A lovely and simple raspberry lemon cake, perfect to enjoy any time of day. This cake is wonderfully fluffy and light and keeps well for days!
The combination of lemon and raspberries is always fabulous! This oil-based lemon raspberry cake means no butter to soften and it means the cake will be wonderfully light and fluffy and stay fresh longer. Comes together in a flash too, so it’s a perfect whenever cake.
Ingredients and substitutions
Lemons – since we will need both lemon zest and lemon juice, you’ll want to start with fresh lemons. You’ll need 2 lemons to get the needed juice and zest.
Raspberries – fresh raspberries are recommended. Since fresh raspberries are available year-round, they will always give the best results.
You could use frozen raspberries in a pinch. No need to thaw. Just place the frozen raspberries onto the cake in the same way. The downside of frozen raspberries is the extra moisture that is added to the cake, so you may find the cake around the berries a little more moist. You will probably need a few extra minutes of baking time when starting with frozen raspberries.
Variations
Replace the raspberries with blackberries or blueberries.
How to make this raspberry lemon cake
- Add the eggs and sugar to the bowl (you can also make this with an electric handheld mixer).
- Mix together until lightened in colour and fluffy/frothy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Add the flour mixture and mix in thoroughly.
- Mix until the batter forms soft peaks.
- Add batter to pan and top with raspberries.
Recipe tips!
While this is a simple cake, you’ll want to make sure you follow the instructions closely, particularly when it comes to beating the batter. Use the whisk attachment and beat the batter to soft peaks as directed, to ensure the nicest cake consistency.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
This cake keeps well for several days stored in an airtight container or well wrapped, so it is both great for making a bit ahead and enjoying over a couple of days.
Leftovers can be frozen for up to 2 months.
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Get the Recipe: Simple Raspberry Lemon Cake
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed, from about 2 lemon
- 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour, measured with the spoon and level method
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- Pinch salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (200 g) white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon (120 g) vegetable oil, or canola or other neutral-tasting cooking oil
- 6 oz. (170 g) fresh raspberries
After baking:
- Icing/confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 340F. (regular bake/not fan assisted). Grease an 8-inch springform pan with 3-inch high sides and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Set aside.
- Remove the zest from the lemons and squeeze the lemons. Measure out the zest and lemon juice and set aside.
- Add the eggs and sugar to a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Mix the eggs and sugar at medium speed until the mixture has lightened in colour and is fluffy about 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, very slowly drizzle the oil into the batter until all is added. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice and mix in. With the mixer still on low, add the flour mixture and mix to combine. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium and mix until the batter forms soft peaks.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Scatter the raspberries over the top of the batter.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 50 minutes, or until the cake tests clean when tested in the centre of the cake. *Try to test away from any fruit, as the cake will be more moist around the fruit and may not give an accurate test. **If your springform pan is dark grey or black, the cake will cook a little more quickly, so check a bit earlier for doneness.
- Allow to cool completely, then dust with icing/confectioners' sugar, before serving.
Notes
More rasperry recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Hi, Jennifer
I would like to use frozen raspberries instead fresh. Do you think it would work?
Hi Mikiko and yes, it should work. You will probably need some extra baking time with the frozen raspberries.
I only have a 9 X 13 Pyrex dish. Could I make this cake in that? If so, should I change the way I bake it? Thank you (I’m not much of a baker)
Hi Katie, I think a 9×13 would be to large for the base recipe. It may work if you doubled the recipe, but would be too thin otherwise.
I had some extra raspberries and 1 huge lemon leftover from making another recipe and knew if I didn’t use them right away they’d go to waste – enter this delicious cake!!! I only had a 9 inch cake pan on hand so I used that and baked for about 40 minutes (tented with foil halfway through to avoid too much browning l). Followed the other instructions to a T and topped with homemade whipped cream. It was the perfect indulgent but not top indulgent dessert for my husband and I. Thank you!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Stephanie! Thanks so much :)
Just the perfect treat to serve with tea and friends.
Served this one to my friends who came for tea after a two year lapse. We all enjoyed it very much and all of them asked for your website address.
Also I’ve made and served the tea with the Irish Scones. It was a real score.
Thank you again Jennifer.
I’m so glad to hear, Liliana and so glad you were able to enjoy it for your tea! Thanks :)
Easy to make and simply delicious!
This cake looks amazing, I love the combo of flavors, just right to perk up a dreary day!
Thanks Sue and yes, there is nothing like lemon and bright fruit to brighten up a day!
A beautiful cake to bring to the table. Makes for a very yummy easy breakfast or treat with tea. So very good!
Thanks so much, Diane :)
Can butter be used in lieu of the oil?
Hi Barbara, I don’t think butter would perform well here as the way the cake is made doesn’t account for any “creaming” of butter. I suppose you could try melted (and cooled) butter, but it would certainly change the texture and shelf life of the cake. It may end up quite wet, which is sort of the opposite of the texture you’d achieve with the oil.