Lemon Cake

This homemade lemon cake is loaded with real lemon flavor. Moist and tender lemon cake layers flavored with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest, iced with lemon cream cheese frosting! If you love lemon desserts, this is a must try cake recipe!

Ingredients for Lemon Cake

Lemon cake layers

• All-purpose flour: Be sure to fluff the flour and level the measuring cup!
• Baking powder: Leavening agent to help the cake layers rise.
• Salt: To enhance the flavors in the cake.
• Unsalted butter: Softened butter.
• Vegetable oil: You can also use canola oil or your favorite neutral baking oil.
• Granulated sugar: For sweetness.
• Eggs: Large eggs, room temperature.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract adds great flavor and compliments the lemon.
• Lemon zest: You will need the zest of about 2 lemons for the cake batter.
• Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed. Approximately 2 to 3 lemons. Check for seeds!
• Milk: Room temperature. You can use buttermilk for added tang.

Lemon cream cheese frosting

• Unsalted butter: Room temperature, softened butter.
• Cream cheese: Room temperature, softened cream cheese.
• Powdered sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar.
• Salt: To contrast the sweetness of the frosting.
• Lemon zest: Fresh lemon zest. Use a fine grater or zester.
• Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed. About the juice of 1 lemon

How to Make Lemon Cake

Lemon cake layers

To make the lemon cake batter, I recommend using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare three 7-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper circles.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, cream room temperature unsalted butter, granulated sugar and vegetable oil for a few minutes until pale and creamy.
4. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed in between each addition.
5. Add vanilla extract and lemon zest.
6. Alternate adding the flour mixture with the lemon juice and milk (1/3 flour mixture, 1/2 wet ingredients, 1/3 flour mixture, 1/2 wet ingredients, 1/3 flour mixture). Mix in between each addition.
7. Portion the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Use a kitchen scale to create even layers.
8. Bake the cake layers in the oven for approximately 25-28 minutes until the tops of the cakes bounce back when gently touched.
9. Remove the cake pans from the oven. Allow the cake layers to cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes. Remove the cake layers from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Lemon cream cheese frosting

To make the frosting, I recommend using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. If you prefer, you can use a paddle attachment as well. If you do not have a stand mixer, a handheld electric mixer will also work!

1. Whip unsalted butter and cream cheese for 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed until smooth.
2. Add in the powdered sugar in two batches, mixing on low speed in between each addition until the powdered sugar is fully combined with the butter mixture.
3. Add in the salt, lemon zest, and lemon lemon juice. Mix on low and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Whip the frosting for an additional 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed until smooth, light, and fluffy.

Assembling the lemon cake

1. Level the cake layers with a serrated knife.
2. Place one lemon cake layer on a round cake board. Add desired amount of frosting to the top of the layer and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Repeat this process with the second cake layer.
3. Add the final cake layer to the top of the cake. Be sure the bottom of the cake layer is facing up.
4. With an offset spatula, add a crumb coat, a thin layer of frosting to the top and sides of the cake. Use a cake scraper to remove excess frosting and to smooth the sides. Chill the cake for 20 minutes.
5. Add a generous layer of frosting to the chilled cake with an offset spatula. Use a cake scraper to remove excess frosting and smooth the sides of the cake. Chill for an additional 20 minutes.
6. Use a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip to create swirls of lemon cream cheese frosting around the top edges of the cake. If desired, add lemon slices or candied lemon for decoration.