Time for another layer cake! Not quite 14 layers like my no-bake s’mores cake or Smith Island cake, but just as fabulous as both. If you’re a lemon dessert lover like I am, meet our crowning glory.
This lemon layer cake recipe is adapted from the most popular cake recipe on our website: lemon blueberry cake. Lemon blueberry cake has consistently been in our top 10 recipes. It’s moist, sweet, buttery, and loaded with fresh lemon. Since its publish date, we’ve received many questions about leaving out the blueberries to make it plain. We decided a plain lemon cake needed its own separate blog post. Enveloped with lemon cream cheese buttercream and garnished with whipped cream, this towering beauty stands up to its blueberry studded sister!
Behind the Recipe
Besides the flavor and texture, this cake is loved is because of its ease. Very basic ingredients including a base of creamed butter + sugar, eggs, lemon, milk, and flour. We left out the brown sugar and replaced with more granulated sugar. No rhyme or reason here—just didn’t feel like reaching for both types of sugar this time. Between the cake and frosting, you’ll need 2-3 lemons. Both the juice and zest.
Let’s chat about the flour for a second.
The key to this recipe is using sifted all-purpose flour. Sifting the flour aerates it, creating an overall fluffier cake. Just like we found in our 6-inch citrus cake, cake flour is too light for this lemon cake; our cakes were squat and flimsy. All-purpose flour is great, sifted all-purpose flour is much better. Sift flour in a large bowl, then measure 3 cups. Whenever the word “sifted” comes before an ingredient, that means you sift before measuring. (Alternatively, if the word “sifted” comes after an ingredient, sift after measuring.) Here’s our set of sifters. Love them. We’re using the medium one in this photo.
The lemon cake batter is velvety and thick. Divide evenly between three 8-inch round cake pans. For a 2-layer cake, divide batter evenly between two 9-inch cake pans. Bake time will be longer, but you can use a toothpick to test for doneness. This lemon cake batter will fit into a 9×13-inch pan. Bake time will be close to 40 minutes. And while we’re on the subject of different size cakes, this recipe yields at least 30 lemon cupcakes. For 1 dozen cupcakes, here is our lemon cupcakes recipe. They taste identical to the cake!
Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream
We were torn between cream cheese frosting and lemon buttercream, so we combined the two by adding 8 ounces of cream cheese and a little extra confectioners’ sugar to lemon buttercream. The result is an infinitely CREAMY and BUTTERY lemon cream cheese frosting that we know you’ll love!!! Look at this stuff!!! Glides on effortlessly.
The raspberry frosting from my lemon raspberry jam cupcakes would also be fantastic here.
Optional Garnishes!
- Homemade whipped cream (I used Wilton 8B piping tip)
- Food-safe or edible flowers
- Lemon slices
- Fresh berries
- Fresh herbs
- Candied citrus
You could also add a filling between the layers: this raspberry cake filling would be delicious!
The cake stand you see in my pictures is the brand Juliska. I can’t find it anywhere online anymore! Here is a similar one.
Others I love:
- Wood slice cake stand
- Stoneware white cake stand
- Marble & wood cake stand
- Glenna cake stand
- Glass covered cake stand
If you love lemon cake, you’ll adore my lemon bars and lemon meringue pie! Be sure to check out our other favorites in the The Lemon Dessert Collection!
Print
Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: serves 10-12
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This 3-layer lemon layer cake is made completely from scratch with real lemons. It’s deliciously moist and light and is remarkable paired with tangy cream cheese buttercream.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (354g) sifted all-purpose flour* (spooned & leveled)
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) 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) whole milk, 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 (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature*
- 4 and 1/2 cups (540g) 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 8-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- 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 milk, 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.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared 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.
- 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.
Notes
- 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. See How to Freeze Cakes for more information, and a helpful video tutorial.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 8-inch Cake Pans | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack | Citrus Zester | Citrus Juicer | Cake Turntable | Icing Spatula | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Wilton 8B Piping Tip | Cake Carrier (for storage)
- Flour: Sift all-purpose flour before measuring.
- Whole Milk: You can use lower-fat or nondairy milks in a pinch, but the cake won’t taste nearly as rich and moist.
- Recipe updated in 2022: The amount of leaveners are now 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. (Increased from 2 teaspoons and 1/4 teaspoon, respectively.) The amounts listed above amount help provide extra rise, which creates a lighter cake. I also now recommend whole milk instead of buttermilk, so the cake batter is slightly less acidic.
- 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 around 40 minutes; use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Reader Comments and Reviews
This may be the best cake and icing recipe I’ve ever made! (In 69 years!). I followed the recipe exactly, except I made 2 layers instead of 3 (baking at 32 minutes). I tend to go ballistic when I make internet recipes where an author blog-blabs on and on about themselves… the color of their apron, the weather outside, etc…. Yet ‘something’ is lacking or out of proportion, causing a receipe to fail. This has never happened to me with any recipe I have tried from Sally’s Baking Addiction! Easy to read notes, easy to follow directions! Thank you!!!
Can this recipe easily be made into a sheet cake? Should I double it if I need to feed 50 people? Thanks!
Hi Brianna, see recipe notes for 9×13 instructions or you can use our cake pan sizes and conversions guide for determining how much batter is needed for other pan sizes.
How much buttermilk was used in the old recipe? Was it one cup like the current recipe calls for whole milk?
Yes, 1 cup (240ml). The amount is still the same.
This recipe is fantastic! I made the cake with a blackberry buttercream in the layers and a meringue on top. Everyone loved it! The flavor of the cake is amazing! I gave away pieces for people to take home with them. This is definitely my new go to lemon cake recipe!
I am trying to think of ways to make this cake vegan. The butter can certainly be substituted with margarine, the cream-cheese and the milk should be OK as well (maybe add some plant based cream and milk together) but I am wondering if you had any thoughts on how to substitute the eggs? All of the above would change the taste slightly, which might have to be a necessary evil, but natural egg substitutes (apple sauce, bananas) have a very strong flavour.
Thank you!
Hi Ava! We’d love to help, but we don’t have much experience with vegan baking and haven’t tried any substitutes in this particular recipe. If you do give anything a try, we’d love to know how it goes!
This cake is delicious! I will make again. I will also make this frosting for other cakes.
It’s a dense cake, which I prefer. My cake was a little on the dry side, should I add more liquid next time? Or, does baking for less time make it less dry, or did I over mix? Thanks, Joleen
Hi Joleen, we’re so glad you enjoyed it! Overly dry cakes can often be a result of over baking or too much flour. Be sure to spoon and level (or use weight measurements) to ensure just the right amount. This post on how to prevent dry and dense cakes may also be helpful to review for next time. Hope this helps!
Can I substitute coconut sugar for the granulated sugar?
Hi Michelle, we haven’t tested this recipe with coconut sugar. For best taste and texture (and so you don’t waste your time trying to adapt this recipe since it may not work properly), it may be more useful to find a recipe that is specifically formulated for coconut sugar.
Could I make this cake in an 8×12 baking sheet? Two of the pans?
Hi Dana, this will be a bit too much batter for a single 8×12 pan, but you can fill it 2/3 way full and use the leftover batter for a few cupcakes.
this was delicious, but, I wanted to know if its possible to substitute coconut milk for the milk. Please let me know
Hi Lorena, nondairy milks work in a pinch, but the cake won’t taste nearly as rich and moist.
I followed the recipe exactly and after icing, it looked just like the photo, but the cake had a coarse texture and was dry. I baked it the minimum time. The flavor was good but the texture more like cornbread. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Mimi, overmixing can often be the culprit here. Sally shares more about why cakes may turn out tasting like cornbread in this recipe testing post (scroll down to the section titled “Why Does My Cake Taste Like Cornbread?”). Hope this post helps for next time and thanks so much for giving this recipe a try!
Very yummy cake. Mine was a little dry, but I might have overcooked the cake.
I am looking forward to making this beautiful cake for my daughters /be birthday. I was wondering if I could add some sprinkles to the dough (I read to combine 1/2 cup of sprinkles with 1 teaspoon of flour) for fun?
Hi Christina, definitely! You can add up to 3/4 cup (142g) sprinkles.
Thanks so much! I’ll let you know how it turned out! 🙂
Would this cake work in a bundt pan?
Hi Melissa, for a Bundt cake we recommend our Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake. You can leave out the poppy seeds if you wish!
From the previous comment, It was supposed to say “my daughters 2nd birthday”..
Love the cake texture, but could I possibly substitute the lemon juice for more milk? And then use lemon extract and lemon zest for the flavor. I feel like the lemon juice is reacting with the baking powder and leaving a metallic/bitter taste .
Hi Erica, Yes you can add the same amount of milk for the lemon juice and then feel free to add extra lemon zest or even some lemon extract for more flavor. Enjoy!
Would the lemon buttercream frosting go well with this cake too?
Hi Apatel, absolutely! Lemon Buttercream would be delicious here.
I was looking for this question as I live in France and there is no brick cream cheese.
If I need to bake a round 12 inch cake how do I adjust the proportion of ingredients of both the cake and the frosting? Also what would the baking time be?
Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes.
If i use Meyer lemons would i use less sugar?
Hi Jane! You can definitely use Meyer lemons here. We don’t recommend changing the amount of sugar. Let us know how it goes!
How do I adjust this recipe for altitude of 4700 ft.?
Hi Lila, we wish we could help, but we have no experience baking at high altitude. We know some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
This recipe is fantastic! I made it for my daughter’s birthday with a strawberry compote filling and a strawberry mascarpone buttercream icing and it was heavenly. Thank you for sharing it!
Hi, If I need to fully assemble/ice the cake the day before it will be served, should I keep it in the refrigerator all that time? How long before serving should I take it out of the refrigerator? Thank you!
Hi Kristin, It can stay in the refrigerator overnight. Just bring to room temperature before serving. Enjoy!
Can I make this into a two tier cake? With dowel rods for support.
Hi Victoria, while we haven’t personally tried it, many readers have used this recipe for a tiered cake. We’d recommend using cake rounds and dowels like you mention for extra support (you can see how we do that in this Homemade Wedding Cake post).
Can I substitute buttermilk for a moisture rich cake or should I just leave as is?
Hi Liza, We find that whole milks produces the best texture for this lemon cake. It did used to call for buttermilk, but we’ve recently updated it to reflect our latest recipe testing.
Made this last night. Didn’t have lemon extract so I used sweetness lime juice and the while cake turned out amazing.
This is one of the best cakes I have ever had. Yummy Yummy Yummy. Cannot wait to make it again
How long for two 9 in cake pans?
Hi Olive, bake time will be longer but we’re unsure of the exact bake time. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Can I make just 1 layer in 8″ pan instead in 3 tins? How long should it take me to be well moist and baked ?
Can I use a bundt pan for this recipe?
Hi Katherine, for a Bundt cake we recommend our Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake. You can leave out the poppy seeds if you wish!
I’m making this for my husbands birthday, I’m wondering if you could substitute lemon curd and/or a strawberry vanilla compote in the filling between layers?
Hi Adrianne, absolutely. Lemon curd or strawberry compote would be delicious between the layers. We would suggest a thin layer of frosting too, then a ring of frosting around the edge to so that the filling doesn’t leak out between the layers. Let us know how it goes!
This cake is amazing. The best lemon cake EVER!!
I am wondering if it can be frozen, and then assembled day of consumption?
It would be lovely to have on hand for summer guests, ready on short notice
Hi Fiona, so glad you love it! Yes, it can – see recipe notes for make-ahead instructions. And here’s our post with tips for freezing cake layers.
I licked the beaters and didn’t like the batter so I was worried I wouldn’t like the cake.
I was wrong! The cake was a total treat! Can’t wait to eat more today. 🙂
I used food dye to make my icing lavendar – it slightly changed the consistency of the frosting but it was still delicious.
I made this cake last night and it was delicious. My only adjustment to the frosting was I used lemon extract instead of vanilla, which was just a personal preference because I am a huge lemon fan. Turned out delicious and was a big hit for Easter.