Bright, fresh, and wonderfully fuss‑free, these Mini Lemon and Raspberry No‑Bake Cakes are the perfect little sunshine desserts for summer. With their creamy lemon cream cheese frosting, filling of sweet raspberry jam and toasted almonds, and a simple chilled assembly, they’re ideal for days when you want something sweet without turning on the oven.
Easy enough for everyday treating yet pretty enough for company, these mini cakes deliver all the flavour of a classic lemon‑raspberry bake in a cool, refreshing no‑bake form your family will love.
This is a really fun and easy recipe that I came across in one of my favorite cookbooks, Perfect One Dish Dinners by Pam Anderson. It is a book filled with delicious menus for dinners, with appetizers, one dish mains and tasty desserts. This seemed like such a simple dessert to make and I had everything in house to make it so I went with it.
I love recipes like this that don't require a multitude of fancy ingredients or complicated steps. Simple ingredients put together in the simplest of ways and this was fabulous. It went together very quickly and easily.
You don't have to use store-made sponge cakes if you don't want to. You could bake a plain vanilla sponge cake and then cut it into rounds, making an indentation with a spoon into each round. These cakes get sandwiched together with a small quantity of raspberry jam and toasted almonds in the center.
The crowning glory of these simple cakes is that lush lemon cream cheese frosting. Quick and easy to make. You just slather it over the tops and sides of these dainty little cakes and you are done.
I did create a bit of a decoration with some flaked almonds and cake decorations for each, but there is no need to really do that. A scattering of fresh raspberries works very well and tastes delicious!
If you are looking for a quick and easy dessert to make this summer, that won't break the bank and that your guests will love, you really cannot go wrong with this one!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
TO MAKE
MINI LEMON & RASPBERRY CAKES (NO BAKE)
- 1 package (8 oz/227g) full fat cream cheese, softened
- 4 TBS (57g) butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (115g) jarred lemon curd
- 1/3 cup (40g) icing sugar
- 8 store made shortcake cakes
- 1/2 cup (160g) raspberry jam
- 4 TBS (21g) toasted flaked almonds
NOTES ON INGREDIENTS
- The original recipe did not specify full fat or low fat cream cheese. I use full fat as I have more success in making frostings, etc. with the full fat than with the low fat. Do not use whipped cream cheese.
- I used salted butter as that is all I keep in my house.
- I used Bonne Maman Lemon Curd. You can use whichever brand you prefer, or even make your own.
- Sieve the icing sugar for a lump free frosting.
- I used store bought shortcake nests. They come with a hollow already in the middle of each cake and are about 2 1/2 inches or so in diameter.
- I used seedless raspberry jam as that is all I had in my house.
- I used flaked almonds which I toasted myself. You could also use slivered almonds
HOW TO MAKE
MINI LEMON & RASPBERRY CAKES
These really are very simple to put together.
- First make the frosting. Place the cream cheese, butter, lemon curd and icing sugar into a bowl and beat together until smooth and fluffy. (I use an electric hand whisk to do this.)
- Place four of the cakes onto a serving platter, cup side up. (If you have the room you can set the up on individual dessert plates to begin with. That way you won't have to move them once they are done.)
- Place 2 TBS of jam into the hollow in each cake cup. (Stir through the jam with a fork first to loosen it.)
- Top the jam in each cake cup with 1 TBS of flaked almonds and then place the final cake cups, hollow side down on top to cover. (The jam and the nuts should fit in quite nicely and the cakes should cover everything.)
- Using an offset spatula or a straight bladed knife frost the tops and sides of the cakes with the prepared frosting to cover, swirling the tops attractively. (This is also when you will want to decorate them.)
- Store in the refrigerator. (No need to cover if you will be serving them soon.)
HINTS AND TIPS FOR SUCCESS
USE FRESH INGREDIENTS
Use the freshest ingredients. This is not the time to use stale cakes.
USE ROOM TEMPERATURE INGREDIENTS
It will be much easier to whip together the frosting if everything is at room temperature.
STIR THE JAM WITH A FORK BEFORE USING
If you stir the jam with a fork before using it will loosen it up a bit and make it easier to fill the indentations.
USE FLAKED OR SLIVERED ALMONDS
Flaked or slivered almonds work best in this easy dessert.
CHILL THE FINISHED CAKES
Chill the finished cakes for about half an hour to help everything set up nicely.
GARNISH THE FINISHED CAKES
The finished cakes look really nice with a garnish. I did flaked almond flowers, but fresh berries scattered over top also look very pretty.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
MUST I USE STOREBOUGHT CAKES FOR THIS DESSERT?
Not at all. If you have a vanilla sheet cake premade, you can cut the cakes to measure. Use a 2 inch round cutter, cut out 8 cakes and make a shallow hollow in the center of each one.
MUST THE RASPBERRY JAM BE SEEDLESS?
Feel free to use any kind of raspberry jam. I used the seedless one because that is what I had in the house.
CAN I USE ANY OTHER FLAVOR OF JAM?
By all means. Use whichever jam you enjoy and that will go well with the lemon frosting. I think blueberry or blackberry would be especially nice.
CAN I MAKE MY OWN LEMON CURD RATHER THAN USE PREPARED?
Yes, if you are feeling really keen and have the time to spend, by all means make your own lemon curd.
HOW CAN I TOAST THE ALMONDS?
Spread them onto a baking sheet and toast for 8 to 10 minutes at 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Keep a close watch and remove them from the oven as soon as you see them turning. Bring to room temperature before using.
WHAT CAN I GARNISH THESE WITH?
I made little flowers out of toasted almonds and cake decorations, but fresh berries scattered on top or alongside are really nice served with these.
A FEW MORE SIMPLE DESSERTS TO ENJOY
It never hurts to have a few quick and easy dessert ideas up your sleeve. Here are several more recipes that we enjoy!
LEMON CHEESECAKE MOUSSE - A silky, no‑bake treat that comes together in just minutes, this Lemon Cheesecake Mousse for Two layers a buttery graham crumb base with a cloud‑light lemon‑kissed filling made from whipped cream, cream cheese, and rich lemon curd. It’s cool, creamy, and perfectly balanced between sweet and tart — a refreshing little dessert that feels decadent without any fuss. Serve chilled with a bright garnish of lemon or a crisp biscotti for an effortless summer indulgence.
BANOFFEE MESS - A playful twist on the classic Banoffee Pie, this Banoffee Mess is everything indulgent rolled into one irresistible bowl — billowy whipped cream, crisp crushed meringues, sweet sliced bananas, toasted pecans, and ribbons of rich toffee sauce all folded together into a glorious, spoon‑ready tumble. It’s quick, no‑cook, and wonderfully over‑the‑top in that very British way — a sweet, creamy, crunchy treat that feels like pure comfort and comes together in minutes. Dig in and enjoy every messy bite.
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Yield: 4 mini cakes
Mini Lemon & Raspberry Cakes
Prep time: 11 MinTotal time: 11 Min
You won't believe how easy these really are to make. A real doddle and oh so tasty when they are done with a lush lemon cream cheese frosting and filling of sweet raspberry jam and toasted almonds. What's not to love?
Ingredients
- 1 package (8 oz/227g) full fat cream cheese, softened
- 4 TBS (57g) butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (115g) jarred lemon curd
- 1/3 cup (40g) icing sugar
- 8 store made shortcake cakes
- 1/2 cup (160g) raspberry jam
- 4 TBS (21g) toasted flaked almonds
Instructions
- First make the frosting. Place the cream cheese, butter, lemon curd and icing sugar into a bowl and beat together until smooth and fluffy.
- Place four of the cakes onto a serving platter, cup side up.
- Place 2 TBS of jam into the hollow in each cake cup.
- Top the jam in each cake cup with 1 TBS of flaked almonds and then place the final cake cups, hollow side down on top to cover.
- Using an offset spatula or a straight bladed knife frost the tops and sides of the cakes with the prepared frosting to cover, swirling the tops attractively.
- Store in the refrigerator.
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