Blog
A journal of kitchen creations
05.18.2023
Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake
In my home, the month of May is filled with reasons to celebrate: a birthday, Mother's Day, and the blooming of spring. When it comes to celebrations, there's one thing that never fails to bring joy and delight - cake! This creation combines the tangy brightness of lemons, the juicy burst of fresh raspberries, and the tantalizing tang of lemon curd. Topped with a cream cheese frosting, this cake is a decadent treat.
Lemon Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from Preppy Kitchen
I used the cake and frosting recipes from Peppy Kitchen and made it my own by adding different fillings between the layers. I also opted for a 3 layer cake using 5-inch round cake pans, rather than a 2 layer, wider cake described in the Preppy Kitchen's recipe. I find that a smaller, taller cake is more dramatic and eye-catching for a celebratory cake. Plus, more yummy fillings!
The lemon cake had a great lemon flavour with a density a bit lighter than a pound cake, which works nicely for layering.
Filling
Cream cheese frosting
Fresh raspberries
Lemon curd (I used a jar of President's Choice Black Label Lemon Curd)
After your cake is baked and cooled, use a serrated knife to cut off the top of the individual layers so they will stack evenly. Wrap the layers individually in plastic wrap and place in freezer for 24 hours. Working with frozen cake layers makes the filling and layering process easier with less risk of the cake tearing. As an added bonus, breaking up the steps means you can spend more time celebrating on the day you serve your cake, with only the final assembly and finishing touches required.
When ready to assemble, remove your cake layers from the freezer and unwrap. Secure your first cake layer on your serving stand by placing a small dollop of frosting in the middle of the stand. Place the first cake layer on the cake stand, ensuring that is is centered.
Pipe a ring of frosting around the top edge of the cake layer. This will serve as a border, preventing the lemon curd from seeping out the sides. Next, spoon and spread a layer of lemon curd inside the frosting ring. To finish off the filling, place fresh raspberries on-top of the curd.
Place the next cake layer on-top. Push gently down to adhere the 2 layers. Your raspberries will get squished - that's ok! The fresh, fruity flavour will still be apparent in each slice. For a 3 layer cake, repeat the layering instructions. After you've placed your last layer, cover the entire cake with cream cheese frosting.
Let cake sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours before serving to allow ample time for it to thaw completely.
Enjoy!
