Instructions

For the cake:

1. Start by preheating the oven to 350*F. Grease two round, 9-inch cake pans with 1 tbs. of butter, or line two cupcake trays with cupcake liners and spray with non-stick spray.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the beater attachment (or an electric hand mixer), cream one stick of butter of your choice and granulated sugar together until smooth, ~5 to 8 minutes. As you cream the butter and sugar, stop and scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula so you are sure to combine the butter and sugar completely.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. Once the butter and sugar are integrated, blend in the yogurt. Add the eggs, one by one, cracking into a separate bowl or mug first before adding to the mixing bowl to prevent any bad eggs or shells getting into the batter. Then add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla and beat until combined.
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the dry ingredients. Transfer the batter to the prepared pans (only filling up the tins about halfway to prevent the cakes becoming too large) and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. If making cupcakes, use an ice cream scoop or similarly sized spoon to fill the cupcake tins halfway full, and bake for about 30 mins or until toothpick comes out cleanly.
6. Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes before inverting it on to a plate or cookie drying rack and allowing it to cool for an additional 20 minutes.

To make the filling:

1. In a 1 quart saucepan, stir the first six ingredients listed over medium heat until blended. Cook until very thick and boiling briskly, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, simmering for one minute, stirring occasionally. Feel free to add more cornstarch in 1 tsp. increments until at desired thickness.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter. Cool mixture at room temperature until ready to use! Can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week (if there's any left!).

To make the Lemon frosting:

1. In a large bowl with a hand mixer at medium speed (or a stand mixer works too), beat all the ingredients until very smooth, adding more lemon juice (in about 1/3 cup measurements at a time) if it needs to be thinner or more powdered sugar (in the same increments) if it needs to be thicker. Chill in the fridge briefly before frosting, as mixing it heats up the ingredients.

To make the Raspberry glaze:

1. Wash and pick through raspberries, adding to a bowl and smashing to turn into a paste. Add the raspberries to a fine mesh strainer over a bowl, pushing the pulp and juice through with a spoon to separate from the seeds.
2. In a large bowl with a hand mixer at medium speed (or a stand mixer works too), beat all the ingredients, including strained raspberries, until very smooth. If using a non-diary butter, you may need to soften the butter for about 30 seconds in the microwave to help it combine better with the raspberry mixture. Chill in the fridge briefly before frosting, as mixing it together heats up the ingredients.

For the assembly:

1. Transfer cakes to a serving platter. Carefully cut the domed part of each cake off to level off the top, and cut the rest of the cake in half so you're left with about two 1" thick layers to frost and fill! Repeat cutting process with second cake. For cupcakes, use a spoon or knife to hollow out a 1" core in the center of each cupcake, saving the bits intact that you cut out for later.
2. Using a spoon, add a generous layer of lemon filling onto the bottom layer of cake. Do not make too wet or the cake will be soggy and fall apart. Add the second layer of cake on top and repeat as necessary for however many cakes you made. For cupcakes, add about a teaspoon to each cupcake and top with the saved cupcake pieces that match. Once filled and layered, it's time to frost it!
3. Carefully spread the frosting over the cake, starting with a big dollop in the center and working it to and around the edges. Make sure there is enough frosting to coat the top and sides of the cake. Repeat process with the cupcakes, adding as much as desired. Serve and enjoy!