Raspberry Lemon Cake is a bright, elegant dessert made with delicate almond sponge layers, a creamy lemon frosting, and fresh raspberries tucked between every layer. It’s light yet indulgent, with just the right balance of tart citrus and sweet berries. And the best part is that this cake is keto friendly, so you can indulge in a slice guilt-free!
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This is the kind of cake that feels special without being overly complicated. The sponge layers bake up light and fluffy, the frosting is smooth and tangy, and the raspberries add both freshness and color. It’s a perfect choice for celebrations, holidays, or anytime you want a show-stopping dessert that can be made ahead.
Ingredients
Fresh Fruit
- Fresh raspberries – Use fresh raspberries as frozen are too watery.
Sponge Cake Layers (make twice)
Sponge Cake – Layer 1
- Egg whites – From large or extra large eggs.
- Cream of tartar – You can find this wherever spices are sold.
- Egg yolks – From large or extra large eggs.
- Lakanto Golden – This is a keto-friendly sugar substitute that’s great for baking.
- Lemon juice – From a fresh lemon.
- Lemon zest – Zest of 1 lemon.
- Almond flour – Use ultra fine ground almonds for the best texture.
Sponge Cake – Layer 2
- Egg whites – From large or extra large eggs.
- Cream of tartar – You can find this wherever spices are sold.
- Egg yolks – From large or extra large eggs.
- Lakanto Golden – This is a keto-friendly sugar substitute that’s great for baking.
- Lemon juice – From a fresh lemon.
- Lemon zest – Zest of 1 lemon.
- Almond flour – Use ultra fine ground almonds for the best texture.
Frosting
- Cream cheese – Use full fat cream cheese for the best texture.
- Unsalted butter – The butter should be quite soft, but not melted.
- Mascarpone cheese – If you can’t find mascarpone cheese, you can use additional cream cheese.
- Powdered erythritol
- Stevia powder
- Lemon juice – From a fresh lemon.
- Lemon zest – From a fresh lemon.
- Heavy whipping cream
- Red food coloring – As needed.
How to Make Raspberry Lemon Cake
Scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements and printable instructions.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two 8-inch springform pans with parchment paper on both the bottom and sides.
Start with the first sponge cake. Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until medium-stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the Lakanto Golden until pale and creamy. Mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and almond flour.
Fold about one-quarter of the whipped egg whites into the batter to loosen it, then gently fold in the remaining whites until just combined, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
Pour the batter into one prepared pan, spread evenly, and tap lightly to release air bubbles. Bake for 40 minutes, until the cake is set and springs back lightly when touched.
Repeat the same process to prepare and bake the second sponge layer.
Allow both cakes to cool completely in the pans. Once cooled, remove them and slice each cake horizontally to create four even layers.
To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, and mascarpone until smooth. Add the powdered erythritol, stevia, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and mix until fully combined. Gradually add the heavy cream and beat until the frosting is thick and spreadable.
Slice three-quarters of the raspberries, leaving the rest whole for decorating. Assemble the cake by layering sponge, frosting, and sliced raspberries, repeating until all layers are stacked.
Frost the outside of the cake, tint and pipe any remaining frosting if desired, and decorate with the whole raspberries. Chill the cake for at least 2 hours before slicing for clean, even pieces.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Medium-stiff egg whites give the sponge structure without drying it out.
- Always cool the sponge layers completely before slicing and assembling.
- Chilling the cake helps create clean, even slices.
Serving Ideas
Serve this cake chilled with extra fresh raspberries or a light dusting of powdered erythritol. It pairs beautifully with tea, coffee, or a glass of sparkling water with lemon.
Storage
Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best texture, let slices sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Add Preferred SourceKeto Raspberry Lemon Cake
Ingredients
Fresh Fruit
- 1½ cups fresh raspberries divided
Sponge Cake Layers (make it twice)
- 5 egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup Lakanto Golden
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- Lemon zest of 1 lemon
- 1¼ cups almond flour
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup powdered erythritol
- 1 tsp stevia powder
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- Red food coloring as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line two 8-inch cake spring-form pan with a loose bottom with parchment paper on the bottom and on the sides.
- Make the first sponge. Add the egg whites and cream of tartar in a stand mixer (or a large bowl) and whip until medium-stiff peaks. Don’t overmix the whites or you’ll break the meringue.
- In another bowl, add the egg yolks and Lakanto sugar substitute. Beat with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes a light creamy yellow colour.
- Add the vanilla extract, mix again. Add the almond flour and mix again. The batter will be quite thick. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed while mixing.
- Add 1/4 of the meringue into the almond flour mixture and mix with a hand mixer. This will loosen the batter. Add a third of the remaining meringue and start mixing with a silicone spatula, folding it in. Don’t mix too hard, as you don’t want to break all the fluffiness. Repeat this step with the remaining 2/3 of the meringue.
- Pour the sponge cake batter into the prepared cake pan and spread evenly. Tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to get rid of any air bubbles, if any.
- Place the cake in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Repeat the same steps with the second sponge and bake for 40 minutes.
- Take the cakes out of the oven once baked, and let them completely cool before removing them from the pan. Once cooled, take them out of the pan and slice them into two discs. You should have 4 sponges now.
- To make the frosting, add the cream cheese, butter, and mascarpone into a large bowl and cream with a hand mixer. Add the erythritol and stevia and mix again. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and mix until they’re perfectly incorporated and there are no lumps.
- Add the heavy cream a little at a time and continue mixing for 2-3 minutes until the frosting is a spreadable consistency.
To assemble and decorate
- Slice 3/4 of the raspberries. Leave the last 1/4 whole.
- Place the first sponge on top of your cake stand and frost with 1/4 of the frosting. Place 1/3 of the sliced raspberries all over the sponge. Add the second sponge and frost with the next 1/4, and add the next 1/3 of sliced raspberries. Add the third sponge, add the next 1/4 frosting, and the last 1/3 of sliced raspberries. Place the 4th sponge on top, frost the entire cake, and take whatever frosting is left. Add some red food coloring to it, mix it well, and pipe some decorations all over the cake. Add the whole raspberries to the top of the cake.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Medium-stiff egg whites give the sponge structure without drying it out.
- Always cool the sponge layers completely before slicing and assembling.
- Chilling the cake helps create clean, even slices.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
