Moist and sunshiny sweet, this Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake is so perfect for Easter or Mother’s Day brunch! Loaded with fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, and raspberries, this cake is loaded with flavor. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert!
Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake
A few weeks ago I asked you what kind of recipes you’d like to see more of, and there was an overwhelming response for LEMON! I get it. I love lemon, too! And with Spring (hopefully) right around the corner, now is the perfect time to add some new lemon recipes to the blog! Starting with this moist lemon cake that’s bursting with real lemon flavor and loaded with fresh raspberries. It’s topped with a melt-in-your-mouth lemon cream cheese frosting, and decorated with fresh raspberries and a sprinkle of lemon zest. It’s a total showstopper and SO good with a cup of coffee.
If you love the combination of raspberry and lemon, you have to try this cake!
Raspberry Bundt Cake
Ingredients:
- Unsalted Butter: in a pinch, salted butter may be used. But be sure your butter is at room temperature before baking!
- Full-fat Cream Cheese: I do not suggest using reduced fat here! This ingredient adds moisture and flavor to this cake.
- Eggs: You will need 5 large eggs for this recipe. Be sure they’ve come to room temperature before you add the eggs to the batter, as cold ingredients do not bond. You’ll also want to add the eggs one at a time, allowing each one to full incorporate before adding the next.
- Granulated Sugar: I suggest using all granulated sugar, as called for in the recipe. Brown sugar will technically work, but will change the overall taste, texture, and appearance of the cake. So if you do make that change, keep that in mind.
- Lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract: we use a trio of lemon ingredients to give this cake a real lemon punch. That said, the lemon extract may be omitted.
- Cake Flour: which gives our cake a delightfully moist crumb. I don’t suggest using all-purpose flour here, but you can use a homemade cake flour substitute. See my notes in the recipe box for more on this.
- Baking powder: the flour and baking powder will be combined to give our cake structure and height.
- A dash of salt: to balance the flavors and overall sweetness of the cake.
- And finally, raspberries! Fresh or frozen raspberries will work. But if you’re using frozen, DO NOT THAW THEM!
You’ll also need cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon extract to make the frosting. But if you want a super simple cake, this recipe can be served without the frosting! Instead, sprinkle it with powdered sugar and serve with fresh raspberries. I like doing this when I’m serving the cake for breakfast. Otherwise I’m team cream cheese frosting all the way 😉
Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For the Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake:
- 2 and 1/2 cups (330 g) cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces (227 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 8 ounces (227 g) full-fat cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 cups (397 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (57 ml) lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest finely grated
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract optional
- 5 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 cups fresh raspberries
- 3 Tablespoons (21 g) all-purpose flour
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 and 1/2 cups and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted, more if needed
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract optional
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
For Decoration:
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- Lemon slices
- Lemon zest
Instructions
For the Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Generously grease a 10-inch (12-cup) bundt pan, being sure to coat all of the nooks and crannies. I suggest using a non-stick baking spray that has flour in it, or greasing the pan with shortening or butter, then dusting it with flour. Set pan aside until needed.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt; whisk well to combine then set aside until needed.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add in the sugar, then increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon extract (if using).
- Reduce the speed back to medium, then add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to low and add in the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Turn mixer off.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the Raspberries and flour and toss well to coat. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the raspberries into the batter until just combined.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 25 minutes, then reduce the oven to 300 degrees and continue cooking for 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan, set on a wire rack, for 20 minutes. Then invert the cake onto the rack and cool completely.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-speed until completely smooth. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add in the confectioners' sugar, beating until all of the sugar is completely combined. Add in the salt, lemon extract, and lemon juice and beat smooth. Once all of the ingredients have been incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for a minute.
- Spread frosting on the top and sides of the cooled cake. Top with fresh raspberries, lemon slices, and lemon zest. Slice and serve, or store in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
- Measure out the amount needed for your recipe. For this recipe, you'll need 2 and 1/2 cups.
- For every 1 cup of flour, remove 2 Tablespoons of flour. Then add in 2 Tablespoons of Cornstarch for every 1 cup of flour. Essentially, you're replacing the tablespoons of flour taken out with cornstarch.
- Sift the mixture 6 times before using!
- Always measure the flour that is needed after it has been sifted.
Samantha L Durfee says
We love this recipe. I have also removed a cup of batter before I add the lemon and melt chocolate in it so it become a marble lemon raspberry cake. The frosting is amazing I love that it uses so little butter and cream cheese. I plan of using this as a base in all my frostings.
Jessica Gilbert says
I’m making this now. In the directions you say to add in baking soda but in the ingredients you don’t have any baking soda listed.
I went ahead and added 1 Tsp of it so I’ll see how it turns out.
If you know how much to add can you let me know so I know for future reference?
Gabriella says
Hi, can this cake be frozen to eat later? (Just the cake with no frosting, of course) thank you
Debbie says
This cake really is delicious! I halved the recipe and made it in a 2lb loaf tin. It was still moist after 3 days and the flavour was amazing. Thank you so much for this recipe. Best regards from Debbie (a Brit living in Portugal!)
Nina says
I really enjoyed making this recipe! I have a large recipe so I doubled the whole thing, made two cakes, and spent a day playing with the recipe! I was originally going to use the original cake recipe (https://bakerbynature.com/lemon-raspberry-cake/) but found this one and wanted to use two bundt pans.
I made a couple of changes but it still turned out great!
In the first batch I added some sour cream (about half a cup) and it turned out nice and moist! I also added the zest and juice of one lemon to the batter, instead of extract. It gave a nice light lemon flavor that was supported by the icing.
In the second cake, I added the zest and juice of 2 lemons. And didn’t add any sour cream. The lemon flavor in this cake was too strong! I would use a single lemon next time.
I made icing for both cakes also adding about 1/4 cup sour cream to make it a little thinner. And I used a little more than half the asked for sugar!
It all turned out great! The flavor combo is great! Thanks for the recipe!
Carol O'Neill says
Can some one tell me why there is no liquid i.e. milk in this recipe?
Jenn says
Can use freeze any left over cake ?
Jenni A says
I am not a baker by nature, I love to cook, and hate to bake. THIS CAKE IS THE BEST CAKE I HAVE EVER TASTED OR MADE! FOOLPROOF, JUST DO IT! Super buttery and delicious!
Julie says
Hi there! This sound DIVINE! Is there an option to make this low carb? Using Swerve granlar for the sweetener? What would the substitute be for the flour?
Thank you!!
Daphne says
Is the lemon juice only in the icing? I didn’t see how much to put in the batter.