Raspberry Lemon Cake

Thank you once again to our friend The Ohio Cook over at My Meals Are on Wheels at https://beatcancer2010.wordpress.com/ for the inspiration for making a raspberry lemon cake. Believe it or not, I actually followed the recipe fairly closely this time. I think the only changes I made were to make it into a sheet cake rather than a round layered cake, and I added lemon extract as well. It’s hard to improve upon perfection. 🙂

I converted my cake into a sheet cake because I can feed more people this way, and I was making it for the church congregation, for my coffee cart. I also added lemon extract because when I make something lemony, I like it really lemony.

I would like to say I used my own raspberries for this cake, however, my raspberry yield was pretty small this year. I have raspberry bushes growing all down my side yard and in a couple of places in my back yard, but I only got a few tiny raspberries. They were still delicious, just not very many of them. Instead, I just served them in a bowl of mixed berries this morning. They were all gobbled up too. Next year, I should have tons of fresh raspberries though. Usually they are slight one year, and prolific the next, then back to slight.

My big batch of fresh raspberries for 2023. There were a few more, but I ate them as soon as I picked them. 🙂 They are very tiny berries, but oh so sweet and delicious.

Lemon Raspberry Cake

Preheat the oven to 350* F or 190* C.

Spray your cake pan(s) with cooking spray. You can bake it in a 9×13 cake pan, like I did, or two 8 or 9″ rounds.

Coat 1 pint of berries in flour.

The Cake

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup sugar

1 TBSP vanilla

1-2 tsp lemon extract

2 TBSP lemon zest

3 eggs separated

1 1/4 cups sour cream or yogurt- I use both all the time, but this time I used yogurt. It really just depends on what I have on hand at the time of baking

1 pint of fresh raspberries

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Mix all the dry ingredients together and set aside.

Mix the butter, sugar and egg yolks together until creamy. Then add the vanilla and lemon extract.

Beat the egg whites until they form into stiff peaks.

Add 1/2 the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, mix well, add 1/2 the yogurt/sour cream, and repeat until it is all mixed together. Do not over mix.

Gently fold in the stiffened egg whites. Gently fold in the raspberries and flour mixture, then spread evenly into the prepared pan(s).

Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick that is inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before removing it from the pan and icing it.

Lemon Buttercream

1 cup or 2 sticks softened butter

3 TBSP lemon juice

3-5 cups powdered sugar, depending on how sweet you want it. i think I just used 3 cups.

2 tsp lemon extract

Mix everything together until it is smooth and creamy. If you are making it into a sheet cake, generously spread the icing on the top and sides of the cake. If you make it into a round cake, generously spread a layer of icing in between each layer of cake as well. Top with fresh raspberries and/or blackberries (You can also make this same cake with blackberries ). I did not have enough of the larger fresh raspberries for both the cake and the topping, but I did have fresh blackberries, so I added those to the topping as well. Besides, I think it made for a nicer presentation. 🙂

Keep the cake refrigerated before slicing it and serving it, if it is going to be for any length of time. Then slice it up and share with friends. This cake is so moist and lemony. You’re going to love it. I promise. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.