Lemon and Raspberry Cake!
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A three-layer lemon and raspberry cake with a lemon and raspberry sponge, lemon buttercream frosting and more!
Lemon and raspberry
Can we start this blog post off by appreciating how light and delicious a flavour this cake sounds. Lemon and Raspberry together is sweet, tangy and fruity – and it’s hard to beat. I love a lemon cake, I love a raspberry bake.. combine them? Heaven.
White chocolate and raspberry together is also an epic combination. But I know that not all of you like to bake using chocolate, and lemon and raspberry together is just as good. Honestly, I can never get over how light and fruity it is!
My Lemon & Raspberry Cheesecake was my main inspiration for this bake – as I just adore it. It almost feels healthier as it’s got two types of fruit in – but don’t kid yourself.. it’s still a cake full of all the sugary goodness.
Lemon and raspberry cake
I decided originally for this one to do a two layer cake as some of you have requested some more two layers, but genuinely completely forgot until I had baked my first three layer version. I fell in love with the three layer version and it stuck… It’s a sponge that you can easily adapt into more layers if you wanted, or create only two layers – it’s definitely adaptable and that’s the good bit. You can find the notes below on a two layer version!
My lemon & raspberry cupcakes are so moist and light, that this cake version is such a showstopping cake version of the cupcakes you will adore it, but you can obviously have a go at the cupcakes if you wish instead.
Sponge
This sponge is light, it’s easy to mix together and I utterly adore it. It’s a standard cake mixture of butter and sugar beaten together until light and fluffy, and then you mix in the eggs and flour. I mix in the lemon zest, and then fold through the raspberries and split that between the cake tins.
- Butter – I use either a room temperature block butter or baking spread for a cake sponge
- Sugar – I use caster sugar in this cake, but golden caster sugar would work well as well
- Flour – self raising flour as always. However, if you don’t have it, you can make your own with 2 level tsps per 150g of plain flour, mixed in before using and removing any other raising agent in the recipe.
- Eggs – 7-8 medium eggs, but weigh in the shells and try and get as close to 400g as possible and match the butter, sugar and flour to this weight
- Lemon – I use the zest of lemons, but as mentioned above you can use lemon extract
- Raspberries – I use fresh raspberries because they’re the best
Buttercream
For the buttercream I was originally just got to do a lemon and raspberry frosting to make it easier, but I decided to make a lemon one because adding in the raspberries just wasn’t my vibe that day. However, you can easily add some in and slather the buttercream on!
If you mix it too much, you will just get a pink frosting – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing! I find if I make the frosting mostly by the mixer, and then swirl the raspberries in by hand it works the best. However, just lemon is easy!
I piped my buttercream on as you can see, but it really doesn’t matter – you can slather, you can pipe, you can dollop, you can whatever you actually fancy. I find the freeze dried raspberries give a beautiful colour on the top anyway and would easily cover any mistakes!
The filling & decoration
I did decided to add a little raspberry jam into the middle, but the good thing about this bake is that you can easily use lemon curd in the middle instead if you wished. I would have used a little of both, but I didn’t have any lemon curd in at the time of baking; both work really well.
For the decoration I just went down the usual route of fresh raspberries, and freeze dried raspberries. I know, I know… I am obsessed with them. I can’t help it – they just look so beautiful on a bake, and when you ‘bulk’ buy them like I do, they’re much cheaper in the long run!
I used these large piping bags as I find them strong, easy to control when piping, and I used this beautiful 2d closed star piping tip for the decoration as I adore it’s look.
Tips & Tricks
- I use these cake tins for this bake
- I use this piping tip for the decoration
- I use these piping bags for buttercream
- I use these freeze dried raspberries in my baking
- This cake will last for 3+ days at room temperature
- This cake will freeze for 3+ months
Lemon and Raspberry Cake!
Ingredients
Cake
- 400 g unsalted butter
- 400 g caster sugar
- 400 g self raising flour
- 8 medium eggs
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 300 g raspberries
Buttercream
- 350 g unsalted butter (room temp)
- 700 g icing sugar
- Juice of 2 lemons
Extras
- Raspberry jam
- Fresh raspberries
- Freeze dried raspberries
- Lemon zest
- Sprinkles
Instructions
Cakes
- Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan and line three 8"/20cm tins with parchment paper, and leave to the side.
- Beat together your butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy!
- Add in your self raising flour, eggs and lemon zest and beat again for a couple of minutes until smooth
- Try not to over beat - mix until it comes together and is smooth.
- Add in your raspberries and fold through - Split the cake mix between the three tins.
- Once in the tins, bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until baked through. I check my cake is baked by using a skewer, and listening carefully to see if it bubbles! Because of the fruit, this can often take a bit longer!
- Once baked, leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Buttercream
- To make the buttercream, make sure your butter is at room temperature.
- Beat the butter on its own for 3-4 minutes, I use the paddle attachment.
- Once the butter is nice and supple, add the icing Sugar in 1/2 at a time, and beat fully before adding any more in.
- Add in the lemon, and beat again for 3-4 minutes until it's all come together.
Decoration
- Get your first cake onto your chosen plate and spread/pipe over a third of the buttercream.
- Add on a few tablespoons of jam and spread.
- Add on your second cake and spread/pipe the second third of the buttercream on top.
- Finally add on your third sponge and pipe the rest of the buttercream on!
- Decorate with fresh raspberries, freeze dried raspberries, lemon zest and so on! Enjoy!
Notes
- This cake will last for 3 days at room temperature, in a cake box.
- I use fresh raspberries, but you can use frozen if need be - can make the cake take longer to bake though due to moisture.
- If you want to bake a two layer version use...
- 250g butter/sugar/flour and 5 medium eggs with the zest of 1 lemon with 150g raspberries.
- Use 200g butter/400g icing sugar for the buttercream with the juice of 1 lemon!
- Bake into two 8" tins for 30 minutes!
- I recommend using this beautiful piping tip!
- I also recommend buying these freeze dried raspberries as they're the best!
ENJOY!
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J x
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This is my favourite recipe of all time!!! The smell from the oven is super amazing.
Due to some personal reasons i have to prepare this a week ahead. Can i bake the layers and cling wrap and foil wrap and freeze please? Will they be fine? And should i let them cook before wrapping
Hiya! Yes you can definitely do that! and I always cool them before freezing personally x
Hi Jane ,
Can we replace the buttercream icing with Fresh cream ? If so , what recipe would you suggest ?
Thank you so much. I have tried your cakes . Every week we make one. This week is Oreo cake !
Hi Jane, do you pipe all of the first layer and then add the jam or do you pipe just around the edge and smooth the rest of it in the middle? X
You can do either!!
Hi Jane
Just wondering if I could turn this recipe into Gluten Free please?
Yes you can! You can use a good quality gluten free flour, and then add xantham gum if its not already in the flour! 1 tsp maybe x
Really quick question..i dont have self raising flour at hand. Can i use a substitute please?
You would need to make your own – I use the ratio of 2 level tsps baking powder per 150g of plain flour, whisked in before using x
Hi Jane. Totally love your recipes
Just 2 questions
1. Do i half the recipe if i want 2 6 inch cakes
2. What is the weight if medium eggs? In our country we get them by sizes eg 6 7 etc. If u can give me an approx weight with shells i would know what size
Thank you
Medium eggs are 53-63g here. And I think half yes x
Omg Jane! This is the best most refreshing frosting ever! I havent tasted the cake yet but its smells amazing. at first i was skeptical because the batter was so thick i was having trouble spreading but during back i saw how much moisture raspberry gave out. Thank you! I want to just keep eating the frosting
Hi Jane
Me again. Can you please help me with the bake time for 6inches….i am using your measurements for 2 8 inches to actually get 3 6 inches please. How lond do i bake for?
I am unsure I am afraid!
Hi,
Would it be possible to do the cake with freeze dried raspberries so that it doesn’t go soggy? I’ve never used them in baking before but they seem so clean and not wet!!
Thanks 😊
Yes for sure!! I would use maybe 30g if you have a larger bag if freeze dried, but maybe 2 tubes if you are buying them from a supermarket xx
Worked so well! Tasted beautiful! Looked amazing!
Hi Jane love all your recipes! please can you tell me where your lovely set of cake plates are from?
It was a set from Debenhams a few years ago!
Made this cake for my mum’s birthday and it went down such a treat with everyone!! I ended up doing the two tier version instead and still got a good amount of raspberry in there. So so easy to follow along with the recipe . Would recommend trying for all lemon lovers!
Hi Jane,
I want to pre make these cakes. Would they freeze okay with fruit in? Worries when I defrost the cake might become slightly soggy?
Thanks molly x
It can go slightly soft, but the sponge is naturally softer anyway because of the fruit.
Hi Jane,
Could I puree the raspberries and put it in the cake mixture instead of the full raspberries? If possible would I need to change anything in the recipe?
I’m not sure I’m afraid! It might be okay, but it might not have as strong a taste x
I made this in 2 layers the other week for my nans birthday and it was absolutely delicious!!
The lemon and raspberry flavour tasted so lovely together. My family managed to eat it all within 1 day!! Definitely a thumbs up from me. Amazing recipe xx
What would you suggest for the baking time and recipe if i want to bake in 2 5” round pan? Thank you for your time.
Hey! Do you mean 2x 5″ round cakes? I’ve never baked a cake that small I am afraid, but I think it would be roughly 1/3 of the recipe!
You always provide the best recipes, I have made several of your other cakes and other treats! I am making this one for my mums birthday. A nice light fluffy cake choice rather then a heavy chocolate, perfect for my mum!
Hey! I’d love to make this but instead of having 3 layers I’d like to split the mix and have 2 thick layers instead. How long would I need to bake this for? I’ll be using 2 8inch tins xx
I would imagine about 45 minutes? xx