Raspberry Lemon Layer Cake
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep: 
Cook: 
Total time: 
Serves: 16
 
Ingredients
  • CAKE:
  • ½ cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ tsp each vanilla and coconut extract
  • Zest of ½ a lemon
  • 1¼ cups plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup milk
  • FROSTING:
  • 2 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup icing sugar/powdered sugar
  • Zest of ½ a lemon
  • ½ tsp vanilla OR coconut extract (use coconut if garnishing with coconut, otherwise stick with vanilla)
  • GARNISH:
  • Lots of fresh raspberries! I used about 2 pints.
  • Optional: additional lemon zest and/or plain sweetened shredded coconut or lightly toasted coconut
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cut a circle out of parchment paper to line the bottom of an 8" or 9" round cake pan.  Lightly grease pan, set parchment paper in bottom and set aside.
  3. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, extracts and lemon zest and mix well. Alternate mixing in flour and milk, making two additions of each.  Beat until smooth, then pour into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake 30-35 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan, then let cool completely on rack before frosting.
  4. For frosting, beat cream cheese until smooth.  Slowly add whipping cream while mixing and mix well to eliminate lumps. Add all remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.  When smooth, turn mixer to high and whip for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy and light, like a thick whipped cream.
  5. Slice cake horizontally in half and spread half the frosting on the bottom layer (I'm terrible at cutting things horizontally anywhere near the center, as you can see in the picture. I've pretty much given up buying unsliced bagels for the same reason.)  Set top layer on bottom and cover with remaining frosting, making it heavier in the center as the raspberries will push it further to the edge.  Top frosting with a pile of fresh raspberries, and garnish with additional lemon zest and/or coconut, if desired.
Recipe by Hidden Ponies at https://hiddenponies.com/2011/07/raspberry-lemon-layer-cake/