Lemon Raspberry Sheet Cake

This Lemon Raspberry Sheet Cake is light, moist, and perfect for summer! A tender lemon cake is swirled with sweet raspberry jam and topped with a fluffy raspberry buttercream. Made in one bowl with minimal ingredients, it's a sweet and simple summer treat.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients Needed
• How To Make A Lemon Raspberry Sheet Cake
• Expert Baking Tips and Tricks
• Recipe Variations
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Storing Instructions
• A quick note about baking in grams...
• Recommended Recipes
• Lemon Raspberry Sheet Cake

Oh my, just like my lemon blueberry sheet cake, this lemon raspberry sheet cake is INCREDIBLE!

A tender layer of lemon flavored cake, swirled with sweet raspberry jam, and finished off with a creamy raspberry flavored buttercream. It's simple, sweet, and a perfect way to enjoy the flavors of summer!

You can make this sheet cake for a picnic, backyard BBQ, bridal brunch, or even just to have around the house to share with your family. It's super easy, made in one bowl, and bakes in just about 30 minutes!

If you really like raspberry, be sure to also check out my raspberry brownies or white chocolate raspberry blondies!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

1. So simple to make, yet full of flavor.
2. There's no need for a stand mixer, you can make it all in one bowl with a few kitchen tools!
3. The cake is moist, tender, and has a light lemon flavor with sweet swirls of raspberry jam
4. The sheet cake is topped with a dreamy raspberry buttercream, that you could eat by the spoonful!
5. This is a perfect summer dessert for weeknights, BBQs, or even Sunday brunch

Ingredients Needed

*the full list of ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card below*

• Butter: I prefer to make this cake with butter because it gives off more flavor and a nice structure to the cake that holds up well with the swirls of jam.
• Sugar: For this recipe you will need granulated sugar. It will not work with brown sugar or a sugar substitute.
• Eggs: Unless a recipe says otherwise, always assume you're using large eggs to bake with. It's also better if they're at room temperature because they mix into the batter much better.
• Vanilla: A little bit of vanilla extract adds a nice floral flavor and sweetness that rounds out the entire flavor of the cake.
• Lemon: In order to get the brightest lemon flavor, this cake uses both lemon juice and lemon zest.
• Flour: I only tested this cake with all purpose flour, although you should be able to use a gluten free all purpose flour as long as it contains xanthan gum.
• Baking powder: This lemon raspberry sheet cake relies on baking powder for the rise and to help achieve that light, fluffy texture.
• Milk: While the recipe card calls for whole milk (which I prefer for baking) you could substitute with a non-dairy milk if needed.
• Raspberry Jam: Make sure it's seedless and be sure to give it a good stir before dolloping into the cake batter so it swirls easier.
• Powdered Sugar: For the frosting you will need to make it with powdered sugar. Granulated sugar will not work and if used, will give the raspberry buttercream an unpleasant grainy texture.

How To Make A Lemon Raspberry Sheet Cake

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

STEP TWO: In a large mixing bowl, add softened butter and granulated sugar. Use a wooden spoon to mix the two ingredients until well combined and light.

STEP THREE: To the butter/sugar mixture, add the eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Again, mix until well combined.

STEP FOUR: Next, to the wet ingredients, add in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined, and it's ok if the batter looks chunky at this point.

STEP FIVE: Now, pour the milk and lemon juice into your mixing bowl and mix all ingredients together until you have a smooth, silky batter. Pour the lemon cake batter into your prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer.

STEP SIX: Add 9 dollops of stirred raspberry jam on top of your cake batter and use a toothpick to swirl the jam into the cake so it's evenly distributed.

STEP SEVEN: Bake in preheated oven for 28-34 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Carefully remove your sheet cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely before adding frosting.

STEP EIGHT: To make the frosting, mix softened butter and powdered sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add in the raspberry jam, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, and mix until it's smooth and creamy. (if too thick, add in 1 tablespoon of room temperature milk.)

STEP NINE: Evenly spread the raspberry buttercream over the top of your fully cooled cake, decorate as desired, then cut and enjoy!

Expert Baking Tips and Tricks

1. Use room temperature ingredients: This allows the batter to come together much smoother and gives you a better rise on your cake!
2. Measure ingredients properly: This is why I included the measurements in grams. It will ensure you will measure accurately and get beautiful baked goods every time.
3. Don't overmix the batter: Yes, you do want to make sure that all the ingredients are well combined, but the more you stir once the flour and milk are added the tougher the gluten proteins will be. Which then results in a tough cake.
4. Zest first: It's so much easier to zest your lemon before you juice it!
5. Cool the cake completely: Unless you want the buttercream to melt over top of the cake, you need to let it cool completely first.

Recipe Variations

Gluten Free: To make this lemon raspberry cake gluten free, substitute the all purpose flour with a gluten free 1:1 all purpose flour that contains xanthan gum. I usually use Bob's Red Mill!

Dairy Free: If you're dairy free, you can use vegan butter sticks in place of the butter and your favorite non-dairy milk instead of whole milk. The buttercream will be looser and not as stiff, so chill it before spreading on top of your sheet cake!

Different Jam: The raspberry jam can technically be substituted with your favorite (seedless) jam. Strawberry, blueberry, black raspberry, blackberry, they're all really yummy.

Cupcakes: If you don't want to make a simple sheet cake, you could also turn this recipe into cupcakes! Fill paper liners ¾ of the way full, add 2 teaspoons of jam to each cupcake and swirl it in, then bake for 20-26 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing Instructions

STORING: Store leftover sheet cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can store it in the fridge for up to one week, but I found that the cake dried out faster.

It's also best served at room temperature, so if stored in the fridge, take it out 20-30 minutes before you plan on enjoying it.

FREEZING: If you have a lot leftover and want to freeze some for later, simply place slices into an freezer safe, airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw to room temperature and enjoy.

A quick note about baking in grams...

You may notice that most of my newer recipes are listed in grams instead of cups. That's because it's really the most accurate way to measure and bake exceptional treats every time with little room for error.

I do try and include cup measurements, but I highly suggest investing in a $10 kitchen scale. It's really worth it!

Recommended Recipes

Did you make this lemon raspberry sheet cake? If so, I would appreciate you leaving a comment and star rating down below. Also, stay connected on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

Print