If you like lemons and raspberries you’re going to love this lemon and raspberry pie. This raspberry cake explodes with fresh lemon flavor and is topped with a lemon cream cheese frosting. It’s the perfect lemon and raspberry dessert for Mother’s Day or Easter brunch!
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon of lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 and 1/2 cups of cake flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream with all the fat
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen raspberries, if used frozen, do not thaw first
2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
Lemon Cream and Frosted Cheese:
1 block (8 ounces) full fat cream cheese, slightly softer than room temperature.
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softer than room temperature
4 cups of confectioner’s sugar, more if needed.
2 teaspoons fresh lemon peel
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of pure lemon extract (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons of sour cream
Ornament:
1/2 cup canned raspberries
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh raspberries
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Cut two 9-inch round segments of parchment paper to line the cake tins. Spray each pan generously – sides and bottom – with nonstick cooking spray, then place the cut parchment paper on the bottom of the pan and spray it again. It is important to make sure that each piece of paper and pan is sprayed so that the cakes do not get stuck. Set the pans aside.
In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with the paddle attachment), combine the butter, both sugars, lemon peel, lemon extract and vanilla extract; beat on medium speed, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (don’t skimp on time here!). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and scraping sides of bowl as needed. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, mixing well to combine the ingredients evenly. Add dry mixture to wet ingredients and mix at low speed until just combined. You should still see some dry lumps and streaks. Turn off the mixer. Add the milk, sour cream and lemon juice; use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients into the mixture, stirring until everything is incorporated, but be sure not to mix too much. Set aside.
In another bowl, gently stir the raspberries with 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Add the raspberries and the remaining flour to the dough and fold them over by hand, using a rubber spatula, until well mixed. Again, be sure not to mix too much! Mixing too much is very easy to do, and will result in a dry, dense cake.
Divide the dough evenly among the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is firm and slightly golden brown, and a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist (but not wet) crumbs stuck to it.
Allow the cakes to cool on the trays for 10 minutes before gently running a knife around the edges to loosen any stuck pieces, then flipping them over a cooling rack to cool completely.
While the cakes are cooling, you can do the icing.
For the cheese frosting with lemon cream:
In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment) whisk the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the sugar from the confectioners. Add the lemon peel, lemon juice, lemon extract and salt; beat until combined. Increase speed to medium and blend until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream and continue beating the glaze until very light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. If the icing looks too thin, add a little more confectioners’ sugar, starting with one tablespoon at a time; if the icing looks too thick, add a little more sour cream, starting with one tablespoon at a time.