Description

This Lemon Raspberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a delightful and moist layered cake bursting with fresh lemon flavor and juicy raspberries. The tender cake layers are infused with lemon zest and juice, folded with fresh raspberries coated in flour to prevent sinking. Finished with a rich and tangy cream cheese frosting enhanced by lemon, this cake makes a perfect fruity dessert for any special occasion or afternoon tea.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Batter

1 cup Canola Oil (or vegetable or olive oil)
3 large Eggs
1 1/3 cup Buttermilk
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Zest
2 cups Sugar
2 cups Flour (plus 2 Tablespoons more for the raspberries)
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 cups Fresh Raspberries (plus more for garnish)

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup Butter (softened)
1 (8-ounce) package Cream Cheese (softened)
4 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon Lemon Zest

Garnish

1 cup Fresh Raspberries
Lemon Slices

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Instructions

Preheat and mix wet ingredients: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl, combine the canola oil, eggs, buttermilk, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat the mixture for about 2 minutes until it is smooth and well combined.
Combine dry ingredients and fold: In another large bowl, mix together sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir this dry mixture into the wet ingredients, folding gently to combine without overmixing.
Prepare raspberries and fold into batter: In a small bowl, carefully toss the 1 1/2 cups of fresh raspberries with 2 tablespoons of flour to coat them; this prevents the berries from sinking in the batter. Gently fold the coated raspberries into the cake batter.
Prepare pans and bake: Spray three 8-inch or three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. You can also use two 9-inch pans, but the baking time will be longer. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake the cakes for the following times based on pan size: 20-26 minutes for three 8-inch pans, 19-23 minutes for three 9-inch pans, or 30-36 minutes for two 9-inch pans. Use a toothpick inserted in the center to test doneness; it should come out clean. Allow cakes to cool completely.
Make Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting: In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and cream cheese for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Add powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest, then beat until smooth and thoroughly combined. Chill the frosting if desired.
Assemble the cake: Once the cakes are cooled, remove them from the pans. Place one layer on your serving plate and spread a generous amount of frosting on top. Add the next cake layer and cover the entire cake with frosting. Garnish with fresh raspberries and lemon slices on top for a beautiful presentation.
Optional chilling: For best results, chill the assembled cake for 20-30 minutes to let the frosting set up before serving.

Notes

To prevent the raspberries from sinking, coat them in flour before folding into the batter.
You can substitute canola oil with vegetable or olive oil based on preference.
Use fresh lemons for the best citrus flavor in both the cake and frosting.
Ensure the cake layers are completely cool before frosting to avoid melting the frosting.
Chilling the cake after assembly helps the frosting to set and makes slicing easier.
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 1/3 cups milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
The baking times vary with pan size; check doneness early to prevent overbaking.