Lemon Raspberry Cake With Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Food

LEMON RASPBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, add oil, eggs, buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cream for 2 minutes.
• In large bowl, add sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into egg mixture and fold.
• In a small bowl, carefully toss raspberries with 2 Tablespoons of flour to coat them. This helps to keep the raspberries from sinking to the bottom. Fold into the batter.
• Spray three 8-inch or three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. You can also use two 9-inch pans but the baking time will be longer. Place batter into baking pans. If using three 8-inch pans, bake for 20-26 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. If using three 9-inch pans, bake for 19-23 minutes. If using two 9-inch pans, bake for 30-36 minutes. Cool.

LEMON RASPBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Cut out two 9-inch round segments of parchment paper to line your cake pans with. Spray each pan generously - sides and bottom - with nonstick cooking spray, then place the parchment paper cut out in the bottom of the pans and spray again. It's important to make sure every bit of pan and paper are sprayed so your cakes don't get stuck. Set pans aside.
• In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), combine the butter, both sugars, lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract; beat on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (don't skimp on time here!). Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, mixing well to evenly combine the ingredients. Add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until everything is just barely combined. You should still see some lumps and dry streaks. Turn mixer off. Add in the milk, sour cream, and lemon juice; use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients into the mixture, stirring until everything is incorporated, but being sure not to overmix. Set aside.
• In another bowl, gently toss the raspberries with 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Add the raspberries, and any remaining flour, to the batter and fold in by hand, using a rubber spatula, until just combined. Again, be sure not to over mix! Over mixing is very easy to do, and will result in a dry, dense cake.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the tops are firm and slightly golden, and a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist (but not wet) crumbs clinging to it.
• Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before gently running a knife around the edges to loosen any stuck bits, then turning them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• While the cakes cool, you can make the frosting.

LEMON AND RASPBERRY CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with baking spray. Line the bottom with a piece of parchment and spray again.
• Put the raspberries in a bowl and add the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Mash well and let sit a few minutes for the juices to release. Press through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Remove 2 teaspoons of the raspberry syrup for the frosting and set aside. Reserve the remaining raspberry syrup for the batter.
• In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the eggs with the remaining 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the cream, vanilla, lemon zest and remaining raspberry syrup.
• Sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter in 3 additions, mixing between each addition until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely, then turn out onto a cake stand or serving plate.
• For the frosting: In a stand mixer using a whisk attachment, beat together the sour cream and butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth. Mix in the reserved 2 teaspoons raspberry syrup until combined.
• Frost the cooled cake and decorate with fresh mint leaves and raspberries, if using.

LEMON SNACK CAKE WITH RASPBERRY-CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a 9-inch round cake pan with butter. Line bottom with parchment; brush with butter. Dust with flour, tapping out excess.
• In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another, stir together milk and lemon juice. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter with lemon zest, granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk mixture, just until no dry flour remains (do not overmix). Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until cake is golden and springs back when gently pressed, about 40 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool 20 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack, remove parchment, and let cool completely.
• For the Frosting: In a bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in confectioners' sugar and freeze-dried berries until smooth.
• Spread frosting over top of cake. Decorate with fresh berries. Cake is best served on the same day, but can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.