Lemon Raspberry Birthday Cake

This Lemon Raspberry Birthday Cake is a fun spin on classic birthday cake with fluffy, moist lemon cake layers coated in a smooth raspberry buttercream. The lemon and raspberry flavors pair beautifully together in this delicious layer cake recipe.

Birthdays are a time for celebration, laughter, presents and of course cake! A birthday cake can be any flavor or feature any design your heart desires. This Lemon Raspberry Birthday Cake is a bright and fun flavor combination that is sure to please at any birthday celebration!

How to Make Lemon Raspberry Birthday Cake

To make the cakes:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the center. Lightly butter two 8” x 2” round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment circles the same size as your cake pans and butter the parchment. If your 8” pans aren’t at least 2” deep, use 9” pans.
• In a small bowl sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder then whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon zest until thickened and light gold in color, about 2-3 minutes at medium-high speed. The batter should fall in thick ribbons from the whisk.
• Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the egg mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix once more just to make sure everything is incorporated.
• Heat milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it just comes to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter and oil, whisking until the butter has melted.
• Slowly mix the hot milk mixture into the batter, mixing on low speed until everything is well combined. Scrape down the bowl and mix again just until smooth.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake the cakes until the edges are pulling away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 26 to 30 minutes for two 9” pans, or 38 to 42 minutes for two 8” pans. Remove the cakes from the oven, carefully run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the edges, and allow cakes to cool for 15 minutes in the pans. Then transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the raspberry frosting:

• Beat the butter and raspberry puree in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until fully combined and fluffy.
• Add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, mixing to combine after each addition until all of the powdered sugar has been added. Scrape down the bowl and mix again to make sure everything is combined.
• If frosting is too loose, add another cup or two of powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.

To assemble the cake: 

• Place a small dollop of frosting onto the center of a cake serving plate and place one of the cake layers on top. This helps keep the cake from sliding around as you frost. You can tuck pieces of waxed or parchment paper underneath the edge of the cake to keep the plate clean if desired. Spread the bottom layer with about 1 cup of frosting and spread out into an even layer with an icing spatula. Place the second cake layer on top of the frosted cake layer bottom-side up. Center the cake and gently press down in the middle to even the cake.
• If have the time, place the cake in the refrigerator or freezer, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes or up to two hours to firm it up. This will make the layers less likely to slide around as you work, and the cake won’t shed crumbs as you frost. If you’re pressed for time, you can skip this step.
• Either scoop the remaining frosting onto the top of the cake and spread out evenly on the top and down the sides with an offset spatula, or use a piping bag to pipe ribbons of frosting onto the top and around the sides of the cake. Then take a pastry scraper and go around the sides of the cake by turning your cake plate while gently pressing into the sides of the cake to create a smooth frosting layer. Once sides are smooth, smooth the top and scrape away any excess frosting.
• Finish the cake by piping several dollops of frosting around the top with a star tip, spacing them as evenly apart as possible and leaving a little space in between. Place fresh raspberries in a standing position in between the frosting dollops. Press sprinkles into the bottom of the cake all around the sides and add a few sprinkles around the top edge of the cake. Slice and enjoy!

Storing Lemon Raspberry Birthday Cake

This cake be kept covered at room temperature for up to three days. To store this cake for up to a week, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.

You may also tightly wrap leftover cake in plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month.

Recommended Tools for This Cake Recipe:

Stand mixer

Mixing bowls

Round cake pans

Pastry bags

Piping tips

Cake stand

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This recipe is adapted from King Arthur Baking's Classic Birthday Cake Recipe

📖 Recipe

Lemon Raspberry Birthday Cake

Ashley Boyd

This Lemon Raspberry Birthday Cake is a fun spin on classic birthday cake with fluffy, moist lemon cake layers coated in a smooth raspberry buttercream. The lemon and raspberry flavors pair beautifully together in this delicious layer cake recipe.

4.43 from 14 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Servings 12 servings

Calories 698 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Stand mixer

Ingredients

  

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For Lemon Cake

• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 4 large eggs - room temperature
• ▢ 2 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• ▢ zest of one lemon
• ▢ 1 cup whole buttermilk
• ▢ 4 tablespoons butter - cut into pats
• ▢ ⅓ cup vegetable oil

For Raspberry Frosting

• ▢ 16 tablespoons salted butter - 2 sticks, softened
• ▢ ½ cup raspberry puree - 6 oz container of raspberries pureed in a blender then pressed through a fine mesh strainer
• ▢ 5 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ fresh raspberries and sprinkles - for topping

Instructions

 

To Make Cakes

• Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the center. Lightly butter two 8” x 2” round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment circles the same size as your cake pans and butter the parchment. If your 8” pans aren’t at least 2” deep, use 9” pans.
• In a small bowl sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder then whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon zest until thickened and light gold in color, about 2-3 minutes at medium-high speed. The batter should fall in thick ribbons from the whisk.
• Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the egg mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix once more just to make sure everything is incorporated.
• Heat milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it just comes to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter and oil, whisking until the butter has melted.
• Slowly mix the hot milk mixture into the batter, mixing on low speed until everything is well combined. Scrape down the bowl and mix again just until smooth.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake the cakes until the edges are pulling away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 26 to 30 minutes for two 9” pans, or 38 to 42 minutes for two 8” pans. Remove the cakes from the oven, carefully run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the edges, and allow cakes to cool for 15 minutes in the pans. Then transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

To Make Raspberry Frosting

• Beat the butter and raspberry puree in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until fully combined and fluffy.
• Add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, mixing to combine after each addition until all of the powdered sugar has been added. Scrape down the bowl and mix again to make sure everything is combined.
• If frosting is too loose, add another cup or two of powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.

Assembling the Cake

• Place a small dollop of frosting onto the center of a cake serving plate and place one of the cake layers on top. This helps keep the cake from sliding around as you frost. You can tuck pieces of waxed or parchment paper underneath the edge of the cake to keep the plate clean if desired. Spread the bottom layer with about 1 cup of frosting and spread out into an even layer with an icing spatula. Place the second cake layer on top of the frosted cake layer bottom-side up. Center the cake and gently press down in the middle to even the cake.
• If have the time, place the cake in the refrigerator or freezer, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes or up to two hours to firm it up. This will make the layers less likely to slide around as you work, and the cake won’t shed crumbs as you frost. If you’re pressed for time, you can skip this step.
• Either scoop the remaining frosting onto the top of the cake and spread out evenly on the top and down the sides with an offset spatula, or use a piping bag to pipe ribbons of frosting onto the top and around the sides of the cake. Then take a pastry scraper and go around the sides of the cake by turning your cake plate while gently pressing into the sides of the cake to create a smooth frosting layer. Once sides are smooth, smooth the top and scrape away any excess frosting.
• Finish the cake by piping several dollops of frosting around the top with a star tip, spacing them as evenly apart as possible and leaving a little space in between. Place fresh raspberries in a standing position in between the frosting dollops. Press sprinkles into the bottom of the cake all around the sides and add a few sprinkles around the top edge of the cake. Slice and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 698kcal | Carbohydrates: 86.7g | Protein: 3.6g | Fat: 38.8g | Cholesterol: 88.2mg | Sodium: 553mg | Sugar: 71g

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