1-First Step: Preparation and Mise en Place Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans by greasing them thoroughly with butter or cooking spray and lining the bottoms with parchment paper. This prevents the cake from sticking and ensures easy removal later. Gather all your ingredients to ensure everything is at room temperature, particularly the butter, eggs, and buttermilk. Room temperature ingredients mix together more evenly, creating a smoother batter.

2-Second Step: Creaming Butter and Sugar In a large mixing bowl, beat 1 cup of unsalted butter and 2 cups of granulated sugar together using an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed for about 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy. This step is crucial because it incorporates air into the batter, which helps the cake rise and become light. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally to make sure everything is well combined.

3-Third Step: Adding Eggs and Flavor Add the 4 large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Wait until the first egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Once the eggs are blended in, mix in 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. The lemon juice might cause the mixture to look slightly curdled, but do not worry; this is normal and will fix itself once the dry ingredients are added.

4-Fourth Step: Combining Dry Ingredients In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Combine 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisking them together ensures the baking powder and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which helps the cake rise uniformly.

5-Fifth Step: Mixing the Batter With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with the dry ingredients. So, add one third of the flour mixture, then half of the 1 1/4 cups of buttermilk, then another third of flour, the remaining buttermilk, and finally the last of the flour. Mix only until just combined after each addition. Overmixing at this stage can make the cake tough. Stop the mixer as soon as you see no streaks of dry flour.

6-Sixth Step: Folding in Raspberries In a small bowl, toss 1 cup of fresh raspberries with 1 tablespoon of flour. This light coating prevents the berries from sinking to the bottom of the pan during baking. Gently fold the floured raspberries into the cake batter using a rubber spatula. Be careful not to crush the berries. Distribute the batter evenly among the three prepared cake pans.

7-Seventh Step: Baking the Layers Place the pans in the preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pans halfway through the baking time to ensure they bake evenly. Once done, let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

8-Eighth Step: Making the Raspberry Filling While the cakes are cooling, prepare the filling. In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups of raspberries, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. This should take about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool completely. It will thicken further as it cools.

9-Ninth Step: Preparing the Frosting To make the lemon cream cheese frosting, beat 8 oz of softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup of softened butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add 4 cups of powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and beat for another 2 minutes until fluffy. Stir in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and additional lemon zest to taste.

10-Final Step: Assembly and Serving Once the cake layers are completely cool, it is time to assemble. Place one cake layer on your serving plate. Spread a layer of the cooled raspberry filling over the top, leaving a small border around the edge. Add a second cake layer and repeat with the raspberry filling. Place the final cake layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the entire cake with the lemon cream cheese frosting. Decorate with fresh raspberries and lemon slices if desired. Serve and enjoy your masterpiece.