Description
Sweet raspberry notes dance through delicate lemon cake layers, creating a Mediterranean-inspired dessert that whispers summer’s charm. Creamy frosting and fresh berries complete this elegant treat that melts perfectly on your palate.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients:
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 0.25 cup brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2.5 cups cake flour
- 2.5 cups raspberries
Liquid and Flavoring Ingredients:
- 0.5 cup milk
- 0.5 cup sour cream
- 0.5 cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 0.5 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry and Supplementary Ingredients:
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons flour (for tossing raspberries)
Frosting Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 10 tablespoons butter
- 4 cups icing sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 0.25 teaspoon lemon extract
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
Instructions
- Prepare baking station by greasing two 9-inch round pans and lining with parchment paper. Set oven temperature to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter with sugars, incorporating lemon zest and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
- Gradually introduce eggs, mixing thoroughly after each addition to create a smooth, homogeneous batter.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl to eliminate potential lumps.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, maintaining a gentle stirring technique to preserve air bubbles.
- Incorporate milk, sour cream, and fresh lemon juice, mixing until batter reaches a silky consistency.
- Lightly dust raspberries with flour to prevent sinking, then carefully fold into batter, distributing evenly.
- Divide batter equally between prepared cake pans, ensuring smooth surface with a spatula.
- Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick inserted in center.
- Remove from oven and allow cakes to cool completely on wire rack before removing from pans.
- Prepare cream cheese frosting, then assemble layers with smooth, even coating.
- Refrigerate cake for optimal texture and decorate with additional raspberries and lemon zest before serving.
Notes
- Prevent raspberry sinking by coating berries lightly in flour before folding into batter, ensuring even distribution throughout the cake.
- Use room temperature ingredients like eggs and butter to create smoother, more consistent cake texture and better ingredient integration.
- For lighter, more delicate crumb, avoid overmixing batter once dry ingredients are added – mix just until combined to prevent developing tough gluten networks.
- Consider swapping fresh raspberries with frozen during off-season, but pat them dry and keep slightly frozen to maintain cake’s structural integrity.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 399
- Sugar: 29 g
- Sodium: 155 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 87 mg