I Tried Meghan Markle’s Honey Lemon Layer Cake with Raspberries

When With Love, Meghan dropped on Netflix, I quickly tuned in. I’ve been a huge fan of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and have tried her recipes before, like her iconic zucchini Bolognese (so delicious!). I also recently gave her roasted red pepper frittata a try, and of course it was scrumptious. While watching the first episode, not only did I fall in love with Meghan’s admiration for bees, but I also got really excited when she started sharing how she makes her go-to honey lemon raspberry “naked cake.”

“It’s layered with buttercream that I made, some raspberries, and then when we cut it, it’ll be beautiful, but we keep the outside exposed,” says Meghan, who only adds frosting to the inside of the centers and the top of the cake. “You know what it is — she’s beautiful on the inside,” she jokes. Without hesitation, I decided to give it a try. Here’s how it turned out.

Get the recipe: Meghan Markle’s Honey Lemon and Raspberry Layer Cake

How to Make Meghan Markle’s Honey Lemon and Raspberry Layer Cake

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease your cake pans with nonstick spray and add a parchment round. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and then add the sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, and lemon zest.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then add the honey. Gently mix until just combined. Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Once baked, remove the cakes from the pans and let them cool completely on a wire rack. When cooled, gently slice off the mounded tops with a bread knife (save the scraps for a snack or tasty trifle!).

For the syrup, bring honey, water, lemon juice, and zest to a simmer. Remove from heat and let it cool completely. Brush the soak over each cake layer before assembling and frosting.

To make the buttercream, use a hand blender or stand mixer with a paddle attachment to beat softened butter, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt until smooth.

Assemble the cake by spreading buttercream and adding raspberries between each layer. Top with more frosting and raspberries. For more cake frosting tips, check out The Kitchn’s guide here.

My Honest Review of Meghan Markle’s Honey Lemon and Raspberry Layer Cake

This dessert is definitely a weekend project. There are four important steps you need to complete: baking the cakes, making the honey lemon syrup, whipping up the buttercream frosting, and, of course, decorating. All in all, it took me about three hours to finish.

I didn’t mind that it took me an entire afternoon to pull this dessert off because the result was absolutely worth it. I loved the syrup that Meghan encourages you to make. Not only did it infuse bright, citrusy, and sweet flavors into the cake, but it also helped make the crumb tender. The rich buttercream balances the tanginess of the lemons, and the refreshing raspberries scattered throughout add a hydrating and tart touch.

This cake is certainly a labor of love, and I can’t wait to try it again — perhaps with different fruits like strawberries and limes. This dessert is definitely celebration-worthy: It not only looks stunning and rustic, but it’s also packed with bright, citrusy, and sweet flavors.

Tips for Making Meghan Markle’s Honey Lemon and Raspberry Layer Cake

• Make it even more fruity. This recipe uses lemon zest and juice, but you can easily swap in orange or lime for a twist. For the raspberry topping and filling, feel free to mix in strawberries, blueberries, or even mangoes to give it an extra fruity touch.

• Spike it: While making the lemon honey soak, toss in a shot (or two!) of rum or bourbon to add some boozy flavor to the cake.

• Swap the buttercream. Instead of buttercream, this cake would be amazing with a light and airy whipped cream topping. Or if you want something richer, you can go with cream cheese frosting for an extra-decadent touch.

Get the recipe: Meghan Markle’s Honey Lemon and Raspberry Layer Cake

Further Reading

The “Beautiful” $3 Flower Tumblers at Walmart People Are Buying 2 at a Time

The One Cookware Brand That Gordon Ramsay Can’t Stop Talking About

Ball Just Dropped the Most Beautiful Mason Jars for Its 140th Anniversary ("So Iconic!")