This raspberry lemon loaf cake is a moist, tender quick bread loaded with bright citrus flavor and juicy fresh raspberries, finished with a sweet lemon glaze that melts right into the crumb. The combination of tart berries and zesty lemon creates a balance of sweet and tang that feels fresh and uplifting with every slice. Made with simple pantry ingredients plus fresh raspberries and real lemon zest and juice, this loaf is perfect for brunch, dessert, or an afternoon treat with coffee. Easy to bake and irresistible to slice into, it's a loaf cake you'll want on repeat.
Raspberries and lemons go so beautifully together. The tartness of lemon complements the sweetness of the raspberries making them an unstoppable combination, especially in baked goods. Don't believe me? You will once you try this raspberry lemon loaf cake.
A subtly sweet, wonderfully moist, dense yet just-the-right-amount-of-fluffy lemon cake serves as the base for this glorious confection. Sweet raspberries are suspended throughout the loaf which is topped with a bright, lemony glaze. It's perfect for dessert with a scoop of ice cream or with your morning cup of coffee.
Featured Review
"I just finished making 3 loaves. I have to say, this is delicious! This will be one of my Christmas breads I'll make every year. Thank you so so much for sharing this recipe. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!"
Cat
Why You'll Love This Lemon Raspberry Loaf Cake
Get ready to meet your new favorite summertime dessert (or breakfast!). Here are a few reasons why I love this raspberry lemon loaf so much. I bet you will too.
- Breakfast OR dessert. This cake is delicious any time of day. It is not overly sweet, so it can easily pass as a delicious breakfast treat when spread with a bit of butter. It is sweet enough, however, to satisfy that dessert craving. The choice is yours.
- So flavorful. The zing of the lemon and the sweetness of the raspberries come together in a symphony of summery flavor. You won't be able to resist.
- Texture. This loaf cake strikes the perfect balance between dense and fluffy. It is just dense enough to make it immensely satisfying to sink your teeth into but it's not so dense that it weighs you down.
What You'll Need for Raspberry Lemon Loaf Cake
Don't forget to scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements. A few notes:
- Unsalted Butter - Allow the butter to come to room temperature before using. Otherwise, it will not cream properly with the sugar.
- Full Fat Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream - It is best if the Greek yogurt (or sour cream) is at room temperature. It will mix into the other ingredients more smoothly and easily.
- Raspberries - Fresh or frozen-if frozen keep frozen until you fold them in the batter
Berry + Lemon Magic - Here's How
In only 10 minutes of prep time and a little over an hour in the oven, you will have a loaf cake that is more than worth writing home about. Here's how to make it. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
Luscious Lemon Glaze
Slice & Smile - Kitchen Wisdom
Who wants to make the perfect raspberry lemon loaf cake!? If you raised your hand, you are well on your way. Just follow the recipe and keep these simple tips and tricks.
- Room temperature ingredients. It is best that the butter, eggs, and Greek yogurt are at room temperature before use. If the butter is too cold or too melted, it will not cream together with sugar properly resulting in a less fluffy loaf. As for the eggs and the Greek yogurt, they will incorporate more easily with the other ingredients if they are at room temperature. This will help to prevent you from over-mixing.
- Don't over-mix. When mixing the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and when folding in the sour cream and berries, mix just until incorporated. No more. Over-mixing can cause the glutens in the flour to overdevelop which will end you with a tough, overly dense cake.
- Sift. Be sure to sift the powdered sugar before measuring and incorporating it into the lemon glaze. This will ensure that you have a lump-free glaze.
- Let it cool. Before drizzling lemon glaze over the cake, make sure that it has cooled completely. Otherwise, the glaze will melt right into the cake.
Recipe Card
Raspberry Lemon Loaf Cake (Bright & Buttery)
This raspberry lemon loaf cake is a moist, tender quick bread loaded with bright citrus flavor and juicy fresh raspberries, finished with a sweet lemon glaze that melts right into the crumb. The combination of tart berries and zesty lemon creates a balance of sweet and tang that feels fresh and uplifting with every slice. Made with simple pantry ingredients plus fresh raspberries and real lemon zest and juice, this loaf is perfect for brunch, dessert, or an afternoon treat with coffee. Easy to bake and irresistible to slice into, it's a loaf cake you'll want on repeat.
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 Slices 1x
Ingredients
Loaf Cake
- 188 grams (1 ½ cup) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 266 grams (1 ⅓ cup) Granulated Sugar
- 6oz (¾ Cup) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
- 1 heaping Tablespoon Lemon Zest
- 2 Large Eggs, at room temp.
- 3 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
- 4oz (½ cup) Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream, at room temperature
- 8oz Raspberries (fresh or frozen-if frozen keep frozen until you fold them in the batter)
Lemon Glaze
- 188 grams (1 ½ cup) Powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest
Instructions
Loaf Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C and grease a 9X5 loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a bowl of an electric mixer combine sugar, butter, and lemon zest for 3-4 minutes, so it's nice and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time. Mix in lemon rind and juice. Fold in the dry mixture. Then fold in Greek yogurt, then gently fold in raspberries.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before inverting on to a wire rack to cool completely. Then start the glaze.
Lemon Glaze
- While the cake is cooling prepare the lemon glaze. In a bowl combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Drizzle on top of the cake when it is completely cool. Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature or store it in the fridge to last longer.
Notes
Freezing: Allow the cake to cool completely and the glaze to set before sealing it in an airtight container. Store raspberry lemon loaf cake in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to enjoy, allow it to thaw at room temperature before diving in.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 70
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Elizabeth says
Tara, I am so happy you all enjoyed this!! IT is one of my mother's favorites as well!! Cannot go wrong with Lemon & Raspberries. Thank you for trying this recipe 🙂
Elizabeth says
Hi Becky,
Sorry for the delayed response, I am sorry to hear it did not bake well for you. Everyones oven is different so maybe that is what affected the recipe.
Lassers says
I made this cake tonight and it is delicious!! So fluffy and perfect texture for a cake. Only thing I would change is add some more raspberries, even 1.5-2cups worth instead of the reccomended 1 cup..
Elizabeth says
Thank you for the lovely review Lassers! I recently made this cake too, and I just love the lemon flavor! More raspberries sounds great!
Brenda Taylor says
Could blueberry be used instead?
Elizabeth says
Hi Brenda, sorry for the delayed response but yes you could use blueberries just be extra careful when folding the berries in as they can explode and turn the cake blue!
Sophie says
I had the same issue last night when i made it.
To fix this I covered the cake in tin foil and baked it for an additional 30 minutes, this means the inside was able to bake without burning the outside.
I served it at work today with tea and it was demolished! Lovely cake 🙂
allyson says
love the cake but i love love the plate! What is the pattern/company that makes that plate, please!
Elizabeth says
Hi Allyson, the plate is from Anthropologie- I love buying kitchen stuff there!
Jackie says
Baking for a large brunch. Could these cakes be frozen?
Elizabeth says
Yes they can be just let them thaw over night!
Ruth Spencer says
This was soooo good!...My friend made it and brought to work to share...PS~ I love your green and white plate!
Elizabeth says
Thanks Ruth!! I just made this again the other day, one of my faves!
Ashley says
I love this recipe! Also, where did you get your plates??? I really love them!
Georgie says
Hi, great recipe! Went down very well in my house. 🙂 I had the same issue as Becky. I had to bake it for about an hour, and therefore the edges were slightly over cooked. Can I ask what type of oven you have (fan/convection or conventional), so that I know how to adjust my temperatures next time? Thanks. 🙂
Jstecker says
cant wait to make this! What flavor of greek yogurt?
Elizabeth says
Hi Janessa- I used plain greek yogurt!
Loli says
Something weird happened...my cake turned grey?!
Loli says
oh, now I know why...people be carefull with baking soda if you don't have bakin powder 😀
Kim says
the recipe has disappeared. Can you please repost it?
Elizabeth says
Hi Kim sorry the recipe disappeared, had an issue on the back end of the site but all is fixed now!
Liza says
Where did the recipe go?! We made it last week and loved it, but now we can't see the recipe! Help!
Elizabeth says
Hi Liza, sorry there was an issue on the back end of the site but I have fixed it now!
emma soji says
i dont know what I did but my loaf came out very hard on top and uncooked inside. =(
Elizabeth says
Oh no! Emma so sorry to hear that, of course every oven is different. In fact when I had my new oven put in I did bake the cake for a little longer, in that case I put a piece of foil over the cake to prevent the top from browning too much.
Joanne B says
MINE TOO :(( I even beaked for 49 minutes
Joanne B says
MINE TOO :(( I even baked for 49 minutes
domain says
Hola! I've been following your blog for a long time now and
finally got the courage to go ahead and give you
a shout out from Porter Texas! Just wanted to say keep up the fantastic job!
Freda sultana says
Can i use frozen raspberries instead of fresh?
Elizabeth says
Yes that should work fine!
Lisa says
I had a similar experience with the undercooking. I baked it for 40 minutes and then another ten, but it was gooey and fell apart when I turned the pan upside down. Very disappointing on Christmas Eve. Next time, I will bake it for a lot longer and use a different pan. I used a ceramic baking dish, and I'll try a metal baking dish when I do this again.
Katie Hopper says
Well I am NOT a fan of chocolate desserts but ANYTHING BUT CHOCOLATE and this is AMAZING. In fact a blog on anything but would be cool too.
Lynne says
Loved the photo of this and just had to try it. I love anything lemon and this cake with the raspberries is so pretty.
Robotance says
The cake looks absolutely delicious. Wonderful pictures Elizabeth. Thank you for the sweet recipe
Monika says
DELICIOUS! Thank you for the recipe. I made it this morning and I’m eating it while it’s still little warm. I will be definitely making it again. Great taste and consistency!
Elizabeth says
Thank you so much for letting me know Monika, it really is so yummmy!
Elizabeth says
Cheers Monika! It makes me so happy to read your comment so thank you for commenting!! ♥️
Monika says
Cheers to you Elizabeth! Thank you again for sharing this recipe. I am looking forward to tomorrow morning as I will be making it again 🙂
Michelle Kish says
Hi, I just made this cake for my mums birthday. It was an immediate favourite - moist and tasty, just great with the tang of raspberries. Thanks for a great recipe! Michelle
Elizabeth says
Thank you so much for commenting, it really makes my day! Glad you and Mum enjoyed it!
Andrea says
Amazing and easy to make! My 12 year old son did it on his own and it was wonderful!
Elizabeth says
That is awesome Andrea, I love getting kids in the kitchen cooking and baking! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Lorna says
Made the cake without the icing . Only lasted a day and a half. Would make it again anytime. Thanks for sharing the recipe
Vicki says
I just finished eating this. It is delicious. I used a ring tin. So no problems with not setting in the middle. Used 1.5 cups of frozen strawberries stirred through at the end, straight out of the freezer. I didnt glaze, It didnt need it. I may dust it with icing sugar next time. Absolute keeper.
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you for the lovely comment Vicki, I so appreciate the feedback!!
Aliya says
Love this recipe! But was wondering if this recipe can be made into cupcakes? And if yes, how long should I bake it for? 🙂
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Aliya, I have never made them into cupcakes if you wanted to try I would guess they would bake for 14-20 minutes somewhere in there. IF you try please report back! Thanks for stopping by!
Roni says
THIS loaf turned out flawlessly! The perfect use for this year's endless bounty of raspberries. The cake is a wonderful balance between dense and light, so deliciously tart-sweet, and the Greek yogurt definitely takes it up a notch. It looks beautiful, too. Struggling now to not indulge in a third piece! Thanks for sharing!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for the lovely comment, Roni. It means to much that you took the time to come let me any my readers know! 🙂 Hope you're having a lovely weekend!!
Evie says
Hi I can't wait to try this beauty but wanted to know can I use dark brown sugar (not the molasses brown but one shade lighter) ?! Thank you! x
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Evie, the dark brown sugar will slightly alter the flavor profile and texture of the cake. You should be just fine using it, knowing those slight differences. Please let me know if you do try it, I would love to hear what you think of it! XX Liz
Amy Hawkins says
It was delicious! Loved the zesty and sour touch the cake had because of the raspberries/lemon. Would definitely make this again.
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you for the lovely comment Amy, I am so happy yo hear you loved it!! XX Liz
Nedra says
Made this tonight. Excellent cake! Got rave reviews from my guests.
The only thing I did differently was add about a 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to the batter and 1/4 cup more sugar to the glaze. Mine cooked in 60 minutes. Will definitely make again!!! Thank you for such a delicious recipe!!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you for the lovely comment, Nedra. It makes my day when readers comment when they've made a recipe! XX Liz
Kat Churay says
This is delicious! One of my new faves. At what point do you remove the loaf from the pan? Thanks!
Elizabeth Waterson says
After the cake has baked I let it cool on a wire rack in the pan for 30 minutes. Then I will place the wire rack on top of the cake and invert the loaf cake, then gently flip it back right side up. I hope that helps, Kat!! XX Liz
Jill says
The tartness of the lemon is complemented by the sweetness of the icing. I left the loaf in the oven 5 minutes longer than I'd meant to and was afraid it would be dry and crumbly, but gladly this was not the case at all! Think i may try it with blueberries instead of raspberries next time snd increase fruit volume. This recipe is a real winner!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for the detailed review, Jill! So happy to hear you love the recipe!! XX Liz
sugar cookie says
I wanted to love this recipe but it just wasn't for me. I didn't realize the recipe called for over 1 stick of butter!. Instead of it being light in texture it ended up being pretty dense and buttery after being cooked which I was not a fan of.
Monti says
Absolutely delicious and easy to make .
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for the lovely review Monti. So pleased you enjoyed it. Take care! XX Liz
Laura says
Devoured immediately in my house. I should have baked it a little longer with the moisture from the raspberries but there were no complaints.
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for the lovely review Laura, so happy to hear you all enjoyed it. XX Liz
Taleen Gharakhanian says
This raspberry lemon loaf cake is AMAZING! I made it for my brothers birthday and he ate pretty much the entire loaf. The tangy raspberry lemon flavors are perfectly paired in this recipe. My favorite!!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Yay such a fun birthday treat, thanks for the review Taleen! XX Liz
Gilad says
I made this recipe last week and it came out amazing! Perfect balance between sweet and tart. I candied some lemons and put them on top for a little bit of wow factor, but overall loved it and would definitely make it again 🙂
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for the lovely review Gilad, the lemons on top are beautiful!! Take care! XX Liz
Hannah Rose Mendoza says
What's the phrase? Oh yeah: amazeballs. Okay, that might not be the phrase, but it is delicious. I skipped the glaze because I've always liked things a bit less sweet and it is absolutely on point. Great recipe!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for coming back to review the recipe Hannah, I am so pleased you enjoyed it! And you made me giggle!!! 🙂 Take care!! XX Liz
Caitlyn says
Was really good!
Caitlyn says
The glaze was really good and the loaf was great as well!
Karen says
I am not a baker at all but this recipe was easy to follow. The best part is my partner LOVED IT! Immediately took a 2nd slice. I don’t own a sifter so had to figure out how to blend. Never “folded” anything either but again figured that out too. Already checking out other recipes! The loaf is already half gone after a couple of hours. It was delicious!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for the lovely review Karen, I am so pleased you enjoyed the recipe!! Please let me know if you try and more of my recipes or if you ever have questions I am always here to help 🙂 Take care XX Liz
Laura says
Loved this recipe, it was a huge hit! Super flavorful! I'm making it for the second time now but will be trying them as muffins this time!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Laura, thank you so much for coming back to review the recipe I am so grateful!!! So pleased you enjoyed it 🙂 Happy Weekend! XX Liz
Karen N says
Made this for the 2nd time and did 3/4 raspberries and 1/4 blueberries. Loved it! I asked the family if I should cut back on the sugar in the glaze which I was told “No!, it’s perfect”. Very easy to follow for a non baker! Made the orange one too and that was gone in a few days. One positive thing from this whole COVID mess and being at home is I found you!!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for coming back to leave a star rating and review Karen, I am so happy you all enjoyed the recipe!! Your comment really made my day 🙂 Take care. XX Liz
Debtfree_yyc says
Delish!!
I made this lovely recipe thud evening using the Greek Yogurt variation and subbed in Robin Hood gf flour and it was PERFECT! Fresh raspberries and fresh squeezed lemon finishes the palate off wonderfully! Thanks for sharing - I will definitely be making this again!
-DFYYC
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thanks for coming back to review the recipe, I appreciate it more than you know!! So glad you were able to make it work well with GF flour!! XX Liz
Abigail says
Delish! Used buttermilk in place of yogurt and it turned out great
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Abigail, thanks so much for coming back to star rate and review the recipe! I am so pleased you were able to use buttermilk instead and it worked well for you!! Take care. XX Liz
Donna says
Super delicious. I have an addiction for raspberries and lemon. They go together like no other combination. Made the recipe as written except wanted to use up the berries in my fridge so it was raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Baked for 60 minutes. Made a sling with parchment paper to remove the cake easily. This will definitely be my ‘go to’ recipe. I’m printing it out right now to save. My favorite of all the lemon/berry cake recipes that I’ve made. Thank you.
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Donna, thanks so much for coming back to star rate and review the recipe! I am so pleased you enjoyed the cake, a sling of parchment is a great idea for easy removal. Makes me smile that this is going to be your new go-to!! Success!! Take care. XX Liz
Audrey says
Hi like these two recipes for lemon and orange cakes .haven’t tried them yet they sound fantastic
Question. Years ago had a recipe for orange cake that called for baking soda
Assumed that was because of the acidity of the juices
Can you comment on that
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Audrey, thanks for reaching out. That could potentially be the reason yes since baking soda needs to be activated by acid, I have never activated it by just using citrus juice but that could be it, hard to know exactly without seeing the whole recipe. Generally, for quick breads, I use baking powder. Please let me know if you have any further questions or if I can help! And do report back if you try the recipes!! Take care. XX Liz
MARY says
Can I freeze the baked cake?
Lori grinslade says
Absolutely loved this loaf cake and so did everyone else , I also favor the lemon glaze and added candied lemon twist rolled in pink sugar. Lol. My honored guest was very pleased, thank you Elizabeth.