Get ready to impress your guests with this light and airy lemon cake, topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting. With its refreshing lemon flavor and creamy frosting, this simple-to-make dessert is sure to become a favorite at your celebrations.
If you’re getting ready for a birthday, party, or any celebration, this lemon cake brings freshness and style to your table. Follow our recipe to see how a few basic ingredients can transform into a delightful burst of flavor.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Ingredients for the Cake:
- Leavening Agents — This recipe combines both baking powder and baking soda. Check their freshness and replace if they’ve expired to ensure the cake rises perfectly.
- Butter — Opt for unsalted butter to control the salt levels in both the cake and frosting. Make sure it’s softened to room temperature for easy creaming.
- Flour — Sift the all-purpose flour before measuring to ensure a light, airy texture for the cake.
- Sugar — Granulated sugar adds sweetness and contributes to the cake’s structure.
- Eggs — Use large eggs at room temperature for a smooth batter and consistent texture.
- Vanilla Extract — A touch of pure vanilla extract adds depth to the cake’s flavor.
- Milk — Whole milk, at room temperature, helps achieve a smooth batter and tender crumb.
- Lemon — Fresh lemon juice and zest are essential for that vibrant lemon flavor. You’ll need about 2 lemons for both the juice and zest.
Ingredients for the Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting:
- Butter — Choose unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, to manage the salt content and achieve a smooth, blendable consistency.
- Cream Cheese — Full-fat brick cream cheese, also softened, creates a rich and creamy frosting.
- Confectioners’ Sugar — Adds sweetness and helps reach the ideal frosting consistency.
- Fresh Lemon Juice — Brightens the frosting with a tangy kick. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.
- Vanilla Extract — Enhances the frosting with a subtle, complementary flavor.
- Salt — A pinch of salt, adjusted to taste, can help balance the sweetness of the frosting.
Behind the Recipe
What makes this lemon cake so beloved is its simplicity and bright flavor. The recipe is built on a foundation of classic cake ingredients: creamed butter and sugar, eggs, milk, and flour, but with a refreshing twist of lemon.
We’ve streamlined the process by sticking to one type of sugar—granulated—and incorporating both the zest and juice of fresh lemons to intensify the citrus flavor throughout the cake.
The decision to sift the all-purpose flour before measuring ensures a lighter, airier cake, which gives it that perfect, tender crumb. Plus, the addition of baking powder and baking soda guarantees a beautifully risen cake that holds its structure without being too dense.
The lemon cream cheese frosting takes this cake to another level, combining the tanginess of cream cheese with the smooth richness of butter.
This frosting not only complements the bright lemon flavor in the cake but also adds an irresistible creaminess that pairs perfectly with each bite. Between the cake batter and frosting, this recipe uses 2-3 lemons, making it a citrus lover’s dream.
The Key to This Recipe: Sifted All-Purpose Flour
The secret to achieving the perfect texture in this lemon cake lies in one simple step: sifting the all-purpose flour. By sifting the flour before measuring, you introduce air into the dry ingredients, resulting in a lighter, fluffier cake.
This process helps prevent the cake from becoming too dense or heavy, giving it a delicate crumb that melts in your mouth. While all-purpose flour provides the right structure for the cake, sifting it elevates the texture, ensuring every bite is soft and tender. For the best results, make sure to sift, then measure to get the exact amount needed for a perfectly balanced batter.
Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream
We couldn’t decide between a classic cream cheese frosting or a bright lemon buttercream, so we blended the best of both worlds. By adding 8 ounces of cream cheese to our lemon buttercream, along with a bit more powdered sugar, we created an incredibly smooth and buttery lemon cream cheese frosting.
It’s rich, tangy, and perfectly creamy—guaranteed to become your new favorite! Just look at that texture—it spreads effortlessly over the cake!
Optional Garnishes
- Fresh whipped cream (use a piping tip for a decorative finish)
- Edible flowers or food-safe blooms
- Thin slices of lemon
- Fresh berries (like raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries)
- Candied citrus slices
- Fresh herbs such as mint or thyme
Others I love:
- No-Bake Lemon and Mango Cheesecake
- Easy Red Velvet Cake Recipe
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe on Graham Cracker and Marshmallow
- The Art of Strawberry Cake
Lemon Dream Cake with Silky Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups (354 g) All-purpose flour sifted (spooned and leveled)
- 2 ½ teaspoons Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup (226 g), Unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups (350 g) Granulated suga
- 3 Large eggs
- 2 teaspoons Pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup Whole milk (240 ml), at room temperature
- 1 heaping tablespoon Lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
- ⅓ cup Fresh lemon juice (80 ml) (about 2 lemons)
Butter and Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup Unsalted butter (226 g), softened to room temperature
- 8 ounces Block-style cream cheese (226 g),
- 4 ½ cups Powdered sugar (540 g)
- 2 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice (30 ml)
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- Salt pinch, to taste
Instructions
1. Prepare the Pans
- Preheat the oven to 177°C (350°F).
- Grease three 8-inch (20 cm) cake pans, line them with parchment paper circles, and grease the parchment paper. This helps the cakes release easily from the pans.
2. Make the Cake Batter
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until smooth and creamy (about 3 minutes). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and beat on high speed until combined (about 2 minutes). Scrape down the bowl again.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Still on low speed, add the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix until well combined. Check for lumps at the bottom of the bowl and whisk by hand if needed. The batter should be slightly thick.
3. Bake the Cakes
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- Bake for 21 to 26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans on a wire rack. They must be fully cooled before frosting and assembling.
4. Make the Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy (about 2 minutes).
- Add the cream cheese and beat until completely smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract with the mixer on low speed. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes.
- Adjust the consistency as needed: add more powdered sugar if the frosting is too thin, or a pinch of salt if it's too sweet.
5. Assemble and Decorate
- Using a serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface.
- Place the first cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with about 1 cup of frosting.
- Place the second layer on top and evenly cover it with about 1 cup of frosting. Repeat with the third layer.
- Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
- Optional: Decorate with homemade whipped cream.
6. Chill
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 to 45 minutes before slicing to help it hold its shape.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
