Raspberry Layer Cake with Raspberry Frosting
This post may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure.
Light as air sponge cake layers are moistened with simple syrup and paired with tangy-sweet raspberry cream cheese frosting and raspberry puree. This raspberry layer cake recipe transforms plain, dry sponge cake into a moist and flavorful masterpiece!
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this raspberry cake recipe:
- Four Components of Raspberry Layer Cake:
- Suggested Schedule:
- How to make this raspberry cake recipe:
- 1. Bake the sponge cake
- 2. Make the simple syrup
- 3. Prepare the raspberry puree
- 4. Make the raspberr frosting
- 5. Assemble the raspberry layer cake
- Tips for Success:
- Make-Ahead Tips:
- Storing Tips:
- FAQs
- More Layer Cake Recipes:
- Raspberry Layer Cake Recipe
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItWhy you’ll love this raspberry cake recipe:
Perfect for any occasion, this raspberry layer cake is moist, decadent, and never fails to impress. Here’s why it’s truly a delight:
- This cake is stunning and elegant with a minimalist finish.
- Light and airy sponge cake layers make a perfect base for this delightful layer cake.
- The seedless raspberry sauce adds a tart yet sweet taste to each bite.
- The velvety, smooth raspberry cream cheese frosting balances the sweetness perfectly.
While it may look intimidating at first, it’s actually totally doable! I recommend breaking the recipe steps up into a couple of days or even starting the cake up to one week in advance.
Four Components of Raspberry Layer Cake:
This raspberry layer cake recipe consists of four basic elements:
- Sponge cake – A versatile cake made using just 3 main ingredients. Since sponge cake is naturally dry, it’s crucial that you moisten it with simple syrup.
- Simple syrup – Use my basic, 2-ingredient simple syrup recipe included in the recipe card below. I also have a peach simple syrup recipe, perfect for summer cocktails and fruit salad!
- Raspberry puree – It only takes 15 minutes to make, and you can use fresh or frozen raspberries.
- Raspberry cream cheese frosting – This is one of my absolute favorite cream cheese frostings! I love its creamy, fluffy consistency and fruity, not-too-sweet flavor.
Suggested Schedule:
Since this raspberry layer cake consists of multiple components, I recommend tackling it over 2 days.
- Day 1: Make the sponge cake, simple syrup, and raspberry puree.
- Day 2: Make the raspberry cream cheese frosting, and assemble the layer cake.
Make Ahead!
All 4 components can be made up to one week in advance, if needed. See the storage instructions below.
How to make this raspberry cake recipe:
1. Bake the sponge cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F, and line one 8-inch springform pan (at least 3 inches tall) with parchment paper. There’s no need to grease the pan.
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks, ensuring that not a bit of yolk gets into the whites.
Separate cold eggs
It’s easier to separate cold eggs right out of the fridge. The yolk is firm and doesn’t break easily when it’s cold.
- Whisk the egg yolks and ½ cup of sugar until the mixture is pale and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.
- Combine the egg whites and the remaining ½ cup of sugar and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Gently fold in 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Add the remaining egg whites, and gently fold until smooth.
- Sift the flour and salt into the batter and mix the batter gently with a spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top.
- Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Don’t open the oven for at least the first 30 minutes!
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan. Then, loosen the edges with a knife and invert the cake.
- Wrap the cake in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight. Sponge cake is much easier to slice when it’s thoroughly chilled.
2. Make the simple syrup
- Combine 1 cup of water and sugar in a small saucepan.
- Bring it to a boil, and simmer until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Remove the syrup from the heat, and let it cool completely.
3. Prepare the raspberry puree
- Add the raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a medium-sized saucepan, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes, gently stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Take your time here, and squeeze as much sauce as you can. This extra step is totally worth it! Don’t forget to scrape off the thicker pulp from the bottom of the sieve.
- Stir the raspberry puree until nice and smooth. Then, cover, and chill for at least 1 hour.
Achieve a thick consistency
You want your raspberry sauce nice and thick to use it as a cake filling. To achieve that, cook the raspberry puree for at least 10 minutes. The longer you cook it, the thicker it gets. Keep in mind that it’ll continue to thicken as it cools.
4. Make the raspberr frosting
- Crush the freeze-dried raspberries into a powder. (You can either do it with a freezer bag and rolling pin, or pulse in a food processer.)
- Sift the crushed raspberries through a fine mesh sieve, and discard any seeds and large bits.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. (Use a paddle attachment, if you’re using a stand mixer.)
- Add the powdered sugar, raspberry powder, and salt, and beat on low speed for 1 minute. Then, increase the speed to medium-high, and continue to beat until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Transfer the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a round tip (I use Wilton 2A round piping tip).
5. Assemble the raspberry layer cake
- Slice the sponge cake into 4 even layers. I use this cake slicing kit, but here’s a cheaper slicing kit option.
- Place the bottom cake layer on a serving platter.
Keep the serving platter clean
Place 3-4 strips of parchment or wax paper on the bottom to keep the serving platter clean.
- Brush ¼ cup of chilled simple syrup evenly over the top of the cake.
- Pipe the cream cheese frosting over the cake, and smooth it using an offset spatula.
- Pipe a border around the edges of the cake. Seal the border by gently swiping the end of an offset spatula around the inside of the border.
- Spoon ⅓ of the raspberry puree into the middle of the cake, and spread it around evenly inside the frosting border.
- Add the next cake layer, and repeat with the remaining layers.
- Place the top cake layer upside down so the top of the cake is nice and flat.
- Coat the entire cake with the rest of the frosting, and smooth it with an offset spatula.
- Decorate your raspberry layer cake however your heart desires! I simply dusted the entire cake with raspberry powder.
Tips for Success:
- Bake the sponge cakes in two 8-inch cake pans if you don’t have a tall cake pan. Just make sure you adjust your baking time. The smaller pans only need 25-30 minutes in the oven.
- Carefully separate the egg whites and yolks for the sponge cake. Egg whites won’t whip into stiff peaks if they’re mixed with fat, even the tiniest drop! Here’s how I separate egg whites and yolks using separate bowls and the shell-to-shell technique.
- This sponge cake recipe is helpful for troubleshooting. It answers common questions like how to properly whip egg whites or how to prevent sponge cake from deflating.
- If using frozen raspberries for the raspberry puree, there’s no need to thaw them first. Any extra moisture in the frozen berries will evaporate as the sauce cooks.
- Bring the cream cheese and butter to room temperature to prevent the frosting from becoming lumpy.
Make-Ahead Tips:
You can make the entire raspberry layer cake up to 1 day in advance. Store it in the fridge, and bring it to room temperature before serving.
Alternatively, you can prepare each cake component, and store them separately until you’re ready to assemble.
- Sponge cake layers – These can be made and frozen up to a month in advance, or refrigerated for up to 1 week. Thaw the frozen cake in the fridge overnight.
- Raspberry cream cheese frosting – This can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Place the cream cheese frosting in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap, store it in the refrigerator, and re-whip before using.
- Simple syrup stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Raspberry puree – This can be prepared up to 1 week in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Storing Tips:
Cover any leftover raspberry layer cake with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Since it tastes best at room temperature, you can let the cake sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before serving again.
FAQs
How do you put fruit filling between cake layers?
A layered cake with fruit filling can be tricky because you don’t want the filling to ooze out the sides. You must start with sturdy frosting and create a frosting barrier along the border of each cake layer. The frosting barrier acts like a wall, keeping the fruit filling inside the cake, right where you want it!
Can I use raspberry jam instead of homemade raspberry puree?
I don’t recommend using raspberry jam. Store-bought jams can vary in thickness and texture. And most importantly, jams are way sweeter than the homemade raspberry puree. This cake is on a sweeter side already, and with jam, it’ll be too sweet.
Can I use fresh raspberries instead of freeze-dried raspberries in the cream cheese frosting?
No, fresh raspberries would add too much moisture to the frosting, giving it a watery consistency that doesn’t pipe well.
More Layer Cake Recipes:
Raspberry Layer Cake
Make this stunning raspberry layer cake with simple syrup, raspberry cream cheese frosting, and raspberry puree!
Ingredients
Sponge Cake:
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar divided
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) plain cake flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Simple Syrup:
- 1 cup water
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
Raspberry Puree:
- 12 oz (340 g) fresh or frozen raspberries Note 1
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar Note 2
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ oz (15 g) freeze-dried raspberries
- 16 oz (450 g) cream cheese at room temperature Note 3
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 cups (520 g) powdered sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Equipment
- 1 (8-inch) tall cake pan at least 3-inch tall
- 1 Cake Slicing Kit optional
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line bottom of 1 8-inch springform pan (at least 3 inches tall) with parchment paper. No need to grease the pan. (Alternatively, you can bake the cake in two 8-inch cake pans.)
- Separate egg whites and yolks, making sure not even a little bit of egg yolk gets into the whites. (TIP: It’s easier to separate the egg when they’re cold right out of the fridge.)
- In a mixing bowl with whisk attachment, whisk together egg yolks and ½ cup of sugar until pale and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, sift flour and salt.
- In another mixing bowl with whisk attachment, combine egg whites, and the remaining ½ cup of sugar.
- Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Using a spatula, add 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture and gently fold until mostly smooth. Add the remaining egg whites and gently fold until smooth.
- Add sifted flour into the batter in 3 stages, whisking the batter well after each addition.
- Pour the batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake the cake until inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Don’t open the oven for at least the first 30 minutes! (If you’re baking the cake in two 8-inch cake pans, bake the cakes for 25-30 minutes.)
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan. Then, loosen the edges with a knife and invert the cake. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight. Sponge cake is much easier to slice when it’s thoroughly chilled.
To make the simple syrup:
- In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water and sugar.
- Bring it to a boil and simmer until sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely. The simple syrup can be made up to 1 week in advance.
To make raspberry puree:
- In a medium saucepan, place raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice. And bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
- Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce over medium low heat for 10 minutes, gently stirring constantly. (Be sure to cook the sauce for at least 10 minutes for thick consistency.)
- Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the seeds into a clean bowl. Take your time here and squeeze as much sauce as you can. This extra step is totally worth it! Don’t forget to scrape off the thicker pulp from the bottom of the sieve.
- Then stir the sauce until nice and smooth. Chill the sauce, covered, for at least 1 hour. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
To make raspberry cream cheese frosting:
- Place the freeze-dried raspberries in a freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin until fine powder.
- Sift the crush raspberries through a fine mesh sieve. Discard the seeds and large bits.
- In a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Add powdered sugar, raspberry powder, and salt.
- Beat on low speed for a minute. Then increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Transfer the frosting into a piping bag with round tip. (I use Wilton 2A round piping tip.)
To assemble the cake:
- Slice the cake into 4 even layers. (I use this cake slicing kit, but this is a cheaper version.
- Place the bottom cake layer on a serving platter. (TIP: Place 3-4 strips of parchment or wax paper on the bottom to keep the serving platter clean.)
- Brush on ¼ cup of chilled simple syrup evenly all over the cake.
- Pipe the cream cheese frosting all over and smooth it with an offset spatula. Then pipe a border around the edges of the cake. Seal the border by gently swiping the end of an offset spatula around the inside of the border. (See the picture above.)
- Spoon 1/3 of the raspberry puree in the middle and spread it evenly inside the border.
- Place the next cake layer and repeat the remaining layers.
- Place the top cake layer upside down so that the top of the cake is nice and flat. Coat the entire cake with the remaining frosting and smooth it with an offset spatula.
- Decorate the cake as desired. Here I just dusted the entire cake with raspberry powder.
Tips & Notes
Note 1:You can use fresh or frozen raspberries. No need to thaw frozen raspberries.
Note 2: You may substitute raw honey for sugar, 1:1.
Note 3: For the best results, use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese, not cream cheese from a tub.
Make-Ahead Tip: You can make all the components of the cake separately well in advance.
1. Cake can be made and frozen up to a month in advance or refrigerated for up to a week. Thaw frozen cake in the fridge overnight.
2. Cream cheese frosting can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate. Re-whip before using.
3. Simple syrup can also be made a week in advance. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Raspberry puree can be made up to a week in advance. You can assemble the cake 1 day in advance and store it in the fridge. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
Total Time Calculation:
– Sponge Cake: 20min- prep and 40min- bake
– Raspberry Puree: 5 min- prep, 15 min- cook
– Simple Syrup: 10min
– Frosting: 10min
– Assemble: 30min
1. Cake can be made and frozen up to a month in advance or refrigerated for up to a week. Thaw frozen cake in the fridge overnight.
2. Cream cheese frosting can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate. Re-whip before using.
3. Simple syrup can also be made a week in advance. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Raspberry puree can be made up to a week in advance. You can assemble the cake 1 day in advance and store it in the fridge. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
Total Time Calculation:
– Sponge Cake: 20min- prep and 40min- bake
– Raspberry Puree: 5 min- prep, 15 min- cook
– Simple Syrup: 10min
– Frosting: 10min
– Assemble: 30min
Nutrition
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 588kcal
Carbohydrates: 90g
Protein: 7g
Fat: 23g
Sugar: 75g
Sodium: 275mg
Did you make this?Share a comment or a review below!
