Raspberry Lemon Loaf Cake

Name: Raspberry Lemon Loaf Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 188 Grams (1 1/2 cup) All-Purpose Flour; 1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder; 1/2 Teaspoon Salt; 266 Grams (1 1/3 cup) Granulated Sugar; 6oz (3/4 Cup) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature; 1 heaping Tablespoon Lemon Zest; 2 Large Eggs, at room temp.; 3 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice; 4oz (1/2 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); 188 Grams (1 1/2 cup) Powdered sugar, sifted; 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice; 1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest

Published: Jun 26, 2023 · by Elizabeth Waterson · This post may contain affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting Confessions of a Baking Queen!

Jump to Recipe

This raspberry lemon loaf cake is a moist lemon cake studded with raspberries and covered in lemon glaze. Careful. It might just become your new favorite.

Slices of raspberry lemon loaf cake on a plate near fresh raspberries and lemons.

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.

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.

Ingredients for raspberry lemon loaf cake separated into bowls.

What You'll Need

Here is a list of ingredients needed to make this bright, flavorful raspberry and lemon loaf. Don't forget to scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Loaf Cake

All-Purpose Flour - Feel free to use your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour instead.
Baking Powder
Salt
Granulated Sugar
Unsalted Butter - Allow the butter to come to room temperature before using. Otherwise, it will not cream properly with the sugar.
Lemon Zest
Eggs - The eggs should be at room temperature. They will incorporate more easily with the other ingredients.
Fresh Lemon Juice
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

Lemon Glaze

Powdered sugar - Don't forget to sift the powdered sugar before making the glaze. You will end up with a much smoother topping for your cake.
Lemon Juice
Lemon Zest

Slices of raspberry lemon loaf cake on a plate near fresh raspberries, a cup of tea, and lemons.

How to Make Raspberry Lemon Loaf Cake

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.

Loaf Cake

Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9X5 loaf pan.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Sugar, butter, and lemon zest in a mixing bowl.

Sugar, butter, and lemon zest creamed together in a mixing bowl.

Beat the sugar, butter, and lemon zest for 3-4 minutes until fluffy.

Adding dry ingredients to loaf cake batter.

Add in eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
Add the lemon. Mix in the juice.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients.

Adding Greek yogurt to creamed butter, sugar, and lemon zest.

Adding raspberries to lemon loaf cake batter.

Finish it off. Fold in the Greek yogurt. Fold in raspberries.

Folding raspberries into loaf cake batter.

Raspberry lemon batter in a loaf pan ready to be baked.

Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60-70 minutes

Cooling raspberry lemon loaf cake on a wire rack.

Cool. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Lemon Glaze

Raspberry lemon loaf cake cooling on a wire rack.

Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon rind.
Drizzle the glaze on top of the cooled cake.

A hand holding a piece of raspberry lemon loaf cake with a bite taken out of it.

Tips for Success

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.

Closeup of raspberry lemon loaf cake on a plate near fresh lemons.

Serving Suggestions

This lemon raspberry loaf is delightful on its own but it is even better when served with a yummy spread, alongside a warm beverage, or with a sweet topping. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy it.

Butters and spread. Spread a bit of butter over a toasted slice for breakfast or, if you're in the mood for dessert, enjoy this cake with my Lemon Curd.
With a warm beverage. Another breakfast favorite. Enjoy this raspberry lemon loaf cake with a cup of hot tea or coffee and the Sunday paper.
Whipped cream. Serve a slice with store-bought or homemade whipped cream and fresh berries.
Ice cream. I love scooping vanilla ice cream on top of a slice of this fruity cake.

How to Store Raspberry and Lemon Loaf Cake

If you find yourself with leftovers, allow the cake to cool completely and the glaze to set before lining an airtight container with a paper towel and placing the whole loaf on top of it. Top the cake with another paper towel and seal the container. The paper towel will help absorb moisture and keep the cake from getting soggy. Store it at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

A hand holding a slice of raspberry lemon loaf cake.

Can I Freeze This?

You can. 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.

More Lemon Recipes:

Summer is coming and I don't know about you but the bright zing of lemon always gets me in the mood for these warm weather months. I love this raspberry lemon loaf cake but here are a few other fabulous lemony recipes for you to try. Happy baking!

Recipe Card