Tags: cookery school, cooking classes, Italian cooking, learn to cook, pasta making

For all of you that love our Lemon Drizzle cake, you’re going to really love this Zesty Raspberry Buttermilk Cake. It has all the lemony loveliness of Drizzle Cake but studded inside with juicy raspberries and topped off with a lemon icing combined with fresh crushed raspberries.

If you want to keep the cake for longer, leave off the fresh raspberries from the top and just add the icing. However, if you’re like us and cake gets demolished instantly, leave the fresh raspberries in.

I used a combination of fresh and frozen raspberries in this. The frozen were tossed in flour before adding to the batter and the fresh were kept for decorating. You don’t need to defrost the berries either.

Zesty Raspberry Buttermilk Cake in a cake tin.
Zesty Raspberry Buttermilk Cake cut open on a wooden plate.
Ingredients:
  • 225g Caster Sugar
  • 125g butter at room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Finely grated zest of one large lemon
  • 2 large free range eggs, room temperature
  • 300g plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 120ml buttermilk
  • 200g raspberries, fresh or frozen
Icing:
  • 150g icing sugar
  • 2 tblsp lemon juice
  • Some fresh raspberries for decorating
Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a 22cm x 12cm loaf tin – I use the loaf liners (see image below).
  2. Using an electric whisk or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Add the vanilla & zest and beat again. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
  3. Sift the flour and baking powder together and gradually fold into the mix, alternating the flour with the buttermilk until combined.
  4. Toss the raspberries to be used in the mix in a tablespoon of flour. Put 1/3 of the batter on the base of the prepared tin, then add a layer of raspberries, top with another 1/3 of batter then another layer of raspberries. Spread the final 1/3 of the batter evenly across the top then bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour – 1 hour & 15 mins. Test after 1 hour by inserting a skewer into centre. If the skewer comes out clean remove cake from the oven to a wire rack to cool before removing from the tin to fully cool.
  5. To decorate, mix the sifted icing sugar with the lemon juice to form a smooth icing. Drizzle most of this over the top of the cooled cake, keeping some to mix the fresh raspberries with. Mush them up slightly in the icing before adding to the top of the cake. Leave to set in the fridge before serving.

"A Magical West Cork Escape"

We stayed at Dunowen House for a long weekend and genuinely didn’t want to leave. From the moment we arrived, we were blown away by the beauty of the house and its surroundings – the views, the gardens, the quiet… it’s pure magic. The house itself is full of character and history but still feels incredibly cosy and luxurious.

We loved having our morning coffee overlooking the sea and strolling down to the nearby coves. It was the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure. Clonakilty is only a few minutes away too, so we had some lovely meals out and picked up bits from the local markets.

"A Dream Wedding Come to Life"

We were blown away with the unmatched beauty of Dunowen – the set- ting, the people and all the details make it come to life. We feel so blessed to have had our wedding here and so grateful for Kela and Stephen for making this the most special day of our lives. We are leaving a piece of our hearts here so we will absolutely have to come back again. All our love

"An Unforgettable Celebration of Love"

I could not have imagined a more beautiful stay and wedding. We took a chance and put our trust in Kela and Stephen, booking Dunowen sight un- seen! What a wonderful experience to celebrate our love with the people we care about most without having to worry about the details. The flow- ers, the food and the accommodations were unforgettable. Thank you for giving us the space to create lifetime memories! Dunowen will have a piece of our heart. We hope to come back and do it again!

"A Perfect Stay"

Kela and Stephen. Thank you for our wonderful stay at Dunowen House and letting us enjoy the beauty of West Cork in your wonderful home and surroundings. We absolutely loved it.

"Another Unforgettable Stay"

Thank you Kela & Stephen for another amazing stay. When you’ve stayed in Dunowen it’s impossible to stay elsewhere. Your house is per- fection!

"A Perfect 70th Celebration"

Many thanks Kela and Stephen for a wonderful stay at Dunowen House. The house is so spacious, especially for our smallish family group who helped me celebrate my 70th birthday. Thanks for the beautiful flowers throughout and all the home baking. We loved the location.

"Surrounded by Dunowen’s Gardens and Coastal Beauty"

Thank you for a wonderful week. Everything was perfect and we loved being able to walk to the beach and sit in the beautiful gardens. Hope to come again.

"A Perfect 80th Birthday Celebration"

The end of a fabulous week celebrating my 80th birthday. It has been a brilliant stay with everything we needed. Just perfect. Thank you so much Kela & Stephen for your thought and kindness. All the best for the future and perhaps we will see you again!

The Ultimate 5-Star Escape

Bravo! You have created the perfect backdrop for a 5 star vacation. Our group of 18 could not have imagined a more comfortable and luxe week. I’ll see you on Instagram and we will all see you again in person next va- cation.

Flowers and fruits cake close up Flowers and fruits cake close up