Lemon Cake

You will love the fresh lemon flavor, bright, happy yellow color, and moist texture of our delectable lemon cake.

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The sweet citrus aroma of this bright and sunny lemon cake is sure to entice you to dig in and enjoy a slice. With two moist cake layers and a creamy lemon frosting, both bursting with tangy lemon flavor, it will be hard to resist.

Lemon Cake Ingredients

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You’ll need:

For the Cake

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup butter-flavored shortening
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon lemon extract
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups whole milk, warm

For the Lemon Frosting

• 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 3 teaspoons lemon extract
• Pinch of salt
• 3-5 tablespoons milk

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

SHORTENING: You can substitute the shortening for butter. The shortening helps to create a fluffier cake with a softer crumb.

MILK: Whole milk is best in this recipe to keep the cake moist and flavorful. Buttermilk can be substituted for a slightly heavier and moist cake.

FROSTING: The frosting is a lemon buttercream. Lemon cream cheese frosting would also be delicious. This buttercream will work well for piping a border or simple decorations on the cake. You may wish to increase the frosting recipe by 50% if you want to pipe a full border or do more decorating.

How to Make This Lemon Cake Recipe

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and line the bottoms with a round of parchment paper.

STEP TWO: Cream butter, shortening, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.

STEP THREE: Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract. Beat until combined.

STEP FOUR: Add the eggs and lemon juice and mix on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes.

STEP FIVE: Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.

STEP SIX: Add ½ cup of milk to the wet ingredients, then ½ of the dry ingredients, another ½ cup of milk, the remaining flour mixture, and the remaining milk. Mix just until everything is combined.

STEP SEVEN: Divide the cake batter between the two prepared baking pans.

STEP EIGHT: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs.

STEP NINE: Cool cakes for 5 to 10 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way.

STEP TEN: Prepare the frosting by beating the butter and two cups of powdered sugar together until well combined. Add the lemon extract and a pinch of salt. Continue beating, adding the remaining powdered sugar and a couple of tablespoons of milk at a time until the frosting is fluffy and creamy.

STEP ELEVEN: Assemble the cake by spreading a layer of frosting on the first layer with an offset spatula, stacking the second layer on top, and then frosting the sides and top of the cake. Decorate as desired.

How To Serve

This is the perfect cake for the lemon lovers in your life. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to your plate to make the dessert even more delicious. A refreshing iced tea or a warm mug of homemade hot chocolate would be a tasty drink on the side.

Two more lemon desserts that we know you’ll love are our lemon cobbler and lemon lasagna. 

MORE LEMON RECIPES

Cookie Recipes

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Dessert Bars

Lemon Brownies

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: Store the frosted lemon layer cake in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap for up to 3 days.

IN THE FREEZER: Freeze this lemon cake for up to 1 month in an airtight container. 

This lemon cake is moist and packed with a citrus flavor that will awaken your senses. With a simple flavor and two delicious layers wrapped in a delightful buttercream frosting, there is no way you can go wrong with this cake for any occasion.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Busy Day Chocolate Cake
• Caramel Apple Dump Cake
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes
• Banana Bread
• Crack Cake
• Lemon Curd
• Berry Upside Down Cake
• Lemon Sour Cream Cake

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Lemon Cake

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You will love the fresh lemon flavor, bright, happy yellow color, and moist texture of our delectable lemon cake.

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 12

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Ingredients

  

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Cake

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup butter-flavored shortening
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups whole milk, warm

Frosting

• 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 3 teaspoons lemon extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 to 5 tablespoons milk

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and line the bottoms with a round of parchment paper.
• Cream the butter, shortening, and sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth and creamy.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
• Add the eggs and lemon juice and mix on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
• Add ½ cup of milk to the wet ingredients, then ½ of the flour mixture, another ½ cup of milk, the remaining flour, and the remaining milk. Mix just until everything is combined.
• Divide the batter between the two prepared baking pans.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out with just a few crumbs.
• Cool cakes for 5 to 10 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.
• Prepare the frosting by beating the butter and two cups of powdered sugar together until well combined. Add in the lemon extract and a pinch of salt. Continue beating, adding the remaining powdered sugar and a couple of tablespoons of milk at a time until the frosting is fluffy and creamy.
• Assemble the cake by spreading a layer of frosting on the first layer, stacking the second layer on top, and then frosting the top and around the sides of the cake. Decorate as desired.

Notes

• Buying pre-cut parchment paper rounds make lining the pans easier.
• Sift the flour into your bowl, as it will create a fluffier cake once baked.
• Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.

Nutrition

Calories: 793kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 189mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 76g | Vitamin A: 1069IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 2mg

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