Lemon Lime Soda Cake with Fresh Raspberries

Quarantine has really stirred (see what I did there?) up my love of baking. I’ve always loved eating and making desserts, but I find myself really enjoying experimenting and trying new recipes. I’ve heard about cakes made with soda to help leaven them but had never eaten one, or attempted to make one, so I looked around and then came up with my own spin.

I added raspberries, but you could switch it up to blueberries, or another fruit of your choice, just be conscious that the fruit does add water content to the batter. For this reason, I dust the fruit in flour – this also helps to avoid the fruit sinking to the bottom! The addition of fruit adds some nooks and crannies, so if you’re looking for a completely uniform, smooth, outside, you can leave the fruit out completely.  

This a dense, moist cake, most akin to a pound cake. Not only does it get glazed on the top, but on the bottom while it cools in the pan, because let’s be honest, you can never have too much glaze, and this helps it soak throughout the cake. This cake was a huge hit in my house, and I think it’ll be a crowd pleaser in yours. Plus, if you have kids, chances are, they’re learning from home, so this could definitely be a fun, edible, and delicious experiment in learning about different ways to make baked goods rise! The citrus and raspberries scream spring and summer, so I can’t wait to make this multiple times in the next few months.

Lemon Lime Soda Cake with Fresh Raspberries

Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe

For the cake:

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter

3 cups sugar

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

5 large eggs

1 Tablespoon lemon extract

1 Tablespoon lemon zest

1 cup lemon lime soda (I used 7-up)

2 cups fresh raspberries

For the glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon lime soda (I used 7-up)

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon lime zest

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. In your stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light yellow and fluffy.

3. Add in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.

4. Add in the lemon extract, and lemon zest and mix to combine.

5. Add 3 cups (reserving 1/4 cup) flour in thirds (1 cup at a time), and mix to combine.

6. Stir in the lemon lime soda (being careful not to over mix – remember this is where the air to leaven the cake comes from!).

7. Toss raspberries in 1/4 cup of flour, shaking off extra.

8. Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

9. Pour one third of the batter into the pan, sprinkle in half the raspberries.

10. Add next third of batter and top with remaining raspberries. Top with last third of batter.

11. Bake at 325 degrees, for 75-80 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

12. While your cake is in the oven, mix together all the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl.

13. When the cake is removed from the oven, poke holes with a fork or skewer. Drizzle 1/3 of the glaze on the cake.

14. Invert the cake onto a platter, drizzle with glaze and serve.

This cake was delicious warm and cold! It has the same brunch feel as banana bread, so we found an excuse to eat this any time of day. It would make a lovely dessert to enjoy with our first virtual cooking class on Friday, April 24, at 5pm, with our Owner/Chef Shelley Young. Shelley will be teaching how to make Steak Au Poivre. We’re excited for this new adventure in virtual learning and will be expanding our offerings in the next few weeks. The great news is that you (or your friends) no longer have to be in Chicago to join us, or do something together. Talk about a fun, socially distant, date - we can’t wait to “see” you!

Author: Kate Schrager

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Lemon Lime Soda Cake with Fresh Raspberries

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1.5 cups unsalted butter
• 3 cups sugar
• 3.25 cups all purpose flour
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tbs lemon extract
• 1 tbs lemon zest
• 1 cup lemon lime soda (I used 7 up)
• 2 cups fresh raspberries

For the glaze:

• 1.5 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup milk
• 1.5 tbs lemon lime soda (I used 7 up)
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp lemon zest
• ½ tsp lime zest

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In your stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light yellow and fluffy.
3. Add in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.
4. Add in the lemon extract, and lemon zest and mix to combine.
5. Add 3 cups (reserving ¼ cup) flour in thirds (1 cup at a time), and mix to combine.
6. Stir in the lemon lime soda (being careful not to overmix – remember this is where the air to leaven the cake comes from!)
7. Toss raspberries in ¼ cup of flour, shaking off extra.
8. Grease and flour your bundt pan.
9. Pour one third of the batter into the pan, sprinkle in half the raspberries.
10. Add next third of batter and top with remaining raspberries. Top with last third of batter.
11. Bake at 325 degrees, for 75-80 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
12. While your cake is in the oven, mix together all the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl.
13. When the cake is removed from the oven, poke holes with a fork or skewer. Drizzle 1/3 of the glaze on the cake.
14. Invert the cake onto a platter, drizzle with glaze and serve.

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