Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Bright, tender lemon layers tucked around a jammy raspberry filling and finished with lemon cream cheese buttercream. This is the cake I make when I want something that tastes like spring and looks like a celebration.
It’s a three-layer cake, but nothing here is complicated. The raspberry filling comes together in one pan in under ten minutes, the cake is a straightforward butter cake, and the frosting is a no-fuss cream cheese buttercream.
Make the filling the night before if you want to break it up.
Ingredients
For the lemon cake
3 cups cake flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
Zest of 3 lemons
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
For the raspberry filling
12 ounces fresh or frozen raspberries
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
For the lemon cream cheese buttercream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
5 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
Directions
1. Start with the raspberry filling
Combine the raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until it thickens into a jammy consistency. This takes about 8 minutes. If you want a smoother filling without seeds, push it through a fine-mesh strainer while it’s still warm.
Pour into a bowl, cover, and chill completely. Warm filling will melt into your buttercream and bleed pink everywhere, so this step matters. The fridge is non-negotiable.
2. Bake the cake
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch round pans and line the bottoms with parchment.
Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy. Four minutes. Don’t shortcut this.
Add the eggs one at a time, then the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the dry mixture.
Mix just until combined. Overmixing makes a tough cake.
Divide evenly between the three pans and bake 22 to 26 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the centers spring back when pressed.
Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and let them cool completely. An hour, minimum.
3. Make the buttercream
Beat the cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth, about 2 minutes.
Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time with the mixer on low.
Add the lemon juice and zest, then turn the mixer up and whip until fluffy and spreadable. If it’s too soft, chill for 15 minutes before using. If it’s too stiff, add a splash more lemon juice.
4. Assemble
Place your first cake layer on a stand or plate. Pipe a thick ring of buttercream around the outer edge to build a dam, then fill the center with half the chilled raspberry filling. The dam keeps everything contained when you stack.
Add the second layer, repeat with buttercream dam and remaining raspberry filling, then top with the third layer.
Crumb coat the whole cake and chill for 20 minutes.
Apply your final coat of buttercream and smooth the sides.
Chill for at least 30 minutes before slicing so the layers set up and cut cleanly.
5. Finish
Right before serving, top with a pile of fresh raspberries and extra lemon zest. Keep it simple. The color contrast is the whole point.
Notes from my kitchen…
This cake holds beautifully in the fridge for up to 3 days covered.
Bring slices to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving so the buttercream softens.
If you want to make this a two-layer cake instead of three, divide the batter between two 9-inch pans and add about 5 minutes to the bake time.
Frozen raspberries work just as well as fresh for the filling. Save the fresh ones for the top where they’ll actually be seen.
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