Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake

There's something about the smell of lemon zest hitting a hot pan that instantly transports me to my aunt's kitchen on a sun-drenched afternoon. I'd watched her layer cakes for years, always a little nervous about getting the frosting smooth, but one summer she handed me the piping bag and said, "Just let your hand remember what your eyes see." This lemon raspberry layer cake became my answer to that quiet permission—three tender, zesty layers stacked with bright berries and silky buttercream that somehow tastes like both sophistication and comfort on the same fork.

I made this for my best friend's birthday last spring, and I remember her face when she saw the three towering layers—like I'd suddenly learned to do something magical. The kitchen smelled so aggressively lemony by the end that my partner joked we'd never need to buy furniture polish again, but when everyone tried it, there was this moment of genuine quiet at the table. That's when I knew the recipe had worked.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (2 ½ cups): Measure by spooning into your measuring cup rather than scooping directly; it makes the cake lighter and less dense than you'd expect.
• Baking powder and baking soda (2 ½ tsp and ½ tsp): These create the tender crumb that lets the lemon flavor shine instead of getting lost in a heavy cake.
• Salt (½ tsp): Don't skip it—it balances the sweetness and makes the lemon taste more like itself.
• Unsalted butter (1 cup for cake, 1 cup for frosting): Room temperature butter creams into a pale, fluffy base; cold butter will fight you the entire way.
• Granulated sugar (1 ¾ cups): The sugar dissolves into the butter to create a tender crumb that holds the raspberries without crumbling.
• Eggs (4 large, room temperature): Cold eggs curdle the batter; I learned this by accident when I forgot to take them out of the fridge and ended up with a slightly grainy cake.
• Lemon zest (2 lemons, plus 1 for frosting): Use a microplane; it captures the fragrant oils that make people say, "What is that incredible smell?"
• Fresh lemon juice (⅓ cup plus 3 tbsp): The juice is the backbone of this cake, so taste your lemons first—some are sweeter and less acidic than others.
• Pure vanilla extract (1 tsp): Pure vanilla rounds out the brightness instead of the artificial kind, which can taste sharp.
• Buttermilk (1 cup, room temperature): The acidity reacts with the baking soda to create a tender crumb that practically melts on your tongue.
• Fresh raspberries (1 ½ cups): Buy them the day you bake if possible; slightly overripe raspberries actually taste better in the filling than rock-hard ones.
• Powdered sugar (4 cups, sifted): Sifting prevents lumps that can make the frosting feel grainy instead of silky.
• Heavy cream or milk (2–3 tbsp): Start with 2 tablespoons; you can always add more to reach the consistency you want, but you can't take it back.

Instructions

Get everything ready and preheat:

Set your oven to 350°F and grease three 8-inch pans with parchment paper lining the bottoms. This matters more than you'd think—it's the difference between layers sliding off the plate and layers coming out in one perfect piece. Pull your butter and eggs out of the fridge now so they'll be warm and cooperative by the time you need them.

Mix the dry ingredients:

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Whisking incorporates air and distributes the leavening evenly, which means the cake rises steadily instead of doming in the middle.

Cream butter and sugar:

In a large bowl, beat room-temperature butter with sugar until it looks pale, fluffy, and almost mousse-like—this should take about 3 minutes with an electric mixer. This step builds air into the batter, which creates the tender crumb that makes people lean in for another bite.

Add eggs and flavor:

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition so they emulsify into the batter instead of sitting on top. Once the eggs are in, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla, and mix until everything is combined and the batter smells like sunshine.

Alternate wet and dry:

Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk and starting and ending with flour. Mix just until each addition disappears—overmixing develops gluten and toughens the cake, which defeats the whole point.

Fill the pans and bake:

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and smooth the tops gently. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.

Cool the layers:

Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes—this sets the structure enough that they'll turn out without breaking. Then turn them onto wire racks to cool completely, which takes about an hour and is the hardest part because the smell is irresistible.

Make the raspberry filling:

In a small saucepan, combine raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, water, and lemon juice over medium heat. Stir gently for about 5 minutes until the mixture thickens and the raspberries mostly break down but still have a little texture to them.

Make the buttercream:

Beat room-temperature butter on medium speed until it's creamy, then gradually add powdered sugar while beating so it incorporates smoothly. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt, then add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches the consistency you want—thick enough to hold its shape but soft enough to spread without tearing the cake.

Assemble the cake:

Place one cake layer on your serving plate, spread a thin layer of buttercream over it, then half the cooled raspberry filling. Repeat with the second layer, then top with the final layer and frost the top and sides with the remaining buttercream.

Save

The moment I remember most clearly happened when my mom took a bite at the birthday party, closed her eyes, and just said, "Oh." Not as a question, just as an answer to something she'd been looking for. That single syllable made me understand that recipes aren't really about measurements at all—they're about how a combination of careful attention and ordinary ingredients can create something that feels like a small gift.

Why Lemon and Raspberry Work Together

Lemon is bright and forward, the kind of flavor that announces itself, while raspberry is soft and subtle, almost whispering underneath. Together, they create a conversation where one flavor doesn't overpower the other—instead, they make each other taste more like themselves. It's the same principle as why certain people are best friends; they complement rather than compete. The tartness of the lemon cutting through the buttercream's sweetness, and the raspberry filling adding just enough texture to make each bite interesting—it's a combination that feels both unexpected and inevitable at the same time.

Making This Cake Ahead

I've learned through trial and error that this cake actually gets better if you make the layers a day ahead and let them sit wrapped tightly at room temperature. Something about the moisture redistributing overnight makes the crumb even more tender, which means the frosting doesn't tear into it. The filling keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days, so you can make that ahead too. The only thing I don't recommend doing early is the buttercream frosting, because it has a weird tendency to separate if it sits too long before it gets whipped.

When You Want to Make It Your Own

This recipe is flexible in ways that let you make it feel personal without abandoning what makes it work. My neighbor once substituted blackberries for raspberries and it created this deeper, more complex flavor that was honestly stunning. Another time, someone mixed a little cream cheese into the buttercream to cut the sweetness, and suddenly the frosting tasted like cheesecake in the best possible way. The lemon is the constant that holds everything together, but you can play with what comes alongside it.

• For a more dramatic presentation, press fresh raspberries around the sides of the frosted cake so they create a jewel-like border.
• If you're nervous about assembly, crumb coat the cake first—a thin layer of frosting seals in loose crumbs before you apply the final frosting layer.
• Make extra buttercream and freeze it; it keeps for up to a month and thaws into the same silky texture.

Save

This cake belongs at celebrations, but I've also learned it belongs at quiet afternoons when someone just needs a small moment of brightness. Serve it with sparkling water or a glass of something cold, and watch how people's faces change when they taste it.

Recipe FAQs

→ How do I ensure the cake layers stay moist?

Use room-temperature butter and eggs, and avoid overmixing the batter. Baking just until a toothpick comes out clean helps retain moisture.

→ Can I use frozen raspberries for the filling?

Yes, frozen raspberries work well. Do not thaw them before cooking to prevent excess juice and maintain the filling’s texture.

→ What’s the best way to get a smooth lemon buttercream?

Beat the butter until creamy before gradually adding powdered sugar and lemon juice. Add heavy cream slowly to achieve the desired consistency.

→ How can I intensify the lemon flavor in the cake?

Brushing the cake layers with lemon syrup before assembling enhances the citrus brightness throughout.

→ What tools are essential for assembling the layers evenly?

Using an offset spatula or cake knife helps spread frosting smoothly and assemble even layers with precision.