This homemade raspberry summer cake is a refreshingly light cake with raspberry filling. It's not too sweet and practically melts on your tongue. It's good to resist and perfect for those fresh summer berries.
Cut some parchment paper into circles that can fit at the bottom of your 8 inch cake pans. Spray cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and lay the parchment circles inside. Spray again with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the cake mix, flour, sugar, salt, and boxed vanilla pudding mix.
In another mixing bowl blend together the eggs, sour cream, oil, water, and vanilla.
Add your wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix until well combined and no flour streaks remain.
Divide the batter evenly between your three cake pans and spread the batter to level it out nicely.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted into the center and come out clean.
Once the cakes have finished baking allow them to cool in the cake pans for about 10 minutes before flipping over onto a cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Allow them to cool on the racks upside down and make sure to remove any parchment paper from the bottom of the cake.
Once the cakes are completely cooled, flip them over onto a cutting board and level the tops with a large bread knife.
Prepare the frosting
In a small mixing bowl combine your white chocolate pudding mix with 1 cup of cold milk. Whisk together until well blended and allow to sit for a few minutes to set.
In a large mixing bowl beat the heavy whipping cream with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
Add in the pudding mixture and continue to beat for about 15-20 seconds until the mixture has been fully incorporated. You should still have stiff peaks forming.
Assembly
Place some frosting into a pastry bag or Ziploc baggie with a corner snipped off.
Make a circle around the rim of the tops of the three cakes you leveled.
In another baggie scoop in some of your raspberry preserves. If the jelly is cold you may need to warm it up for a few seconds in the microwave to make it softer to pipe and spread. Give it a moment to cool down before using so that it doesn't melt the frosting.
Pipe and spread the raspberry jelly into the circles of the cakes you just outlined. The frosting will help to keep it in place so that it doesn't run out.
Spread a thin layer of frosting over the tops of the raspberry filling.
Stack the three cake layers trying to get them as straight as you can. If needed you can cut some straws to an inch shorter than the cake and shove them in the center as dowels to hold the cake from slipping. You can also freeze the cake at this point and chill the frosting until ready to use.
Frost the outside of your cake and add nice borders if desired. Garnish with fresh raspberries.
Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Tips
This summer raspberry cake recipe is super simple and easy to make but a few things should be noted. You will need (3) 8-inch cake pans.
Spraying the pan with cooking spray before laying the parchment paper circles inside will keep them in place so they don't roll under the cake pan.
Spraying the parchment with cooking spray will help to release the cake. The last spray is optional but recommended.
You can swap out either of the requested pudding mixes for the following flavors and have the cake still taste great: Vanilla, French Vanilla, White Chocolate, or Cheesecake.
When you go to slice your vanilla raspberry cake I recommend making sure it is chilled or has been chilled for at least an hour beforehand as the cake slices much easier when cold. They also cut much more cleanly as well because the filling isn't trying to escape.
I used Wilton frosting tip #D2 and a pastry bag for the top border piping. Fill the bag ⅔rds of the way full, twist and tuck the end in your hand and then squeeze the frosting out of the bag in a circular motion while lifting until desired peak height is achieved and release the pressure, stopping the piping.
Storage
For food safety reasons as well as aesthetic ones, you should always place whipped cream frosted treats in the fridge. You should keep the cake in the fridge when not being eaten and have it fully consumed within 2 days.
Due to the dairy within the frosting, you should not allow the frosted cake to sit out for more than 2 hours at a time. This will keep it from spoiling and will allow you to safely enjoy your cake.
Thankfully this recipe uses a stabilized whipped cream recipe so any piped designs won't melt and will hold shape both in and out of the fridge.