From Nigel's Kitchen Table

Raspberry Lemon Sheet Cake

Recipe by Nigel Clease Kitchen-tested

Cakes & Muffins 5 min read

An easy raspberry and lemon sheet cake with a soft, comforting crumb and bright fruit flavour.

Jump to recipe

ReliableKitchen-tested instructions

PracticalClear timings and measurements

HelpfulTips, storage and variations

The recipe, step by step

Jump to Recipe

This raspberry lemon sheet cake is one of those no-fuss recipes that take minutes to make and is deliciously comforting.

A sheet cake or traybake as we call it in the UK, is a single layer cake baked in a large rectangular baking pan. I halved the recipe to make a small version and used my square silicone baking form. These types of cakes are often decorated with buttercream, icing, chocolate ganache, or whipped cream, but on this occasion, I wanted to keep it simple with a light dusting of icing sugar.

So, I am sure you have guessed it, this cake is is easily adaptable to flavourings and you can easily double the recipe to make a larger version.

Take a look at my variations section for further inspiration.

RECIPE HIGHLIGHTS

EASE: easy.
TASTE & TEXTURE: a light, moist vanilla lemon sponge, with fresh juicy raspberries.
SERVING: delicious served as it is.
QUANTITY: 9 slices (20cm / 8inch square baking pan)
TIME: 34 minutes

Raspberry Lemon Sheet Cake – preparation step 7

Raspberry Lemon Sheet Cake – preparation step 6

INGREDIENTS

For this recipe, all you need are these ingredients:

Eggs – add structure to the cake. Make sure they are at room temperature before using.

Caster or granulated white sugar – sweetens the cake just enough.

Neutral-tasting oil (coconut, vegetable or sunflower oil) – creates moisture, makes the cake light and lengthens the cake’s life span.

Lemon juice and zest – really intensify the taste of the raspberries.

Milk – helps to lighten the cake and keep it moist.

Nigel Recommends

The Vanilla I Recommend

I recommend Taylor & Colledge vanilla products because they add a delicious depth of flavour while enhancing the other ingredients in the recipe. Choose from pure vanilla extract, vanilla paste or vanilla pods, depending on the recipe and the intensity of flavour you prefer.

VIEW THE VANILLA I RECOMMEND

Baking powder – is a chemical leavening which increases the volume of the ingredients during baking, helping to create a nice light texture.

Bicarbonate of soda or soda bicarbonate – is another chemical leavening that works prior to baking.

Plain or all-purpose flour – to build structure.

Fresh raspberries – are the hero of this recipe and add the perfect summer taste to this dessert.

Nigel Recommends

Don’t Skip the Salt

I always recommend adding a generous pinch of fine sea salt to your cakes. It balances the sweetness, softens any bitterness and brings out flavours such as chocolate, vanilla, fruit and spices. You should not taste the salt itself—it simply gives the finished cake greater depth and a more rounded flavour.

VIEW THE SALT I RECOMMEND

WHAT VARIATIONS CAN I MAKE?

Spices – try adding 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the cake batter.

White chocolate – is a wonderful addition to any dessert or cake with raspberries, its sweetness, and caramel notes making a delightful match. Add 100g of chopped chocolate chips to the batter with the raspberries.

Try different fruits – this recipe works well with many other fruits. Try blueberries, strawberries, cherries, or peaches.

Nutrition

Serving: one slice

223.41 kcal

CALORIES · 11% DV

6.66 g

TOTAL FAT · 10% DV

37.32 g

CARBOHYDRATES · 14% DV

17.97 g

SUGARS · 20% DV

4.18 g

PROTEIN · 8% DV

166.09 mg

SODIUM · 8% DV

2.11 g

FIBRE · 8% DV

% Daily Values based on a 2,000-calorie diet

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients and portion size used.

STORAGE AND FREEZING

This raspberry lemon cake will keep for 1-2 days in the fridge.

Freezing: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once completely cooled down, tightly wrap in a layer of cling film and a layer of tin foil.

Raspberry Lemon Sheet Cake – preparation step 9

Raspberry Lemon Sheet Cake – preparation step 8

TOOLS YOU’LL NEED

Here is a list of some kitchen equipment that I use and recommend for this recipe.

Large mixing bowl – I recommend the 29 cm Mason Cash cream earthenware mixing bowl because it is sturdy, chip-resistant and has a generous four-litre capacity, making it ideal for everything from cake batters to bread doughs. It is also microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe. You can find this bowl and more of my favourite kitchen tools in my Amazon Baking Essentials collection.

Square cake pan

My recommendation: Loose Base Square Cake Tin, Professional Gauge Carbon Steel with Eclipse Non-Stick Coating, 20 cm x 20 cm / 8″ x 8″ Cake Pan; Cake Pan, Ideal for bakes and celebration cakes – A great size and good quality non-stick pan for all your traybakes, bars etc…

Electric hand whisk – I recommend the Breville Classic Combo Stand and Hand Mixer because it includes a generous 3.7-litre stainless steel bowl and a convenient stand, so you do not have to hold the mixer throughout use. You can find it and more of my favourite baking equipment in my Amazon Kitchen Equipment collection.

Alternatively, use a pan like this if you double the recipe:

RECIPE TIPS

Avoid over-mixing the cake batter as you risk over-developing the gluten in the batter leading to a tough, dense cake.