Beat the butter, confectioner’s sugar, and lemon juice (and optional food coloring) until smooth and creamy. Adjust consistency by adding more lemon juice for spreadability or more sugar for stiffness.
- Assemble the cake: Once cakes are completely cool, spread a generous layer of frosting on the first cake layer. Place the second layer on top and frost the top and sides evenly.
Notes
- Using frozen raspberries is preferred as they break less during folding.
- Make sure cakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent melting.
- You can substitute plain yogurt for Greek yogurt, but Greek yogurt gives a richer texture.
- The food coloring is optional and for visual appeal only.
- Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
