Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake

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This Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake has moist, light layers of lemon cake, lemon curd filling and a raspberry frosting. It’s decorated with buttercream, lemon slices and a few blossom flowers for a cake that’s perfect for summer!

Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake

Easy Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake
Best Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake

Lemon and Raspberry: My Favorite Flavor Combo in an Easy Cake

Lemon raspberry is one of my favorite flavor combinations this time of year and always reminds me of my grandmother. There are two things she’s always loved – cake with lots of icing and lemon. It’s a love of two things that we share.

I will always remember her birthday celebrations when I was a kid. There were always lots of big buttercream flowers involved. And since my birthday is on Christmas, she’d often make her birthday a mini half-year celebration of my own as well, just to be sure I didn’t feel cheated out of a birthday. 🙂

Instead of buttercream flowers on this cake though, I decided to go a bit simpler. There are buttercream swirls, some lemon slices and raspberries and a few fondant blossoms that are super easy to make. All of it sits on top of a little swirl that you make with an offset spatula. Relatively easy to do, but creates a great look.

Favorite Summer Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake
Raspberries and Lemons for Lemon Raspberry Cake

Inside the cake, you’ve got a moist lemon cake to start. It’s light, fluffy and pretty straightforward to make. Just be sure to not skimp on the creaming of the butter and sugar – always an important step.

Between the layers of cake is a lovely lemon curd and raspberry buttercream. Sweet and tart all in two beautiful layers. I suggest making the lemon curd and lemon cake layers first, then the frosting and putting it all together. The curd will take some time to cool completely after being made.

The outside of the cake is covered in more raspberry buttercream for a lovely pink and summery look. I love that all the pink color of the frosting comes just from the raspberry puree in the frosting. And for help with making a smoothly frosted cake, check out my tutorial, How to Frost a Smooth Cake with Buttercream.

This cake is incredibly moist and full of flavor. It’s a wonderful combination of sweet and tangy. I hope you love this cake as much as I do! It’s certainly perfect for spring and summer and great for any occasion.

Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake
Lemon Raspberry Cake recipe

You might also like:

Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
Mini Lemon Raspberry Cheesecakes
Lemon Raspberry Cookie Sandwiches
Berry Lemon Cheesecake Cookie Cups
No Bake Lemon Raspberry Meltaways

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Recipe

Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: 12-14 Slices
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake has moist, light layers of lemon cake, lemon curd filling and a raspberry frosting. It’s decorated with buttercream, lemon slices and a few blossom flowers for a cake that’s perfect for summer!


Ingredients

LEMON CURD

  • 6 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter

LEMON CAKE

  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • 1 ½ tbsp lemon zest
  • 6 egg whites
  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¾ cup milk
  • ¼ cup water

RASPBERRY FROSTING

  • 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter
  • 1 ¼ cups vegetable shortening
  • 12 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 ¼ cups (9 oz) raspberries
  • 12 tbsp water or milk

ADDITONAL

  • Fondant
  • Pearl sprinkles
  • Yellow pearl dust

Instructions

TO MAKE LEMON CURD:

1. Combine all ingredients in a double boiler and heat while stirring constantly with a whisk. It’s done when it’s thick enough to coat the back of a smooth.
2. Refrigerate lemon curd until cool and thick.

TO MAKE CAKE LAYERS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides.
2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
3. Add vanilla extract, sour cream and lemon zest and mix until combined.
4. Add egg whites in two batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure all is incorporated and smooth.
5. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another small bowl or measuring cup, combine milk and water.
6. Had half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until combined. Add milk/water combination and mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
7. Divide batter evenly between the three 8 inch pans and bake for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.

TO MAKE RASPBERRY FROSTING:

1. Puree fresh raspberries, then press through a fine mess sieve to remove pulp and seeds. You should end up with about ½ a cup of raspberry liquid.
2. Combine butter and shortening and beat until smooth.
3. Add 4 cups of powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
4. Add raspberry liquid and beat until well combined.
5. Slowly add remaining powdered sugar, beating until smooth.
6. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk or water, as needed, to thin out the frosting.

TO PUT THE CAKE TOGETHER:

1. Remove the tops of the cakes with a large serrated knife, so they are flat. Place first cake on serving plate or on a cardboard cake circle.
2. Top cake with about ¾ cup of raspberry frosting and spread into an even layer. Pipe a dam of raspberry frosting around the outside edge of the cake, then fill it with half of the lemon curd.
3. Top lemon curd with second layer of cake and repeat another layer of raspberry frosting and lemon curd.
4. Add final layer of cake, the frost the outside of the cake with the raspberry frosting.
5. Before the frosting on top of the cake has a chance to firm up too much, use your offset spatula to create the lines on top. Starting from the center, hold the tip of your spatula on the cake at about a 30-45 degree angle. Your cake should be on a turntable so that it’s easy to turn the cake and complete the circle. Make one circle at a time, moving from the center of the cake to the outside.
6. Pipe several tall swirls of frosting on the back half of the top of the cake, leaving some space between for adding lemon slices and raspberries. Add lemon slices and raspberries to cake.
7. To make the fondant flowers, use a small blossom cutter. Use a brush to dust a little bit of yellow pearl dust in the center, then add a little bit of sugar water* in the center of the flower and press a small pearl sprinkle into the center. Add flowers to cakes.

Cake should be refrigerated until ready to serve. Best served after allowing to sit out for about 30 minutes.

* To make the sugar water, add about 2 tbsp of water to a small bowl. Break up a few pieces of fondant and place it into the water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and dissolve the fondant. It will create a sticky sugar water that will help the sprinkles stick to the center of the flowers.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slice
  • Calories: 1351
  • Sugar: 201.6 g
  • Sodium: 133 mg
  • Fat: 52 g
  • Carbohydrates: 222.6 g
  • Protein: 6.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 162.1 mg

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Enjoy!

 

Best Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake recipe

Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake - a light, moist lemon cake with lemon curd filling and raspberry frosting! So light, sweet, tart and the perfect dessert for summer!
Lindsay
About Lindsay

I'm a wife and a mom to twin boys and a baby girl! And I've got a serious sweets addiction! Bring on the treats!

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29