Lemon Layer Cake
INGREDIENTS
- 3
cups (345g) sifted all-purpose
flour* (spoon & leveled)
- 2
and 1/2 teaspoons baking
powder
- 1/2
teaspoon baking
soda
- 1/2
teaspoon salt
- 1
cup (230g) unsalted
butter, softened to room temperature
- 1
and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated
sugar
- 3
large eggs,
at room temperature
- 2
teaspoons pure
vanilla extract
- 1
cup (240ml) buttermilk,
at room temperature
- 1
heaping Tablespoon lemon
zest (about 2 lemons)
- 1/3
cup (80ml) fresh lemon
juice (about 2 lemons)
CREAM
CHEESE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- 1
cup (230g) unsalted
butter, softened to room temperature
- 8
ounces (224g) full-fat brick style cream
cheese, softened to room temperature*
- 5
cups (600g) confectioners’
sugar
- 2
Tablespoons (30ml) fresh lemon
juice
- 1
teaspoon pure
vanilla extract
- pinch
salt, to
taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat
oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper,
then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes
seamlessly release from the pans.
- Make
the cake: Whisk
the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using
a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat
the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about
3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a
rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract on
high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up
the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add
the dry ingredients just until combined. With the mixer still running on
low, add the buttermilk, lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix just until
combined. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no
lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be a little thick.
- Pour
batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for around 21-26 minutes or until
the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick
into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Allow cakes
to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be
completely cool before frosting and assembling. The baked cakes are
fluffy, but they are not thick– about 1 – 1.5 inches.
- Make
the frosting: In
a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or
paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2
minutes. Add the cream cheese and beat until completely smooth and
combined. Add confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract with
the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes.
Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin, more lemon
juice if frosting is too thick, or add a pinch of salt if frosting is too
sweet. (I always add a pinch of salt!)
- Assemble
and decorate: Using
a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the
cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice
cream!). Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving
plate. Evenly cover the top with about 1 cup of frosting. Top with
2nd cake layer and evenly cover the top with about 1 cup of frosting.
Top with the third cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting all over
the top and sides. I like to top mine with homemade whipped cream (I used Wilton 8B piping tip).
- Refrigerate
for at least 30-45 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its
shape when cutting.
- Cover
leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.
NOTE
- Make
Ahead Instructions: The
cake layers can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature
overnight. Likewise, the frosting can be prepared then covered and
refrigerated overnight. Let the frosting sit at room temperature to
slightly soften for 10 minutes before assembling and frosting. Frosted
cake or unfrosted cake layers can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw
overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before
decorating/serving.
- Special
Tools (affiliate
links): KitchenAid Stand Mixer | Love is Love Spatula | Zester | Sieve | 9-inch Round Pans | Icing Spatula | Icing Bags | Ateco #849 Closed Star Icing Tip | Cake Stand
- Flour: Sift all-purpose flour
before measuring.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk helps
produce a supremely moist cake. If you don’t have buttermilk, use whole
milk instead. You can use lower fat or nondairy milks in a pinch, but the
cake won’t taste nearly as rich and moist.
- Dense
Cake: *Updated
in 2019* The current amount of baking soda this recipe needs is 1/2
teaspoon, which I increased from 1/4 teaspoon. This extra amount helps
with extra rise and a less dense texture. I also reduced the eggs from 4
to 3, which helps guarantee a lighter crumb.
- Vanilla
Cream Cheese Buttercream:
For a vanilla cream cheese buttercream, replace lemon juice with milk or
heavy cream in the frosting. Add an additional 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla
extract.
- 2
Layer Cake:
For a 2 layer cake, divide batter evenly between two 9-inch cake pans. Bake time will be longer;
use a toothpick to test for doneness.
- Lemon
Cupcakes:
This recipe yields about 30 lemon cupcakes. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Use a
toothpick to test for doneness. For 1 dozen cupcakes, here is my lemon cupcakes recipe. They taste identical to the
cake!
- 9×13
inch Cake:
This batter will fit into a 9×13-inch pan. Fill 2/3 full. If there’s extra
batter, you can make a few cupcakes. Bake time will be close to 40
minutes; use a toothpick to test for doneness.
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