Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to a bowl with the lemon zest, rub them together between your fingers to incorporate. Add the flour and mix to combine. Add the softened butter to the bowl. Use a fork to mix the butter and the flour/sugar until a crumbly mixture forms. All the butter should be incorporated with the dry ingredients.

Place it in the fridge while you make the cake batter.

Mix the raspberries with 2 tsp of flour in a bowl. Set it aside. If the raspberries you are using are frozen, place the bowl back in the freezer while you make the cake batter.

Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF.

Line a cake pan with parchment paper and spray it with oil. Alternatively, you can grease the pan with butter, and sprinkleflour evenly all over to coat it entirely.

I used a deep 8” springform pan to make this recipe. If your pan isn’t deep, use a 9” cake pan instead. A cheesecake, or a springform pan will also work as long as the bottom is entirely covered by parchment paper, so no batter will leak out.

Place the granulated sugar and the lemon zest in a bowl. Use your hands to rub the sugar and the lemon zest together. The sugar crystals will help the lemon zest release its natural oils, and the taste of lemon will be stronger. Set aside.

To a mixing bowl, add the 2 cups of flour with the bakingpowder, bakingsoda, and salt. Whisk to combine.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar for about 3 minutes, until creamy and lightened in color.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until completely incorporated before adding the next egg.

Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.

Add the sour cream and mix.

Then, add half of the flour mixture and mix until incorporated on low speed.

Add the milk and the lemon juice, mix to combine.

Finish by adding the remaining dry ingredient mixture. Mix to combine.

Spread about ⅓ of the cake batter on the bottom of the prepared pan. Use a spatula to make it even and smooth.

Sprinkle half of the raspberries coated in flour on top of the batter.

Top with another third of the batter, smooth it out with a spatula.

Sprinkle the remaining raspberries on top.

Top with the remaining third of the batter.

Sprinkle the streusel mixture on top of the batter evenly. If it got clumped up together while in the fridge, crumble it up with your fingers before spreading it.

Bake the cake in pre-heated oven for 55 to 65 minutes. If the crumble is browning too much towards the end, and the center is not yet cooked, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil. If your oven runs hot, or if using convection, bake the cake at 325ºF for longer if needed, to prevent it from becoming dry.

You will know the cake is done baking when you touch the top of the cake and doesn’t feel soft or jiggly in the center underneath the crumble layer. Also insert a toothpick in the cake, and should come out clean, without any gooey batter attached.

Let the cake cool down for about 30 min to 1 hour before serving.

To make the glaze, beat the cream cheese and butter for 30 seconds. Add the powdered sugar and beat to combine.

Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice and mix.

Then you can add the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice to make the glaze thinner, if needed.

Once the glaze is smooth, it’s ready. If the glaze is too runny, add more powdered sugar to make it stiffer, and if it’s still not thin enough, add more lemon juice by the teaspoons, until the desired drizzling consistency is achieved.

Store the cake in a sealed container without the glaze at room temperature for up to 2 days, or up to 5 days in the fridge. If you drizzle the glaze over the cake, it has to be stored in the fridge, because of the cream cheese.

Once the cake has been stored in the fridge, it has to come to room temperature before being served.

The cake can also be stored in the freezer. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and place it in an air-tight container. Store in the freezer for up to 1-2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and let it come to room temperature before serving it.