Organic Lemon Cake with Raspberry Filling

I had a party to attend and offered to make a cake. I wanted something light and summery, and I thought this cake would go well with the requested pink frosting. The cake had a light lemon flavor to it, and the filling was absolutely delicious! The raspberry flavor was not muted, and played so well with the lemon. It got rave reviews at the party! See the buttercream I used, here.



Organic Lemon Cake with Raspberry Filling
Source: Good Things Catered

For the cake:
2 1/2 c. cake flour
1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp meringue powder
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 extra large organic lemon, washed thoroughly then zested and juiced separately
1 c. milk
1/3 c. vegetable oil
3 egg whites, beaten
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
three drops of almond extract

For the filling:
2 c. powdered sugar
minuscule pinch of salt
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 tsp natural raspberry extract
1/2 tsp butter flavor
4 oz. fresh raspberries

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two cake pans.
-In bowl of electric mixer sift and add flour, sugar, baking powder, meringue powder, salt, and zest of full lemon.
-Stir with mixer to combine, about 30 seconds.
-Add milk, oil, juice from lemon, beaten egg whites and extracts.
-Beat on medium to combine thoroughly, about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes.
-Remove from mixer and stir with silicone spatula to thoroughly combine (making sure there is no flour mixture left unincorporated at the bottom of the bowl.
-Fill prepared pans 2/3 of the way full and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean (about 25-28 mins for 8 inch pans)
-Remove from oven, let cool 10 minutes in pan and then turn onto wire racks to cool completely.
-Meanwhile, in the bowl of stand mixer, combine shortening and extracts and stir on low until relatively combined.
-In a separate bowl, combine sugar and salt, then add to mixer while still on.
-Stir, scraping down sides of bowl, until thoroughly combined.
-Add raspberries and stir to combine.
(Add water if needed to reach desired texture.)
-Once cakes are completely cool, cut uneven tops off cake.
-Form an icing dam around the edge of the top of one of the layers.
-Fill with raspberry filling and flip the top of the other layer onto the top of the filled cake.
-Ice as desired.