If there is one lemon velvet cake I get asked about more than any other at cake consultations, it is this one. The reverse creaming method gives it that ultra-soft, velvety crumb, and I use three layers of real lemon flavor: fresh juice, zest, and a pinch of citric acid, so it actually tastes like lemon rather than just smelling like it. Paired with silky homemade lemon curd and tangy cream cheese frosting, this is the cake that makes people ask for seconds before they finish their first slice.
Quick Glance: Lemon Cake Recipe
- Recipe Name: Lemon Cake Recipe
- Why You'll Love It: Ultra moist, fluffy, and bursting with real lemon flavor
- Time and Difficulty: 2-3 hours for baking, making the lemon curd and decorating | Intermediate
- Main Ingredients: Cake flour, buttermilk, lemon juice & zest, citric acid, butter, oil, cream cheese
- Method: Reverse creaming method
- Texture and Flavor: Soft, velvety crumb with bright citrus flavor
- Quick Tip: Make the lemon curd ahead of time for best results
Jump to:
- Quick Glance: Lemon Cake Recipe
- Lemon Cake Ingredients
- What Makes This Cake So Moist?
- Lemon Curd Step-By-Step
- Lemon Cake Step-By-Step
- Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Lemon Cake Assembly
- Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
- Cups of Batter Needed
- Cups of Frosting Needed
- Common Mistakes When Making Lemon Cake
- Lemon Cake FAQs
- More Lemon Desserts You'll Love
- Watch: How To Decorate A Cake Step-by-Step
- Recipe
Lemon Cake Ingredients
This lemon cake recipe relies on a few key ingredients combined with the reverse creaming method to make a lemon cake with a moist, velvety cake crumb with silky smooth lemon curd and tart lemon cream cheese frosting on the outside to balance it all out.
- Buttermilk - tenderizes the crumb and creates a fluffy texture. If you're out of buttermilk, you can make a buttermilk substitute.
- Cake flour - provides a soft, delicate crumb due to low protein.
- Lemon juice - adds acidity and light lemon flavor; substitute with fresh over bottled when possible
- Lemon zest - delivers a strong natural lemon flavor without extra liquid.
- Citric acid - enhances tartness and boosts lemon flavor; optional and can be omitted
- Butter - adds richness and flavor.
- Oil - keeps the cake moist even when chilled; substitute with any neutral oil
- Eggs - provide structure, stability, and richness; no substitute recommended
- Cream cheese - adds tangy flavor to the frosting; substitute with mascarpone for a milder taste
What Makes This Cake So Moist?
This lemon cake recipe, much like my vanilla cake and white velvet buttermilk cake recipes, has some key ingredients for maximum moistness and melt-in-your-mouth velvet texture.
- Buttermilk - breaks down the gluten in cake flour and reacts with acidic ingredients to create a very light and fluffy cake that is extremely tender! No buttermilk? No problem, you can make your own buttermilk substitute.
- Cake flour - cake flour has less gluten in it than AP flour, resulting in a very tender cake crumb.
- Reverse mixing method - The reverse creaming method is the process of coating your dry ingredients with butter before you add the liquids. This butter "shortens" the gluten strands and gives the cake its velvet crumb.
- Oil - Very important in butter cakes to keep your cakes from drying out. When a cake is cold, the butter in the cake get's hard and can make the cake taste dry. Cakes should always be consumed at room temperature for the best results.
This lemon cake recipe uses professional baking techniques to create a soft, bakery-quality crumb with bold lemon flavor. If you're new to layer cakes, this step-by-step guide will walk you through everything.
When I make this cake, I make my curd one day in advance so that it has time to cool down in the fridge. You can also bake your cakes in advance if you want, and then wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them until you are ready to decorate.
Lemon Curd Step-By-Step
Once you make your own lemon curd, it's hard to ever go back to buying it. Nothing compares to that pure, bright, fresh lemon flavor. I prefer to make my lemon curd one day in advance and then have it ready to go the next day. I learned this recipe from the Culinary Institute of America and I have scaled it so it makes exactly the right amount of lemon curd filling for this cake recipe.
- First, combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, whole egg, and egg yolks in a heatproof bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Next, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and cook the mixture while whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
- Continue cooking until the mixture thickens and reaches 170-175°F.
- Remove the curd from the heat and immediately whisk in the cold butter and salt until fully incorporated and smooth.
- If desired, strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove zest and ensure a silky texture.
- Place some plastic wrap over the curd so that it's touching the surface, and then refrigerate it until you need it. It will thicken as it cools.
PRO TIP: Whisking constantly prevents the eggs from curdling and promotes even thickening.
Lemon Cake Step-By-Step
Before starting this lemon cake recipe, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature so your batter mixes smoothly and does not curdle. I also weigh all my ingredients out with a kitchen scale. Liquids are weighed as well as dry ingredients.
- Preheat your oven to 335°F (168°C) and prepare your cake pans with cake goop or parchment paper.
- In one bowl, combine half of the buttermilk with the oil and set it aside.
In another separate bowl, whisk together the remaining buttermilk, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon extract until combined. Set it aside.
- Add the cake flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the bowl of your stand mixer and mix briefly to combine.
- Add the softened butter in small chunks to the dry ingredients while mixing on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- Add the buttermilk and oil mixture to the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed for two minutes.
- Slowly add the egg mixture in three parts, mixing for about 10 seconds between each addition and scraping the bowl as needed.
- Fill your cake pans about three-quarters full with batter and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack.
Once they are slightly warm, wrap them in plastic wrap and chill them in the refrigerator until firm and easy to handle.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
This lemony cream cheese adds the perfect amount of tang and sweetness to accent the moist cake layers and tart lemon curd filling.
- First, place the softened butter into a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment and cream it until smooth and fluffy.
- Next, add the softened cream cheese and mix on low speed until fully combined and smooth.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until incorporated before adding more.
- Finally, add the extract and salt, and mix just until everything is smooth and combined.
Lemon Cake Assembly
This lemon cake is literally bursting at the seams with so much lemon flavor! I love this cake so much! The cake is so so soft and fluffy but combined with the lemon curd and the lemon cream cheese frosting, this cake is far and above the best lemon cake ever.
- First, trim the tops of your cake layers so they are level and even.
- Place the first cake layer onto a cake board or serving plate.
- Pipe a ring of buttercream around the edge of the cake to create a dam. This prevents the curd from oozing out of the sides of the cake.
- Fill the center with a layer of lemon curd and spread it evenly.
- Place the second cake layer on top and repeat the process.
- Add the final cake layer and apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake.
- Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
- Apply the final layer of frosting and smooth the sides and top with a bench scraper or spatula.
- Optional: Add a few swirls of frosting on top and drizzle leftover lemon curd or add some lemon slices for decoration.
Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
Select an option below to calculate how much batter or frosting you need. Adjust the servings slider on the recipe card to change the amounts the recipe makes.
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Cups of Batter Needed
8 cups
Cups of Frosting Needed
5 cups
Note: measurements are estimated based off the vanilla cake recipe using standard US cake pans and sizes. Measurements used are for 2" tall cake pans only. Your results may vary. Do not overfill cake pans above manufacturer's recommended guidelines.
Common Mistakes When Making Lemon Cake
- Using cold ingredients - Cold butter will not blend properly into the dry ingredients during the reverse creaming step, and cold eggs can cause the batter to curdle and look broken. Make sure your butter, eggs, and buttermilk are all fully at room temperature before you start mixing.
- Skipping the frosting dam for the lemon curd filling - Lemon curd is much thinner than buttercream. Without a ring of frosting piped around the edge of each cake layer, the curd will squeeze out the sides when you stack the layers and make the cake unstable and difficult to frost.
- Skipping the crumb coat - A crumb coat seals in any loose crumbs before the final layer of frosting goes on. Without it you will end up with crumbs showing through the finished surface, which is especially noticeable with a pale cream cheese frosting.
- Overbaking the layers - This cake should come out of the oven the moment a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back when touched. Even a few extra minutes can dry out the crumb and undo all the moisture work the buttermilk and oil are doing.
- Not chilling the layers before assembling - Warm cake layers are fragile and will slide around under the weight of the frosting and filling. Chilling them for at least 30 minutes makes them firm, easy to trim, and much easier to stack cleanly.
Lemon Cake FAQs
No. Lemon juice adds liquid but not enough flavor. Use extra zest instead or a little more citric acid.
Yes. Fill the liners ⅔ full, bake at 400°F for 5 minutes, then 350°F until done (18-25 minutes total).
Yes. Substitute the same amount of lime juice and zest in place of the lemon, and use lime extract instead of lemon extract if you can find it. The result is a bright, tangy lime velvet cake with the same soft, velvety crumb. The citric acid is optional either way but helps punch up the flavor.
Store the lemon cake in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring it to room temperature before serving it for the best texture.
Yes, and making it ahead actually improves the results. Bake the cake layers up to 3 days in advance, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate or freeze them. The lemon curd can be made up to a week ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. For the best results, assemble and frost the cake the day before serving.
More Lemon Desserts You'll Love
Watch: How To Decorate A Cake Step-by-Step
Before you start decorating, watch the video below where I show you every step of decorating a cake from start to finish. Seeing the process in action makes it much easier to follow along
- Liz Marek.
Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
Lemon Cake Ingredients
- 13 ounces Cake flour
- 13 ounces granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 8 ounces unsalted butter Softened but not melted
- 10 ounces buttermilk Or regular milk with 1 tablespoon white vinegar added
- 3 ounces vegetable oil Or canola oil
- 3 Large Eggs 1 large egg weighs about 1.67oz
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest About one lemon
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Extract
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice Fresh or bottled is ok
Lemon Curd
- 3 ounces Lemon Juice Fresh or bottled is ok
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest About two lemons worth
- 3 ounces Sugar
- 1 large Egg
- 2 large Egg Yolks
- 1 pinch citric acid
- 2 ounces Unsalted Butter
- 1 pinch salt
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 8 ounces Unsalted Butter Softened but not melted
- 36 ounces Powdered Sugar sifted
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Lemon Cake Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 335º F/168º C Prepare three, 6"x2" or two, 8"x2" cake pans with cake goop or another pan release. For square pans or cakes over 12", I also use parchment paper.
- Combine the 4oz of buttermilk with the oil and set aside.
- To the remaining 6oz of buttermilk, add your eggs, lemon zest, lemon extract, and lemon juice. Whisk lightly to break up the eggs and set aside.
- Place cake flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached.
- Turn the mixer onto the lowest speed. Add in your softened butter in small chunks mix until the flour mixture resembles coarse sand.
- Add your oil/milk mixture all at once to the dry ingredients and mix on medium (speed 2 on a bosch, speed 4 on KitchenAid) for 2 full minutes to develop the cake's structure.
- Scrape the bowl. This is an important step. If you skip it, you will have hard lumps of flour and unmixed ingredients in your batter. If you do it later, they will not mix in fully.
- Slowly add in the milk/egg mixture in 3 parts, letting the batter mix for 10 seconds between additions. Stop to scrape the bowl once more halfway through. Your batter should be thick and not separated. If it is separated, some of your ingredients could have been too cold or you added your liquids too quickly.
- Fill your cake pans ¾ full with cake batter. Give the pan a little tap on each side to level out the batter and get rid of any air bubbles. You can also weigh your cake pans to ensure that each pan has the same amount of cake batter.
- Bake at 335º F/168º C for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleanly from the center of the cake and the top of the cake bounces back when you touch it.
- After cakes have cooled for 15 minutes or the pans are cool enough to touch, flip the cakes over onto a cooling rack and let cool until barely warm. Wrap your cakes in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator before frosting so they are easier to handle. You can also put them in the freezer if you are in a hurry for them to cool down.
- Once the cakes are chilled you can now trim, fill, and decorate your cake as you wish.
Lemon Curd Instructions
- First, combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, whole egg, and egg yolks, and citric acid in a heatproof bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Next, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and cook the mixture while whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
- Continue cooking until the mixture thickens and reaches 170-175°F.
- Remove the curd from the heat and immediately whisk in the butter and salt until fully incorporated and smooth.
- If desired, strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove zest and ensure a silky texture.
- Cover the lemon curd with plastic wrap so its touching the surface of the curd while it cools to prevent a skin from forming on the surface. The lemon curd will firm up as it cools.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- First, place the softened butter into a mixing bowl and cream it until smooth and fluffy.
- Next, add the softened cream cheese and mix on low speed until fully combined and smooth.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until incorporated before adding more.
- Finally, add the extract and salt, and mix just until everything is smooth and combined.
Cake Assembly
- First, trim the tops of your cake layers so they are level and even.
- Place the first cake layer onto a cake board or serving plate.
- Pipe a ring of buttercream around the edge of the cake to create a dam.
- Fill the center with a layer of lemon curd and spread it evenly.
- Place the second cake layer on top and repeat the process.
- Add the final cake layer and apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake.
- Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
- Apply the final layer of frosting and smooth the sides and top with a bench scraper or spatula.
Video
Notes
- For best results, always bring your ingredients to room temperature before starting this lemon cake recipe so your batter mixes smoothly and does not curdle.
- Do not skip the reverse creaming method, because this technique is what gives this lemon cake its ultra-soft, velvety crumb.
- Use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients for accuracy, especially the flour and liquids, since this lemon cake recipe is very sensitive to ratios.
- Fresh lemon zest is essential for strong lemon flavor, so do not rely on lemon juice alone.
- Citric acid is optional, but it adds a bright, bakery-style tang that takes this lemon cake recipe to the next level.
- Make the lemon curd at least one day in advance so it has time to fully set and develop flavor.
- Chill your cake layers before assembling, because cold cakes are easier to trim, stack, and frost.
- Always use a buttercream dam when filling with lemon curd to prevent the filling from leaking out of the sides.
- Do not overbake your cakes, or they will lose moisture and become dry instead of soft and fluffy.
- For the best texture and flavor, serve this lemon cake at room temperature, because cold butter can make the crumb feel firm.
Ann Roth says
So is it 2tsp lemon extract, and what is the other extract, Is it vanilla ? The recipe does not reflect the update, sorry to be a pest, I am making this cake tomorrow and just want to make sure. I love all of your recipes and tutorials. Thank you so much.
Peggy says
Did you ever get an answer to this question?
It lists lemon extract twice?
The Sugar Geek Show says
The recipe has been updated.
Ann Roth says
This cake looks amazing, however I am curious about the recipe, it is calling for 2tps lemon extract and then another teaspoon of lemon extract, is that correct, for a total of 3 teaspoons ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
No that was a typo, I have updated it 🙂
Pooja says
I m in love with your cakes.. I would love to try this recipe. Can you please tell me what to substitute for egg in this cake as I am pure vegetarian.
Would really appreciate your input. Thank you ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Sorry Pooja but I am not familiar with using egg replacements so I can't way what would work. I think there are commercial egg replacers you can buy but I haven't tried any of them.
Sandra says
Hello this will be my first time trying to bake this cake can you tell me how do I pasteurize my eggs Never heard of this before thank you so much
The Sugar Geek Show says
Pasteurized eggs are already heat-treated so that they are food safe (similar to what is done to milk to make it safe to drink). It is sold with the eggs, typically in a box. I assume you are wanting to make the easy buttercream.
Sue K says
Yikes! Just realized I left the lemon buttercream on the counter overnight. Will it still be ok with the lemon curd in it or should I scrap it?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I don't know for sure, I don't think I would risk it.
Renee says
This is an excellent recipe. I wanted to be sure I thanked you for it. You really know what you are doing and I appreciate your knowledge! Awesome cake! Thank you!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it <3
Catillia says
My question is will the buttercream hold up in the heat? I am So excited to try this recipe. I have Been searching for a good lemon cake.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Depends on what you mean by heat. No cake should be outside in extreme heat for too long because butter melts.
Lisa says
Hi Liz, how long can this cake with the curd and buttercream sit at room temperature? Thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
4-6 hours if it's not too hot outside 🙂
Lisa says
Terrific! Thanks so much for being an awesome teacher and mentor!
Nissan says
I can't wait to try this recipe! I would like to make this for an upcoming wedding. How would I adjust this recipe for a 1/2 sheet cake?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Unless you have a very large mixer then you'll have to make two 1 1/2 batches of cake batter for a total of 3 batches of cake batter to fill a 1/2 sheet pan
Megan says
For the lemon curd is the temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Fahrenheit
Alicia says
Hi Liz!!
Thank you for all your incredible recipes!!!
Wondering, when should I mix in the whole lemon zest in my cake batter???
The Sugar Geek Show says
I put mine in with the liquids but you can add it any time 🙂
Maryam says
What if cake flour is not available? What to use instead? Or can I make the cake flour at home adding corn starch to all purpose flour?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Using AP flour will not work the same. If you only have access to AP flour then use a recipe that calls for that type of flour. I have a white cake recipe that uses AP flour and you can simply replace vanilla with lemon and add in lemon zest.
Rebecca S says
Hi Liz, this recipe is delicious, I am curios though, Mine never turns out thick like yours. Could mixing it on speed 5 to incorporate the remaining liquid cause that? I’m wondering if this recipe is even better when the batter is not as thin as mine usually is. I’ve been scratch baking for years, I follow the recipe exactly.
The Sugar Geek Show says
The thin batter is not a problem 🙂 Sometimes my batter is thinner
Lisa says
Hi, I absolutely love this recipe! Best lemon cake I've ever made. I have tried making cupcakes twice with this recipe, but they collapsed in the middle after removing from the oven. I think I may have over filled my cupcakes. How do you convert cake recipes to cupcakes? Also, stupid question here, after the initial 2 minute mixing, at what speed and for how long do I mix in the rest of the liquids? Do I need to beat for 2 minutes after each liquid addition? Thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Mix just until incorporated and for cupcakes I leave out the oil
Lisa says
Thank you! My friends loved this and asked for more last night. You are just fantastic! Happy Valentine's Day!
Cristina says
First off, thank you Liz for sharing your delicious recipes with us! I’m making this cake for my friends’ 40th along with the berry buttercream. Her husband is currently on deployment and we are surprising her with a few hours of girl time. Just one question, do the eggs and milk need to be room temperature? Thank you again!