Raspberry lemonade cake on a platter with glossy lemon glaze dripping down the sides and fresh raspberries on top.
This Raspberry Lemonade Cake is moist, bright, and full of sweet-tart flavor—just like a cold glass of raspberry lemonade on a sunny day. The lemon cake is soft and fluffy, with pops of raspberry tucked into every slice. A simple lemon glaze (or a quick frosting) takes it over the top without making it fussy. If you need a pretty, crowd-pleasing dessert, this raspberry lemonade cake is the one.
Introduction
Raspberry lemonade cake is the dessert you bake when you want something cheerful and fresh. It’s light and sweet, with a bold lemon flavor and little bursts of raspberry that keep every bite interesting.
The standout trick is tossing the raspberries in a bit of flour before folding them into the batter. That helps them stay suspended instead of sinking, so your slices look bakery-pretty.
This Raspberry Lemonade Cake is a reader favorite for spring and summer parties, birthdays, and brunch. It’s easy to make, easy to slice, and everyone always asks for the recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Raspberry Lemonade Cake
- Bright and refreshing: Lemon and raspberry taste like the best glass of summer lemonade.
- Moist and fluffy crumb: Simple mixing keeps the cake tender, not dense.
- Pretty with little effort: Raspberries create beautiful pops of color in every slice.
- Great for parties: Easy to transport, slice, and serve for a crowd.
- Make-ahead friendly: The flavor gets even better after a rest in the fridge.
Ingredients for Raspberry Lemonade Cake
For the lemon cake
- All-purpose flour (2 cups): Gives structure for a tall, sliceable cake.
- Baking powder (2 teaspoons): Helps the cake rise and stay light.
- Fine salt (1/2 teaspoon): Balances sweetness and sharpens citrus flavor.
- Unsalted butter (8 tablespoons, softened): Adds rich flavor and tender crumb.
- Granulated sugar (1 1/4 cups): Sweetens and helps create a soft texture.
- Eggs (3 large): Adds structure and keeps the cake moist.
- Lemon zest (2 tablespoons): Big lemon flavor from citrus oils.
- Fresh lemon juice (1/4 cup): Gives the lemonade-style tang.
- Milk (3/4 cup): Keeps batter smooth and the cake moist. Swap: buttermilk for extra tenderness.
- Fresh raspberries (1 1/2 cups): Sweet-tart bursts throughout the cake. Swap: frozen raspberries, used straight from the freezer.
- All-purpose flour (1 tablespoon): Toss with raspberries to help prevent sinking.
For the lemon glaze
- Powdered sugar (1 1/2 cups): Makes a thick glaze that sets nicely.
- Fresh lemon juice (3–5 tablespoons): Thins glaze and boosts tang.
- Lemon zest (1 teaspoon): Optional, but makes the top smell amazing.
How to Make Raspberry Lemonade Cake
- 1. Preheat and prep: Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-cup bundt pan, or line two 8-inch round pans with parchment and grease the sides.
- 2. Whisk the dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt for 20 seconds so the cake rises evenly.
- 3. Cream butter and sugar: Beat butter and sugar 2–3 minutes until lighter and fluffy. This step helps the crumb stay soft.
- 4. Add eggs and lemon: Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in lemon zest and lemon juice. The batter may look slightly curdled—don’t worry.
- 5. Finish the batter: Mix in dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with milk, mixing on low just until combined.
- 6. Fold in raspberries: Toss raspberries with 1 tablespoon flour, then fold in gently. If a few berries break, that’s okay—it makes pretty swirls.
- 7. Bake until golden: Pour batter into the pan. Bake bundt 45–55 minutes, or round pans 28–35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- 8. Cool and glaze: Cool 15 minutes in the pan, then turn out to cool completely. Whisk glaze until smooth and drizzle over the cake. Let it set before slicing.
Reader Review: This cake tasted exactly like raspberry lemonade. It was moist, bright, and the raspberries made every slice look so pretty.
Tips for Perfect Raspberry Lemonade Cake
- Zest is key: Lemon zest brings the strongest lemonade flavor.
- Flour the raspberries: This helps them stay evenly spread through the cake.
- Mix gently at the end: Overmixing can make lemon cake tough.
- Check early: Ovens vary; start checking for doneness on the early side.
- Glaze on a cooled cake: Warm cake makes the glaze disappear instead of sitting on top.
Variations & Substitutions
- Strawberry swap: Use chopped strawberries instead of raspberries for a different fruity lemonade vibe.
- Raspberry glaze: Add 1–2 tablespoons mashed raspberries to the glaze for a pink drizzle.
- Lemon frosting: Use a quick lemon buttercream instead of glaze for a birthday-cake feel.
- Loaf version: Bake in two loaf pans and start checking at 40 minutes.
- Extra tart: Add 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract if you like bold citrus.
- Dairy-free: Use plant-based butter and a dairy-free milk.
Storing & Reheating
- Counter: Store covered for up to 2 days if your kitchen is cool.
- Fridge: Store 3–5 days for best freshness. Let slices sit 10 minutes before serving for softer texture.
- Freezer: Freeze unglazed cake slices up to 2 months. Thaw, then drizzle with fresh glaze.
- Reheat: Not necessary, but 8–10 seconds in the microwave makes slices extra tender.
Serving Suggestions & Pairings
- Serve with extra fresh raspberries for a bright garnish.
- Pair with iced tea or lemonade for a fun party combo.
- Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a cozy dessert plate.
- Slice for brunch alongside fruit salad and coffee.
Raspberry Lemonade Cake Recipe Card
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 12 slices
Category: Desserts & Baking
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour for tossing raspberries
For the glaze
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3–5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional
Instructions
- 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-cup bundt pan, or prep two 8-inch round pans.
- 2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
- 3. Beat butter and sugar 2–3 minutes until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.
- 4. Mix in lemon zest and lemon juice.
- 5. Mix in dry ingredients alternating with milk, just until combined.
- 6. Toss raspberries with 1 tablespoon flour and fold in gently.
- 7. Bake bundt 45–55 minutes, or round pans 28–35 minutes, until a toothpick has a few moist crumbs.
- 8. Cool completely, whisk glaze, and drizzle over the cake.
Notes
- If using frozen raspberries, fold them in straight from the freezer to reduce bleeding.
- Glaze sets best on a fully cooled cake.
If you bake this Raspberry Lemonade Cake, leave a rating and a comment. Would you keep the lemon glaze, or go for a thicker lemon frosting?
Print
Raspberry Lemonade Cake (Moist, Bright, Bakery-Style, Easy)
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 slices 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Bright raspberry lemonade cake is a tender lemon Bundt cake with a tart raspberry swirl and lemonade glaze for a fresh, fruity dessert.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
Raspberry Swirl
- 1 1/2 cups raspberries
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Lemonade Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3–4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon milk (optional)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan.
- Cook raspberries with sugar and lemon juice; thicken with cornstarch slurry; cool.
- Whisk dry ingredients.
- Beat butter and sugar; add eggs; mix in zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk.
- Layer batter with raspberry swirl and gently swirl.
- Bake 45–55 minutes; cool, invert, and cool completely.
- Drizzle with lemonade glaze.
Notes
- Pan option: Use two 9-inch round pans; bake 25–30 minutes.
- Make-ahead: Bake 1 day ahead; glaze before serving.
- Tools: Bundt pan, mixer, small saucepan.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American