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Lemon Layer Cake Recipe

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4.1 from 73 reviews

This luscious Lemon Layer Cake features moist lemon-infused cake layers paired with a smooth and tangy lemon buttercream frosting, perfect for any celebration or afternoon treat.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Lemon Cake

  • 3/4 cup whole milk (180 ml)
  • 6 tablespoons lemon juice (90 ml) (freshly squeezed, not from a bottle)
  • 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (343 grams) (measured carefully)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (168 grams) (softened)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil (60 ml) (or canola oil)
  • 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar (350 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs (room temperature)

Lemon Frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (340 grams) (softened, but still slightly cool to the touch)
  • 2 ounces full-fat cream cheese (56 grams) (brick style, or sub with an additional 1/4 cup butter)
  • 4 1/2– 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar (495-605 grams) (sifted)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (30 ml) (freshly squeezed)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1–2 tablespoons whipping cream (15–30 ml) (as needed)

Instructions

  1. Lemon Cake
    Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line the bottom of your pans with rounds of baking paper and grease and flour the sides. I do not recommend just greasing and flouring the pan and omitting the paper, as the cakes are more likely to stick.
  2. Milk and Lemon Mixture
    Whisk together the milk and lemon juice in a measuring jug or bowl. Set aside.
  3. Dry Ingredients
    In a separate medium bowl, sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together. Set aside.
  4. Cream Butter and Sugar
    In a large bowl, beat together the butter, oil, granulated sugar and lemon zest until well creamed (about 2-3 minutes).
  5. Add Vanilla and Eggs
    Add the vanilla into the butter mixture. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition.
  6. Combine Ingredients
    Mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients into the bowl of the butter mixture, alternating between additions. First, mix in 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Then mix in 1/2 of the milk and lemon juice mixture. Mix in another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, followed by the second 1/2 of the milk. Lastly, mix in the final 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Do not overmix. I always do a few stirs of each step by hand first. You may see pieces of lemon zest, but there shouldn’t be lumps of flour.
  7. Bake the Cake
    Evenly distribute the cake batter between the prepared tins and smooth the tops. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven, with all the cake pans on the same rack, for about 20-25 minutes. When finished, the cakes should be starting to pull away from the sides of the pan and an inserted toothpick should come out clean or with a few crumbs, but no gooey cake batter.
  8. Cool Cakes
    Cool the cakes in the pans for at least 20 minutes before very carefully inverting onto cooling racks.
  9. Lemon Frosting
    In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy.
  10. Add Powdered Sugar and Lemon Juice
    Add in 3 cups powdered sugar, along with the freshly squeezed lemon juice and salt. Start with the mixer on a low speed and beat together until combined.
  11. Finish Frosting
    Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl. Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with a little cream if the frosting is too thick, until the desired sweetness is reached.
  12. Assemble Cake
    Ensure that the cake layers are completely cooled. If the tops are domed, use a serrated knife to carefully saw off the rounded tops of each cake layer.
  13. Layer and Frost
    Place 1 cake layer on the plate that you plan to serve the cake on. Frost the top with about 3/4 to 1 cup of frosting. Place a second cake layer on top. Frost the top with another 3/4 – 1 cup of frosting. Then place the third cake layer on top. Frost the sides and top of the cake with swirls of buttercream.
  14. Serve
    When ready to serve, slice the cake with a thin, sharp knife. I do not recommend slicing with a table knife.

Notes

  • Do not recommend just greasing and flouring the pan and omitting the paper, as the cakes are more likely to stick.
  • Do not overmix the batter; some lemon zest pieces are okay but no lumps of flour.
  • Use a serrated knife to level domed cake tops for even stacking.
  • Slice the cake with a thin, sharp knife rather than a table knife for best results.

Find it online: https://yumfoodusa.com/lemon-layer-cake-recipe/