This is the only Lemon Layer Cake recipe you need! Moist, tender, and bursting with fresh lemon flavor, it’s finished with a silky lemon cream cheese buttercream. Perfect for lemon lovers and ideal for celebrations.
I can’t resist lemon desserts — they’re my favorite. After sharing a light Lemon Chiffon Layer Cake in the past, I knew I needed to post a classic, tender Lemon Layer Cake made with real butter and buttermilk for the perfect texture and flavor.
After testing this recipe a couple of times, I landed on a version that yields moist, fluffy layers with bright lemon flavor. I’ve done the testing for you — just follow the steps and enjoy.
Lemon Cake Ingredients…
CAKE FLOUR: Cake flour gives a softer, lighter crumb than all-purpose flour. This recipe calls for “sifted” cake flour — sift before measuring so you don’t pack in too much flour, which would make the cake dry.
BUTTER: Butter provides rich flavor and helps aerate the batter for a tender crumb.
BUTTERMILK: Buttermilk creates a finer crumb and adds a subtle tang that complements the lemon.
OIL: Using some oil (in addition to butter) keeps the cake moist without becoming dense like a pound cake.
EGGS: Eggs provide structure and moisture — they bind ingredients and help the cake hold its shape.
BAKING POWDER & SODA: Baking powder gives lift for tall, fluffy layers, while a small amount of baking soda balances the acidity of the buttermilk. A good guideline: for every cup of buttermilk, use about 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
LEMON JUICE & ZEST: Because baked lemon desserts can lose intensity, this recipe uses zest from two lemons, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, and a touch of pure lemon extract to amplify the citrus flavor.
LEMON CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM
This frosting is velvety and tangy — enough to generously frost a three-layer cake. Ingredients include:
- Two 8-ounce blocks cream cheese, softened (not fat-free)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
- Pinch of salt
- 6 1/2 to 7 cups powdered sugar, adjusted for desired consistency
CANDIED LEMON SLICES (optional)
Optional but beautiful: candied lemon slices make a pretty garnish. If you have extra lemons, they’re easy to make and add a professional touch.
How to candy lemons:
- Prepare an ice bath and set aside.
- Slice one large lemon very thinly; remove seeds.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, remove from heat, add slices and stir until softened (~1 minute). Drain and plunge into the ice bath, then drain again.
- Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a shallow skillet. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low, arrange lemon slices in a single layer, and simmer (do not boil) about 1 hour until the rinds are translucent.
- Remove with tongs to a parchment-lined sheet and let sit until no longer sticky, at least 1 hour. They will remain slightly tacky. Store covered up to one day.
MORE LEMON DESSERT IDEAS
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Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream
- Author: Cindy Gibbs
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: cake
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This triple-layer lemon cake is made from scratch with lots of fresh lemon flavor. It’s moist and the tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting complements it perfectly.
Ingredients
CAKE
- 3 cups sifted cake flour, spooned and leveled (sift the cake flour before measuring)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups full-fat buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (not bottled)
- 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
LEMON CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- 2 (8-ounce) blocks softened cream cheese (not fat-free)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
- Pinch of salt
- 6 1/2 to 7 cups powdered sugar
- Candied lemon slices, optional
Instructions
CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour three 8 x 2 inch round cake pans; tap out excess flour.
- Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Set aside.
- Cream the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or use a hand mixer) on medium-high until light and smooth. Add sugar and beat on medium for 3–4 minutes until pale and smooth with no grainy sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing to incorporate and scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add oil, lemon juice, and lemon extract and mix to combine.
- On medium-low speed, add dry ingredients and buttermilk in three additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until combined; do not overmix.
- Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with slightly moist crumbs. Cool in pans 10 minutes, run a knife around edges, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
LEMON CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- Make the frosting: Beat very soft cream cheese until smooth. Add butter and beat until light and smooth, about 2 minutes. Mix in lemon juice, zest, and salt.
- Add powdered sugar on low speed, 2 cups at a time, mixing thoroughly before adding more. Adjust: add more sugar if too thin, or 1 teaspoon of milk or lemon juice at a time if too thick.
- Assemble and frost: If desired, level the cake tops with a serrated knife. Place one layer on a cake plate or turntable and spread about 1 1/4 cups frosting. Add the second layer and another 1 1/4 cups. Place the top layer and frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
- To serve: Chill the assembled cake about 1 hour for neat slices. Use a long sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts for clean edges.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days for best freshness.
Notes
- Measuring flour: Sift the cake flour before measuring to avoid packing in too much flour.
- Freezing the cake: Cake layers can be baked and frozen up to 3 months. Cool completely, wrap each layer twice in plastic wrap, then in heavy-duty foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Freezing the frosting: Frosting is best made a day or two ahead and kept refrigerated; bring to room temperature before using. Freezing is not recommended.
- Cake pans: This recipe works well in three 8-inch pans. You can use two 9-inch pans but the bake time may be slightly longer. Avoid a single 9×13 for this amount of batter.
- Cupcakes: The batter should make about 24 cupcakes; adjust bake time accordingly.