Description

This Lemon Raspberry Easter Cake is everything you want in a spring dessert: light, fluffy lemon cake layers, sweet-tart raspberry filling, and silky pastel frosting. It’s elegant for Easter or spring gatherings but simple enough to make any day feel special.

Ingredients

Scale

Lemon Cake Layers

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
Zest of 2 lemons
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 1–2 lemons)
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Raspberry Filling

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

Pastel Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3–4 cups powdered sugar
2–3 tbsp milk or heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Gel food coloring (optional)

Decoration

Fresh raspberries and thin lemon slices (optional)

Instructions

1. Prep & Preheat

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment circles.

2. Mix Dry Ingredients

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Cream Butter & Sugar

Beat butter and sugar 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy.

4. Add Eggs & Lemon

Beat in eggs one at a time. Add lemon zest, juice, and vanilla. Mixture may look curdled—this is normal.

5. Alternate Wet & Dry

On low speed, add 1/3 of flour, then half the milk, repeat, ending with remaining flour. Fold gently to combine.

6. Bake & Cool

Divide batter between pans. Bake 25–30 minutes until tops spring back and toothpick comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes in pans, remove parchment, and cool completely.

7. Make Raspberry Filling

Simmer raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice 8–10 minutes until thickened. Cool completely.

8. Make Frosting

Beat butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk/cream. Beat 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add gel coloring if desired.

9. Assemble Cake

Place one cake layer on a plate. Spread a thin frosting “dam,” then spoon in raspberry filling. Top with second cake layer.
Apply crumb coat and chill 15 minutes. Finish with remaining frosting and decorate with berries and lemon slices.

Notes

Make Ahead: Cake layers 2 days ahead; raspberry filling 3 days ahead. Frost the day of serving.
Flat Layers: Use bake-even strips or trim domes after cooling.
Frosting Fix: If runny, chill butter 15–20 min and re-whip. Add extra powdered sugar if greasy.
Frozen Berries: Cook a few minutes longer to reach jammy consistency.