Name: Moist Lemon Raspberry Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 38 min
Total time: 113 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; ¼ cup cornstarch; 2½ tsps baking powder; ½ tsp salt (omit if using salted butter); ¾ cup unsalted butter (room temperature); ¼ cup unflavoured vegetable oil (I use canola oil); 1½ cups white granulated sugar; 3 tbsps lemon zest (see note 1); 4 large eggs (room temperature); ⅓ cup whole milk (room temperature); ½ cup yogurt (unflavored and unsweetened. Greek yogurt is okay, but regular type preferred.); ¼ cup fresh lemon juice; 2 cups fresh raspberries (Coated in 1½ tbsp of flour. See note 2 if you want to use frozen raspberries.); 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature); 3 cups powdered sugar (also known as icing/confectioners' sugar. ); 1½ cups cream cheese (cold. Use a firm/block type, not the spreadable type.); 1½ tsps vanilla extract/essence; 1 tsp lemon juice (must be fresh)

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

This lemon raspberry cake combines tender lemon cake layers (from my 5-star rated lemon cake recipe) with bursts of fresh raspberries throughout. It’s light, moist, and topped with a creamy, not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting—probably one of the best cakes I’ve had!

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Raspberry Cake

If you’re looking for a bright, fresh lemon raspberry cake recipe, this one truly delivers. Whether you’re baking for a celebration or simply craving a fruity homemade dessert, this lemon raspberry layer cake is always a winner! Here is why you’ll love it:

Ultra-Tender Lemon Cake Layers

The base of this lemon raspberry cake comes from my popular lemon cake recipe, which creates soft, fluffy layers with a delicate crumb. A mix of butter and oil gives the cake a rich flavor while keeping it perfectly moist for days.

Packed with Lemon and Raspberry Flavor

This lemon raspberry cake recipe is full of bright citrus flavor thanks to fresh lemon zest and juice. Juicy raspberries are folded into the batter, adding little bursts of sweetness and fresh raspberry flavor, with a slight tartness that pairs beautifully with the lemon.

Smooth and Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting

This lemon raspberry layer cake is finished with a creamy cream cheese frosting that’s smooth, lightly tangy, and not overly sweet. It complements the lemon and raspberries perfectly and brings all the flavors together.

Perfect for Spring and Summer Baking

With its fresh citrus flavor and juicy fresh berries, this lemon raspberry cake is perfect for spring and summer. It’s a beautiful dessert for birthdays, brunches, or any occasion where you want a cake that tastes as good as it looks.

For more citrus-packed cake recipes, check out my orange cake, blueberry lemon cake, and lemon poppyseed cake!

How to Make Lemon Raspberry Cake

You can find the full list of ingredients for this lemon raspberry cake in the recipe card at the end of the blog post (for easy navigation, hit the ‘jump to recipe’ button at the top of the blog post). Here is a quick visual breakdown of the recipe (video tutorial is also provided in the recipe card below).

Lemon Raspberry Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) conventional. Grease two 8-inch round pans (I use my homemade cake release) and line the bottoms with parchment paper as well, as this cake tends to stick to the bottom.

Sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Mix together using a whisk and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl add butter, vegetable oil, sugar and lemon zest. Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer on a medium speed, cream together for 3 minutes, until light and creamy.

Add the eggs one by one, mixing well between each addition.

Add milk, yogurt and lemon juice. Mix until well combined. The batter may look curdled, but that’s okay. Now set your mixer aside, as the remainder of the batter will be finished by hand.

Add your pre-sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture and, using a spatula, fold together until just combined. Do not overmix.

To finish off, in a separate bowl, toss the whole raspberries in 1½ tablespoon of flour (this will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake layers). Then add the berries to the batter, discarding any leftover flour, and fold them in with a spatula until just combined. Again, try not to overmix.

Distribute the cake batter evenly into the two 8-inch cake pans, trying to distribute the raspberries evenly. Bake for 38–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Once baked, allow the cake layers to cool in the cake tins for about 20 minutes. Then carefully run a thin knife along the sides of the pans and turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. The cake layers are soft and delicate, so handle them carefully.

Cream Cheese Frosting

To a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer if using one), add unsalted butter. Using an electric mixer (a hand or stand mixer is fine — use the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer), cream for a few minutes on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

Add powdered sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, and lemon juice. Mix on medium speed until everything is well combined and smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Do not overmix.

Assembly (see video for visual demonstration)

Begin by trimming the tops of the cooled cake layers with a serrated knife so that the tops of the cakes are nice and flat.

Place your first cake layer onto your cake stand, and spread out a generous amount of the frosting on top using an offset spatula.

Place the second cake layer on top and cover the top and sides with more frosting. If you have a cake scraper, you can use it to smooth out the sides.

For the top, pipe a decorative border around the top edges. I like to use a 1M piping tip (see video for demonstration). Slice and enjoy!

How to Store

Because this lemon raspberry cake is frosted with cream cheese frosting, it should be stored in the refrigerator. If the cake is whole, place it in an airtight cake container or cover it loosely with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out. If storing slices, place them in an airtight container. The cake will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.

When you’re ready to serve, it’s best to let the cake sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before eating. This allows the cake layers to soften and the frosting to become creamy again, giving you the best texture and flavor.