As much as I love elaborate cake designs...
...sometimes there’s no beating the simple ones! This cake is probably one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever posted both in baking process and design. But I still loved the design - and the taste - when it was done!
Lemon-raspberry cake layers frosted with cream cheese buttercream, topped with a candy melt drip, lemon slices, and a sprinkle of freeze-dried raspberries! Recipes below!
Why make this Lemon Raspberry Cake?
- Any fruit-flavored cake I can still make in the dead of winter is an automatic hit in my book!
- Super-simple cake from start to finish; cake mixes, cream cheese buttercream, a 2-ingredient white drip. a sprinkle of freeze dried raspberries and lemon slices! The semi-naked frosting style means frosting is super easy!
- Lemon slice twirls are so fun to decorate with!
FAQS -
"Your recipe calls for cake mixes...really not my thing. Can I use a scratch cake recipe?"
Absolutely! My goal for this recipe was simplicity, but nothing beats scratch cake layers for taste! The cake layers in this recipe are my favorite scratch lemon cake recipe. Add in the lemon zest and freeze-dried raspberries called for in this recipe and you're good to go!
Any other questions / concerns? Please send me an email! All emails to my contact page go straight to my inbox. 🙂 (That said, sometimes I get ridiculous amounts of spam, so if I don't get back to you in a day or so ping me again!)
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Lemon Raspberry Cake
Equipment
- Squeeze bottle (or piping bag or spoon, for the cake drip)
Ingredients
Lemon Cake Layers
- 2 Lemon cake mixes (I used Duncan Hines; ignore the package directions)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (or 2 sticks, melted & cooled so it doesn't scramble the eggs)
- 2 cups buttermilk (room temperature)
- 7 eggs
- 2 Tablespoons lemon extract
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup freeze-dried raspberries
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- 6 ounces cream cheese (¾package; softened)
- ¾ cup butter 1 ½ sticks, softened
- 4 - 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ - 1 Tablespoon milk
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter
Drip & Decorations
- 6 ounces white candy melts (I use the Wilton brand Bright White)
- 3 ¾ Tablespoons heavy whipping cream (my favorite brand is very thick; you may need a bit less depending on the thickness of your heavy cream)
- 2-3 small lemons
- ¼ cup freeze-dried raspberries (I used this brand; available on Amazon)
Instructions
Lemon Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch round pans with baker's floured spray (or grease and line with parchment rounds).
- Mix together all wet ingredients (butter, buttermilk, eggs, lemon extract, and lemon zest) in a large mixing or stand mixer bowl and beat until well mixed. Blend in cake mixes on low speed for 30 seconds, and then beat for 2 minutes until well combined. Stir in freeze-dried raspberries.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part). This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans. Cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired.
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add lemon extract and salt if needed and beat until well combined.
Assembly
- Once your cakes are cool, level them (if needed). This can be done with a cake leveler or a large serrated knife and a ruler.
- Place a smear of frosting on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle. Spread the layer with frosting. Add your next cake layer on top, and repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.
- Now you're ready to crumb-coat . If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like – spreading a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake to keep crumbs out of your final layer.
- Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 5-10 minutes in the fridge), add your final layer of frosting and smooth. I like to use an offset spatula and bench scraper for this part, and I made the frosting layer thin enough to let the cake layers show through a bit for a ‘semi-naked’ cake style.
- Once your cake is covered, place it into the fridge or freezer to set the frosting.
Cake Drip
- (This recipe is very similar to my favorite white chocolate ganache recipe – you’re basically using candy melts instead of white chocolate to make a very similar drip ganache. I prefer this drip when I want bright colors that aren’t tinted yellow from the white chocolate!)
- Place heavy cream and candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on 50% power in 30-second intervals until smooth, stirring in between. Allow to cool to a moderate temperature - it should still be liquid but feel only slightly warm. (You don't want the drip mixture to melt your frosting).
- If you're new to cake drips a squeeze bottle or piping bag will give you the most control - but you can also use a spoon.
- Slowly drizzle candy melt ganache around the upper edge of your cake, pausing every inch or so to let more fall in a drip down the side of the cake. Pour some of the remaining candy melt mix over the cake, and smooth any gaps or bumpy spots with a small offset spatula. Place the cake into the refrigerator to set the drips!
Decorating
- Cut 3-4 lemon slices and make a small cut to the center of the slice so you can open it up into a lemon ‘twist’ to top the cake. Arrange these on top of the cake, sprinkling on a few more freeze-dried raspberries to add a little more color to the top.
- And you’re done! Cut in and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Mentioned in post -
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
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