Raspberry Lemon Cake

Prep Time: 25 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins | Course: Dessert | Serves: 12 

Tender crumbed lemon cake with raspberries and a tart lemon icing made creamy with yogurt. Two of my favorite flavors combined into one delicious moist cake. Tuck extra berries in between the cake layers and on top for a berry garnish. inspired by Sue Moran at The View From Great Island https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/raspberry-lemon-cake/

8 Tbsp butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 lemon, zested & juiced

3 eggs, separated

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

1 cup greek yogurt

12 oz raspberries (frozen or fresh)

Lemon Icing:

1 cup butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1 lemon, zested

4 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon extract

⅓ cup greek yogurt

12 oz fresh raspberries, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350*. Spray oil or butter 3-8” cake pans (or 2-9”) and sprinkle with a bit of sugar, set to one side. In a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest together until light and fluffy. Add in the egg yolks, lemon juice, and vanilla, mixing until incorporated. In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and set to one side. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a mixing bowl. With a rubber scraper, fold the dry ingredients and the yogurt into the butter mixture until just incorporated. Gently fold in the egg whites in 3 editions beginning with about ⅓ of the batter so as not to deflate the egg whites. Lastly, fold in the raspberries. Divide batter between the 3 prepared cake pans. Bake for about 25-30 minutes (or longer if baking 2-9” layers). When done the edges will be golden and will pull away from the sides of the pan just a bit. A toothpick tester will come out batter-free\clean. My favorite way to check for doneness is with an insta-thermometer, it should read a minimum of 200* for cake. Cool the cake in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edges and release from the pans onto a cooling rack.

In a stand mixer, beat the butter, powdered sugar, lemon zest, juice, and lemon extract together until soft and creamy, spoon in the yogurt and stir until well mixed.

Assemble the cooled cake placing one layer onto a cake stand or plate. Spread with a generous layer of icing on top (you can add a few fresh raspberries in the layers too). Repeat with the second layer, then top with the remaining cake and spread with another generous layer of icing on top and down the sides. Garnish with fresh raspberries.