Raspberry Lemonade Coffee Cake

You will think you're taking a bite of sunshine when you take a slice of this delicious Raspberry Lemonade Coffee Cake that is bursting with bright lemon flavor and tart raspberries. This is the ultimate Summer brunch cake that looks as beautiful as it is delicious with a natural pink lemon raspberry glaze. It is soft and tender with a buttery crumb topping. The lemon cake itself isn't too sweet which allows the lemon flavor to shine. If you love this idea, also check out my Lemon Blueberry Crumb Cake and these Lemon Blueberry Brownies.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Tender and fluffy lemon cake - this cake bakes up tall with a very fluffy texture that melts in your mouth.
• Bright lemon flavor - plenty of lemon zest adds a big punch of lemon flavor while freshly squeezed juice keeps the crumb tender and tempers the sweetness. It actually tastes like real lemonade.
• Easy to make - you can make this recipe without a mixer and just use a whisk or spatula.
• Fresh or frozen raspberries - either will work in this recipe, and I typically use frozen berries because I always have them on hand.
• Acidic batter - in order to keep the berries bright instead of grey/blue from the raspberries, I keep the batter slightly acidic. The lemon juice and a higher proportion of baking powder to baking soda keeps the pH on the lower side so that the natural red color compounds (anthocyanins) stay bright.

INGREDIENTS FOR RASPBERRY LEMONADE COFFEE CAKE

• Unsalted butter - this recipe uses pure butter. Butter adds incredible flavor and provides structure to the cake to hold up the berries. You can use unsalted or salted butter, but if you use salted butter, then reduce the added salt by half.
• Granulated sugar - white sugar adds sweetness and tenderness while keeping the flavor clean so that the lemon taste shines through.
• Lemon zest - you almost can't have too much! Fresh lemon zest adds big bold lemon flavor to the cake and the crumb topping. Make sure to use only the yellow skin and none of the white pith which is bitter. Use up to a full tablespoon of lemon zest which you can get from about 2 lemons.
• Lemon juice - freshly squeezed lemon juice in the cake batter makes it taste so tangy and keeps the crumb bright since it reduces the pH level by increasing the acidity of the batter to slow browning reactions. The acidic batter will take a little longer to bake, but the result is a tall, fluffy and tender crumb.
• Yogurt - this is the main source of liquid in the batter and it adds cultured dairy flavor, tanginess and thickness to the batter so it holds up to the raspberries in the middle and the heavy crumb on top.
• Egg - two large eggs will add structure and natural yellow color to the cake.

• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will elevate and complement the lemon flavor. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• All purpose flour - AP flour is great for tender coffee cakes.
• Baking powder - this will give lift to the cake batter and keep the crumb pale to make the yellow color shine.
• Baking soda - just a little bit of baking soda react to completion with the acidic ingredients enough to help the cake brown on the surface and balance the flavor. Bicarbonate is an alkaline ingredient though, so too much will cause the red compounds (anthocyanins) in raspberries to turn blue and discolor the dough.
• Raspberries - I recommend using fresh raspberries that you freeze for 20-30 minutes until solid so that they don't mush into the cake batter. This means you will have nice definition between the batter and berries.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO MAKE LEMON RASPBERRY COFFEE CAKE

• STEP 1). Make the crumb topping. Combine flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a medium bowl until blended. Add the melted butter and stir it in until it evenly combined and the mixture forms clumps. Cover the bowl and set it aside while you make the cake batter.
• STEP 2). Make the cake batter. Place ¾ cup (150g) of sugar in a large bowl. Add lemon zest and rub it between your fingers until very fragrant and pale yellow-colored. This will extract all of the delicious lemon oils to flavor the cake. Add soft butter and mix well with an electric hand mixer (or with a wire whisk if mixing by hand) until smooth, pale and a bit fluffy. The butter should be really soft to do this since there is not a lot of butter compared to sugar.
• STEP 3). Mix in wet ingredients. Add eggs one at a time and mix well between additions. Mix in yogurt, lemon juice and vanilla.
• STEP 4). Blend dry ingredients. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into another medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
• STEP 5). Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold it in with a spatula just until mostly combined. Add milk and fold it in until the batter is homogeneous.
• STEP 6). Assemble the cake. Spread about half of the batter into the prepared pan. Crumble 1 cup of frozen raspberries evenly over the batter and sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar over top. If you're using fresh raspberries, break up the larger ones so you get a nice even layer. Dollop remaining batter on top to cover the berries and then gently spread it out evenly. Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over top to cover the batter, then crumble the remaining raspberries over top.
• STEP 7). Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool for at least 20 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.
• STEP 8). Make the glaze. Mash up the raspberries with a fork in a small bowl. Add powdered sugar and lemon juice and whisk until smooth. It should run off a spoon, but not so thin that it runs off the cake. I like it to be thick enough that it sets a bit firm. Drizzle it over the cooled cake, or even while slightly warm and enjoy!

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR RASPBERRY LEMONADE COFFEE CAKE

• Sift the dry ingredients. If you flour is lumpy, sift it. This will minimize the amount of mixing needed to combine the ingredients evenly so that you do not over-mix the batter.
• Make sure your butter is soft. You will need butter at a normal room temperature (about 73 degrees F). This will make sure it mixes well with the sugar to build the right amount of structure into the batter.
• Measure the flour accurately using a scale or by spooning it gently into the measuring cup and leveling it off. Do not pack it down. Too much flour can make the cake dry and tough.
• Flash freeze fresh raspberries for best results. Packaged frozen berries can often accumulate ice crystals after long storage due to sublimation. This excess free water can make the batter too wet. To avoid this, place fresh raspberries in an even layer on a tray and freeze for 30 minutes until solid before adding to the batter. This makes it easier to crumble them so you get a nice even ripple through the cake.
• Ensure you bake the cake all the way through without over-baking. Be sure to check with a skewer to ensure the center of the cake is baked through. The surface will be lightly browned.

RECIPE FAQ

STORAGE & FREEZING

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Video

Raspberry Lemonade Coffee Cake

Christina Marsigliese, Food Scientist MSc.

You will think you're taking a bite of sunshine when you take a slice of this delicious Raspberry Lemonade Coffee Cake that is bursting with bright lemon flavor and tart raspberries. This is the ultimate Summer brunch cake that looks as beautiful as it is delicious with a natural pink lemon raspberry glaze.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 9 servings

Ingredients

  

Crumb Topping:

• ¾ cup (105g) all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoon (40g) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoon (30g) packed light brown sugar
• 5 tablespoon (70g) salted butter, melted and cooled (or add ⅛ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter)

Lemon Cake Batter:

• 1 ½ (215g) cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup plus 1 tbsp (162g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• ⅓ cup (75g) soft unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup (180ml) full fat plain yogurt
• 1 ½ tablespoon (22ml) lemon juice
• 1 ½ cups (180g) frozen raspberries

Sugar glaze:

• 3 raspberries
• ½ cup (60g) powdered confectioner's sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the base of an 8-inch round springform pan with parchment paper and lightly butter the sides.
• Make the filling/topping. Combine flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a medium bowl until blended. Add the melted butter and stir it in until it evenly combined and the mixture forms clumps. Cover the bowl and set it aside while you make the cake batter.
• Make the cake batter. Place ¾ cup (150g) of sugar in a large bowl. Add lemon zest and rub it between your fingers until very fragrant and pale yellow-colored. This will extract all of the delicious lemon oils to flavor the cake. Add soft butter and mix well with an electric hand mixer (or with a wire whisk if mixing by hand) until smooth, pale and a bit fluffy. The butter should be really soft to do this since there is not a lot of butter compared to sugar. Add eggs one at a time and mix well between additions. Mix in yogurt, lemon juice and vanilla.
• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into another medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold it in with a spatula just until mostly combined. Add milk and fold it in until the batter is homogeneous.
• Assemble the cake. Spread about half of the batter into the prepared pan. Crumble 1 cup of frozen raspberries evenly over the batter and sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar over top. If you're using fresh raspberries, break up the larger ones so you get a nice even layer. Dollop remaining batter on top to cover the berries and then gently spread it out evenly. Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over top to cover the batter, then crumble the remaining raspberries over top.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool for at least 20 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.
• Make the glaze. Mash up the raspberries with a fork in a small bowl. Add powdered sugar and lemon juice and whisk until smooth. It should run off a spoon, but not so thin that it runs off the cake. I like it to be thick enough that it sets a bit firm. Drizzle it over the cooled cake, or even while slightly warm and enjoy!