A delicious and moist vegan lemon and raspberry cake is decorated and filled with raspberry jam and a zesty lemon buttercream, topped with fresh raspberries. Vegan, easy, no-egg and no-dairy.
Make sure to check out my Vegan Lemon Crinkle Cookies, Popular Vegan Lemon Curd Cake , Vegan Raspberry Cake and Vegan Lemon Sweet Rolls.
Vegan Lemon and Raspberry Cake
If you like lemons and raspberries, then you’re going to LOVE this Lemon Raspberry Cake! This fruity cake is bursting with zesty lemon flavour and juicy raspberries and is covered in a tangy lemon buttercream. It’s the ultimate lemon raspberry dessert for Summer, Birthdays or a special occasion. I actually made this cake for my mums birthday and it went down a storm with friends and family.
Why you’ll love this cake:
- It’s vegan friendly
- Easy to make
- Small batch
- Easy and simple decoration
- Bursting with flavour
- Zesty lemon frosting
- Fresh raspberries in the cake
- Raspberry jam is hidden between the cake layers
- Delicious
- Great for birthdays or special occasions
Layers of a lemon & raspberry cake
This cake has 3 components, which are super easy to make. From moist cake filled with juicy raspberries to the zesty buttercream, each bite is filled with ULTIMATE fruity flavour.
- Cakes – I thought for the sponge I would use fresh raspberries as they look amazing in the sponge. The raspberries are juicy, so when added into cake batter, inevitably they’ll sink somewhat, but honestly, it’s so delicious, I don’t even care – haha! It doesn’t ruin the taste which is ultimately the most important bit. If that does bother you, there is a simple trick to prevent this, check out the recipe card.
- Filling – I decided to add a fun swirl of lemon buttercream and raspberry jam. The buttercream is a American style buttercream with fresh lemon zest and lemon zest. It is so good! I used shop bought raspberry jam but you’re more than welcome to make your own raspberry jam or raspberry compote. Oh, and also there is zest of a whole lemon in the filling too, scrumptious!!!
- Buttercream + decoration – Finally the cake is covered in the same simple lemon buttercream, along with swirls of raspberry jam. I topped the cake with swirls of buttercream and fresh raspberries, and more lemon zest to showcase the full flavour of the cake.
Ingredients you need to make this cake:
- Dairy-free milk and apple cider vinegar : For the sponge, you’ll want to make a simple dairy-free buttermilk. Whisk these two ingredients together and allow to stand for 5 minutes to curdle, making your vegan buttermilk.
- Self raising flour : You’ll want to use self raising flour, as this helps the cake to rise and become extra light & fluffy.
- Caster Sugar : The sugar adds sweetness and stabilises the cake. You can use white caster sugar or a golden caster sugar if preferred.
- Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda : These two raising agents allow the cake to rise and become fluffy. They’re a must in vegan cakes.
- Oil : I like to use sunflower oil for cakes, as it works amazingly well and doesn’t have any flavour, meaning it won’t effect the taste of the cake unlike coconut oil and other vegetable oils.
- Raspberries : The star of the show. You’ll want to coat the raspberries in flour before adding into the batter for the cake, this helps to prevent the berries sinking when baking.
- Lemons : Make sure to use un-waxed lemons as you’re going to be using the lemon juice AND zest for cake and buttercream.
- Dairy-free butter : Make sure to use a vegan block butter for stable and thick buttercream. My favourites are Flora Plant Butter and Naturli Vegan Block.
- Icing sugar : Sift the icing sugar for a grain free buttercream.
How to make a vegan lemon and raspberry cake
This cake comes together a little differently than other cakes. The raspberries are coated in flour before being added into the cake batter. This prevents them sinking to the bottom.
- Buttermilk
In a bowl or jug, mix together the milk and vinegar, set aside to create a curdled buttermilk.
- Sieve the flour, raising agents, sugar and lemon zest in a bowl, stir to combine. Pour in the oil and buttermilk, mix to combine.
- Coat the raspberries
Roll the raspberries in flour, then add into the cake batter, only gently stir to combine- do not over-mix!
- Bake
Evenly divide the cake batter into the lined cake tins, bake until a skewer or toothpick inserted into them middle of the cakes comes out clean. Set aside at room temperature to cool fully before filling and icing.
- Buttercream
In a stand mixer or with a hand whisk, cream the butter then add in the icing sugar, milk and lemon zest. Whip until thick and creamy. Transfer some of the buttercream into a piping bag.
- Fill
Place a cake layer on a turntable or cake stand, pipe a swirl of buttercream then swirl of raspberry jam into the middle of the cake. place on-top another cake layer. Coat the whole cake with buttercream.
- Decorate
Coat the entire cake with a neat layer of buttercream. Transfer some buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe swirl on the top of the cake and finish with some fresh raspberries and lemon zest.
Lemon and raspberry cake Tips and Tricks
- For preventing the raspberries sinking to the bottom of the cake when baking, toss the berries in flour then add into the cake batter.
- Use soya milk for the best buttermilk. Any dairy-free milk works perfectly, but I find soya milk works best when making a thick buttermilk for cakes.
- Make sure to measure all of the ingredients correctly. My preferred method is grams as this is the most accurate.
- Store the cake in a air tight / sealed container in the fridge to keep fresh. Enjoy within 2-3 days of making. If left too long, the moisture from the raspberries in the sponge may go very soft.
If you make, and love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. Thank you & happy baking! Make sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram and Facebook! And if you want to pin this recipe for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, above or below this post, or on any of the photos. Happy baking all!
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Vegan Lemon and Raspberry Cake
- Total Time: overnight
- Yield: 8–10 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
The BEST Vegan Lemon and Raspberry Cake recipe made with fresh raspberries and zesty lemons, filled with raspberry jam and and a lemon buttercream, for a sweet/tart delicious dessert.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the cake
- 240ml of dairy-free milk
- 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
- 210g of self raising flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
- 200g of caster sugar
- 2 lemons (zest only)
- 60ml of sunflower oil
- 150g of fresh raspberries + 2 tablespoons of self raising flour
Ingredients for the filling
- 5 tablespoons of raspberry jam
Ingredients for the buttercream
- 340g of dairy-free butter
- 300g of icing sugar
- 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
- 1 lemon (zest only)
- 8–10 fresh raspberries (decoration)
- 1 lemon (zest only)
Instructions
Method (Cake)
- Preheat oven 180°C fan and line two 8-inch loose base / spring-form cake tins with grease-proof paper.
- Add the dairy-free milk and vinegar into a jug or bowl, whisk to combine. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to curdle. This makes a vegan buttermilk.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, add in the sugar and lemon zest, rub together with your fingertips then add into the dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Add the vegan buttermilk to the dry ingredients, along with the oil. Stir into a batter.
- In a bowl add in the raspberries and coat them with the 2 tablespoons of flour. Make sure they are fully coated. Very gently stir them into the cake batter, DO NOT over-mix!
- Evenly divide the batter into the cake tins. Tap on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.
- Place the cakes into the middle of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer or toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes come out clean and they are springy to the touch.
- Once baked, allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then remove from the tins and place on a cooling rack to cool fully. I like to place the cakes in a sealed container overnight. This makes them even more moist.
Method (filling)
- Prepare the jam by adding it into a piping bag, snip off the tip and set aside.
Method (buttercream)
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter and whip on high speed until pale. Use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, a electric hand mixer will work well too.
- Sift in the icing sugar and add in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Whip on high speed for a couple of minutes to incorporate it. If your buttercream is too thick, add in a splash more lemon juice. If it’s too thin, add in a few more chunks of butter. Keep the mixture whipping on high until it comes back to a smooth consistency.
- Place one of the cakes on a serving plate or cake stand. Transfer some of the buttercream into a piping bag with either the tip snipped off or with a round tip nozzle. Pipe a swirl of buttercream to the outside of the cake and another in the inside. Pipe the jam in between the buttercream (refer to video for reference).
- Place the second cake layer on top. Press it down gently so it sticks. Coat the whole cake with a thin layer of buttercream. This creates a crumb coat. Place the cake into the the fridge to set for 10- 15 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the fridge and apply a second coat, this time thicker. Use a cake scraper or spatula to get the sides of the cake smooth.
- Using the back of a spoon or spatula, swipe some of the raspberry jam over the sides of the cake to create a fun effect (refer to video and photos for reference).
- Transfer any left over buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star-tip nozzle. Pipe a swirl of buttercream around the top edge of the cake. Top each swirl with a fresh raspberry.
- Zest some fresh lemon to the top of the cake. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
To store: Keep this cake stored in a sealed container in the fridge. Best eaten within 2-3 days of making.
Un-iced cakes can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for 1-2 days
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Cakes and layer cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
making it this weekend for my grandmother. Really excited xoxox
Author
Hello, Aww I hope you all enjoy! Can’t wait to hear what you think! x
Can you freeze the raspberries before adding them to cake? They are so delicate.
Author
Hello, you can! I simply tend to find fresh work better xx
Absolutely loved this cake made for my husband’s birthday! The cake was so moist and delicious! Added a touch more lemon rind in the icing to boost the lemon flavour a little more – it was delicious. But, honestly, I think the cake itself was the showstopper in this absolutely delectable piece!
Author
Hello, Aww i am over the moon you enjoyed! It’s always a good idea to add in more lemon for the ultimate flavour experience! Really happy it went down well, thank youu!! xxx
What size tins did you use?
Author
8 inch lovely xx
I didn’t have any jam, so I made just the cake and the buttercream, and it’s absolute perfection! xx
Author
Aw so happy you enjoyed!! Thank youu xx
Made it today, incredible!!!!!!!!! I can’t rave about this cake enough. It is the only vegan cake recipe which has worked out for me!!!!!!! Very happy!!
Just made my layers and they turned out beautifully….but I had to switch to 6″ pans, as the raspberries were only half covered in batter. Do you really use 8″?
made the cakes last night and just finished frosting, I couldn’t wait so cut myself a little slice before taking it to a birthday party. OH WOW, this might be the best tasting cake ive ever made and even tried. Its so flavourful and fluffy, thank you for such an outstanding bake xoxoxoxo
I appreciate your recipes are specifically developed to be vegan but what would happen if I used normal buttermilk in this recipe? Thanks
My friends said this cake is to die for (it’s true. It is). They screwed their nose up when I told them l was bringing a vegan cake to our event. Then they saw it, thought it looked amazing, had to taste it and now they ask me to bring it to other events. I added a little more lemon juice to the icing. It tasted too buttery to me without the extra lemon juice.
super easy and everyone loved it. u am definitely going yo make it again. I love your recipes please do another book!!
Author
SOOO happy you all enjoyed! Thank you so much for your feedback lovely xxx
I can’t get enough of this cake! Truly delish and it looked amazing. Made it for my mums birthday and even non vegans loved it.
Can you use gluten free flour? Will it still work well?
Made this for my daughter’s birthday party and it went down a treat! Instead of the jam and buttercream, I used the raspberry compote from your Vegan Raspberry Cake recipe, and whipped vegan cream. I cooked it in 3x 6″ pans.
Author
Ohhhh sounds lush! So happy you enjoyed! xx