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Lemon Cake Recipe

A soft lemon layer cake filled with tangy lemon curd and covered in creamy lemon buttercream. Bright, sweet, and perfect for celebrations or whenever you want something special.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling and Chilling Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

For the cake
  • Cake Flour: 2 ¼ cups
  • Baking Powder: 2 teaspoons
  • Baking Soda: ½ teaspoon
  • Fine Grain Sea Salt: ½ teaspoon
  • Buttermilk Room Temperature: 1 ¼ cups
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon
  • Pure Lemon Extract: ½ teaspoon
  • Granulated Sugar: 1 ½ cups
  • Zest of 2 Lemons
  • Unsalted Butter Room Temperature: 12 tablespoons
  • Egg Whites Room Temperature: 4 large
For the filling
  • Lemon Curd: ½ cup
For the frosting
  • Lemon Buttercream Frosting: 1 batch

Equipment

  • 2 9-inch Cake Pans: For the layers
  • Offset Spatula: For spreading frosting like you know what you’re doing
  • Cooling Rack: So your cake doesn’t sweat

Method
 

  1. Preheat the Oven: Set to 350°F and prepare your cake pans with grease and parchment.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In another container, whisk buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon extract.
  4. Flavor the Sugar: Rub lemon zest into sugar until it smells amazing.
  5. Cream Butter and Sugar: Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  6. Combine Batter: Alternate adding dry and wet ingredients into the butter mixture.
  7. Whip Egg Whites: Beat until stiff peaks form.
  8. Fold Carefully: Gently fold egg whites into the batter. Don’t rush this part.
  9. Divide and Bake: Pour into pans and bake for 25–30 minutes.
  10. Cool Completely: Seriously. Don’t rush it.
  11. Start Assembling: Place first layer down with a bit of frosting underneath.
  12. Add Frosting Layer: Spread a thin layer on top.
  13. Create a Barrier: Pipe frosting around the edge.
  14. Add Lemon Curd: Spread inside the barrier.
  15. Top Layer: Place second cake layer upside down.
  16. Frost the Cake: Cover sides and top however you like.