• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and line 3 8-inch cake pans with parchment, ensuring the sides are well coated to prevent sticking.

Make Cake Batter

• In a large bowl, rub together the granulated sugar and lemon zest until the mixture feels like damp sand and smells strongly of lemon. This step helps release the natural oils in the zest and significantly improves the flavor of the finished cake.
• Add the softened butter to the lemon sugar and beat for 2– 3 minutes until light, fluffy, and slightly pale. This step creates the structure for the cake and is key to achieving a soft, tender crumb.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. If the mixture looks slightly curdled at any point, add a tablespoon of the flour to bring it back together.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a jug, whisk together the double cream, vegetable oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
• Add the dry and wet ingredients to the butter mixture in alternating additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients: ⅓ dry, ½ wet, ⅓ dry, remaining wet, remaining dry.
• Mix on low speed and stop as soon as the batter is smooth. Do not over mix.

Divide Cake Batter and Bake

• Divide the batter evenly between the pans (approximately 492g per pan if weighing).
• Bake for 25–28 minutes, or until the cakes are lightly golden and the centers spring back when touched.
• If baking in two pans, leave the remaining batter at room temperature and bake the third layer once the first two are done.
• Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely.

Make Freeze Dried Raspberry Buttercream

• Blend the freeze-dried raspberries into a fine powder. You can use a sieve to remove any seeds if you want to although we didn’t bother.
• Beat the butter until smooth and pale.
• Add the icing sugar gradually, mixing until smooth and fully incorporated.
• Mix in the vanilla, raspberry powder, and jelly powder.
• Add the cream gradually until the buttercream is smooth, soft, and spreadable but not loose. Beat for an additional 2–3 minutes to increase volume and create a lighter texture.
• For each layer: Place cake layer then spread with a thin layer of buttercream. Pipe a buttercream border (dam) around the edge and fill the center with ½ cup of raspberry jam. Repeat for remaining layers.

Apply Crumb Coat

• Apply a thin crumb coat over the top and down the sides of the cake then chill the cake for 20–30 minutes. Finish with a final layer of buttercream over the entire cake.
• To decorate, top with fresh raspberries, freeze-dried raspberries and lemon slices.
• Slice, serve and enjoy!