Raspberry Lemon Cake

I’m a sucker for a simple fruit cake and this is really the perfect little summery cake. It’s wildly easy to make, you can swap in other berries if you like, and it doesn’t take long to bake so you don’t have to keep your oven on in the summer for too long.

This is a simple fluffy cake lightly flavored with lemon, studded with fresh raspberries that get all sweet and jammy when they bake, and then topped with a simple, tart lemon icing.

How to Make Raspberry Lemon Cake

This cake comes together really quickly, and if you’ve made my cakes before you might recognize this odd mixing method. Basically, we’re taking all the ingredients for the cake batter and putting them into the mixing bowl at once. This method works well for this simple base cake batter.

Once the batter is mixed together, it will be thick. You want to mix everything until it’s just combined, but really avoid over-mixing here. Spread the batter into your prepared cake pan evenly, and then sprinkle the raspberries all over the top. I like to gently press the berries into the cake batter here.

Lastly, sprinkle some coarse sugar all over the top. This cake isn’t very sweet on it’s own, so the added sugar on top is perfect. Plus it creates a crispy topping that is honestly delightful. Then it’s off to the oven.

The cake should become lightly golden brown all over, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake should come out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.

The icing is as simple as it gets- just lemon juice and powdered sugar for the perfect tart icing to drizzle all over the top. The icing really brings the lemon flavor to the front in this cake, so I highly recommend it.

This is the perfect recipe for summer, but it also neatly fits into the category of breakfast cakes for me. The raspberries become soft and jammy after baking, and the lemon makes the cake feel bright and light. It’s a great quick dessert for guests, or a sweet little breakfast treat. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks for the Perfect Raspberry Lemon Cake

Here are all my tips and tricks for this super simple recipe:

• Do I really mix everything together at once? Yes, this is an odd cake batter mixing method, but it works here. We’re simply mixing everything together at once until just combined.
• Avoid over mixing. You want to mix the batter just until everything is combined, but no further. The batter will be thick, and it’s ok if it has a few small lumps.
• Can I use a different kind of fruit? Yes, you can use blueberries, blackberries, or even slices of plums or peaches here. I think raspberries are kind of perfect here, but it’s a great place to use other summer fruit!
• How do I know when the cake is finished baking? The cake should be lightly golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
• Do I need to use the icing? You can certainly skip the icing, but it helps make the lemon flavor really pop, so I recommend it.
• I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level, and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft. above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes.

Enjoy!

Print

Raspberry Lemon Cake

Servings 9 slices

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbs. lemon zest
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. lemon extract
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 tbs. lemon juice
• 1 pint raspberries
• 2 tbs. coarse sugar

For the icing:

• 3 tbs. lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For the cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8 inch cake pan- round or square will work here.
2. In a large bowl, add your softened butter, sugar, lemon zest, eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, lemon extract, flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon juice. Mix until you have a thick batter, and avoid over-beating. This is an odd cake mixing method but trust the process- mix it together with an electric hand mixer until just combined. The batter will be thick.
3. Spread your batter evenly into your prepared cake pan. Generously sprinkle raspberries all over the top of the cake, and then sprinkle the coarse sugar over the top. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs. Cool the cake completely before removing from the pan and icing.

For the icing:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and powdered sugar until you have a thick but drizzle-able consistency. Drizzle the icing all over the top of the cooled cake. Slice and serve!

Dough-Eyed

Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!