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
The cake and frosting were absolutely delicious and enjoyed by my guests! The cake was nice and moist and the frosting was perfect. I used two 9 inch pans which worked out just fine. I appreciated the detailed instructions as I don’t bake cakes very often.
I made this cake and used a couple batches of your lemon curd for a very YELLOW ‘frosting’ (top and one layer) for my 5 yo Granddaughter. She was thrilled and everyone loved it. I never had a lemon cake that I liked before this one. It was wonderful.
I made this as a 2 8-inch layer and 2 6-inch layer cake. The flavor was amazing! This cake was a little more dense but it made it easy to stack and decorate.
This cake was delicious and we loved the flavor. I did have some issues with the cake falling apart when I took them out of the pans and when I tried to take the top off of the layers. What could I have done that would’ve caused this?
How quick after taking it from the oven did you try and remove it? It might need to cool longer
What will the thickness of the layers be using two 2 9 inch round pans?
Hi Marie, about 1.5 inches, give or take.
Can I use two 8 inch pans?
Hi Lorie, This would be too much batter for only two 8 inch pans. You could fill your two pans half way and then make some cupcakes with the extra batter, though!
Hi Sally,
My grandson wants a lemon flavored cake, shaped like a basketball, for his birthday.
Can this recipe be used in a basketball form cake pan?
Thanks for the help in advance.
Teresa
Hi Teresa, it will depend on the exact size of your baseball pan. This recipe yields 7 cups of batter, and if you have any leftover, you can use it to make a few cupcakes on the side. Hope it’s a hit!
Made cake and cupcakes from the recipe – big hit with adults and kids alike. I only used two cups of sugar in frosting, made more than enough for layer cake or cupcakes – plenty leftover, and still sweet.
Hey Sally,
I tried this cake and it was amazing. My only issue was it was slightly gummy at the bottom. I used 1 9in pan. Should I have taken it out a little later?
Also I just wanted to know if there was any way to increase the lemony flavour (I can’t use essence). I make it without the frosting.
Thanks so much
Hi Carry, this is too much batter for one 1 layer. It will prevent the batter from rising and baking properly, which is likely why you found the bottom to be gummy. You can certainly try increasing the lemon zest in the batter for more lemon flavor.
Hi there!
Could I add fresh blueberries to the batter? I’ve been asked for a lemon blueberry cake and that is how they would prefer it to be made!
Thank you!
Hi Vicki, we have this recipe for a lemon blueberry cake. Enjoy!
Hi, Sally! I really enjoy your recipes (& have great success with the ones I’ve tried!)
I have a question: Can I use this frosting (cream cheese & buttercream) without the lemon flavoring on a vanilla layer cake with raspberry filling?
If so, how much do I need for a 3-layer 8 inch cake?
Thanks for your help 🙂
Hi Nancee, you can use our Favorite Cream Cheese Frosting instead.
Can I use 2 x 8” cake tins so the layers are thicker or is this too much batter?
Hi Carly, there is too much batter for 2, 8-inch pans. You could use only 2, filling half way and then using the leftover batter for a few cupcakes. Or, you could use 2, 9-inch pans instead. Bake time will be longer; use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Would I have to 1.5 times the recipe to make two 9 inch layers and two 6 inch layers?
Hi Felicity, here’s everything you need to know about cake pan sizes and conversions.
Hi Sally,
Is it possible to make this cake (not the icing) without dairy? What substitutions would you recommend?
Hi Niamh, we haven’t tested any dairy free substitutions in this recipe. Sorry we can’t help more!
How intense is the lemon flavor of this cake? I’m looking to make a birthday cake for someone that loves lemon cake with raspberry filling.
I’d like to make this lemon cake, 3-4 layers, and use raspberry jam as1 or 2 of the fillings and your lemon curd as one filling. I would then use regular vanilla buttercream instead of lemon frosting. Is this going to be too intense with lemon, because of the curd? Or does switching to vanilla buttercream balance it back out?
Hi Connie! We don’t think adding lemon curd would be too lemony, even with the lemon buttercream. But vanilla will definitely work as well!
Hi Sally! I love your recipes, but I wanted to know if there is a reason why we don’t use cake flour for this recipe. Is it okay if I do? Or should I stick with regular all-purpose flour
Hi Anthony, you could use cake flour, yes, but we find it’s a little too light with this ratio of wet to dry ingredients. Some readers have used it (as a 1:1 ratio for AP flour), but we weren’t happy with the result. We like to use all-purpose flour in this lemon cake and our lemon cupcakes.
I made this cake for Mother’s Day and it was very good. My favorite.
Hi,
Would this hold up to several layers, I am thinking 4 or 5 layers for a wedding cake?
Hi Carly, absolutely! This cake holds up well (with dowels) as a tiered cake. See our wedding cake post for tips on tiered cakes if needed. Hope it’s a hit!
Can you add poppyseeds to this recipe? If so how much?
Thanks
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl, you can add 1 Tablespoon of poppy seeds to the dry ingredients. That’s usually plenty, but feel free to add a little more if you think the batter needs it. No need to adjust anything else.
This recipe is great when made exactly as written, but I would also like to report that it can absolutely be made with gluten free measure for measure flour for a beautiful result. I used King Arthur measure for measure gf flour and did everything else as normal, except at the end I beat the batter for a full minute with the mixer (as recommended for most gf recipes). The gf cakes baked around 25 minutes for me. This has been my boyfriends birthday cake for the last two years and will probably continue to be!
I’ll tell you what, every single one of Sally’s cakes that I have made works beautifully with GF flour, even the ones that call for cake flour! GF 1:1 may not be great for bread but it sure makes a good cake!
Sally, you are a wonderful baker and a marvelous teacher! I have made a number of your recipes and with your directions, they always turn out fabulous! Today I made your lemon cake for 2 special male friends who just had birthdays! We are having them over for dinner this evening and I know that they will love this cake and will want to take some home!
Thanks you for the great recipes and also for the helpful tips along with the directions that you provide for us!
Cathy Finger- Kalamazoo, Michigan
This cake had a lovely taste but it was VERY heavy. Sally, do you know what I could be doing wrong? Or is the cake meant to be like this? Do you have any cake recipes if you prefer a lighter texture?
Hi Georgia, this cake is slightly denser than, say, a white cake, but here are all our tips for preventing dry and dense cakes. Thank you for giving this one a try!
Only change 9” pans. So good. Cake has a nice tender crumb. I could have used a bit more lemon flavor so I’m hoping it develops more as it sits. Having said that, I would make this cake again. It’s yummy.
Delicious recipe! Will definitely be making it again. My family loved it.
Hi Sally! Right up front I have to say I hate to bake! But… after I found you, I still hate to bake but at least now everything turns out great. Your recipes are terrific, thank you. This lemon cake is better than any I’ve tasted anywhere and I always go for lemon. It’s a true lemon flavor that shines through beautifully. Thank you!
Thank you so much, Debbie!
It seems like the amount of icing creates a ‘naked cake’ effect? If I hope to have a fuller icing on the sides, should I double the icing recipe?
Hi Sandy! We would make 1.5x the frosting amount to have more for the sides.
Hi Sally,
I am making this cake in a 9×13 pan. I won’t be making the icing for another week or so. Can I just freeze the un-iced cake in its original pan covered with its lid on, or should I cover it with saran wrap?
Thank you,
Brenda
Hi Brenda, if freezing in the pan, we’d still recommend a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the cake to prevent condensation from forming on the cake. Enjoy!
My cake tasted great but the texture of the cake turned out very firm even after cake came to room temperature. Did this happen because I had refrigerated it?? I did spoon and level the flour. I loved the flavor and would like to make again but I went wrong somewhere. Any suggestions?
Hi Chris, Cakes can get dense when they are chilled which is why we usually store it on the counter if it’s under 24 hours.
The cake was delicious but mine came out quite dense even after following direction and measuring with a scale. There also wasn’t enough frosting.
Sally – I’m making this recipe for a wedding cake this weekend. Do you know about how many cups of batter a single batch makes? I noticed you put that in some other cake recipes and was hoping you had an idea on this one.
Hi Michelle, this recipe yields about 7 cups of batter. Enjoy the cake!
This Lemon cake recipe turned out great and it looked beautiful . Made this for my daughters graduation, everyone loved it .It was fluffy and moist with perfect balance of flavors. Thank you so much for this recipe!