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5.0 from 42 votes

Lemon Layer Cake

My moist, tender Lemon Layer Cake is made with REAL lemon flavor and no artificial ingredients or extracts! Frost it with a fluffy, light lemon buttercream frosting or go the extra mile and fill it with a layer of fresh lemon curd in the middle to really amp up the lip-puckering citrus quotient. It's like sunshine in a slice of cake!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 12 -14 servings
Calories: 844 kcal
Course: Cake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Cake
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
  • 1 cup salted butter room temperature
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
Frosting
  • 1 1/2 cups salted butter room temperature
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2-3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
Garnish
  • thin slices of lemon

Instructions

Cake
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper circles and spray with baking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until creamy and light, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Add eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, scraping the sides of the bowl and mixing until combined.
  4. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt alternately with the buttermilk in 2-3 additions, mixing between each addition to combine.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
  6. Cool completely before leveling the tops of the cakes and decorating with lemon buttercream frosting.
Frosting
  1. Beat the butter until creamy and smooth using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
  2. Gradually add the powdered sugar along with the lemon zest. Add enough heavy cream and lemon juice to get and nice, spreadable frosting. Beat for 3 to 4 minutes until creamy and light.

Notes

  • Lemon Simple Syrup: If you would like to brush the layers with a lemon simple syrup, simply combine 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan and heat to boiling over medium-high heat. When the sugar has completely dissolved, remove from the heat and let cool completely. Brush over each cake layer before assembling and frosting the cake.
  • Lemon Curd: If you want to fill your cake with something other than just frosting, my lemon curd recipe is a fantastic choice!
  • Variations: Lemon pairs really well with other fruit flavors like blueberry or raspberry. You can add 1 and 1/2 cups of fresh fruit to the batter for a delightful twist on classic lemon cake.
  • Freezing: The cooled cake layers can be wrapped and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw completely before frosting. If needed, you can freeze individual cake slices wrapped in plastic wrap.

Nutrition Information

Calories 844kcal (42%) Carbohydrates 116g (39%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 41g (63%) Saturated Fat 26g (130%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 11g Trans Fat 2g Cholesterol 154mg (51%) Sodium 725mg (30%) Potassium 109mg (3%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 89g (178%) Vitamin A 1321IU (26%) Vitamin C 7mg (8%) Calcium 110mg (11%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12-14 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 844

% Daily Value*

Calories 844kcal 42%
Carbohydrates 116g 39%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 41g 63%
Saturated Fat 26g 130%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 11g 55%
Trans Fat 2g 100%
Cholesterol 154mg 51%
Sodium 725mg 30%
Potassium 109mg 2%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 89g 178%
Vitamin A 1321IU 26%
Vitamin C 7mg 8%
Calcium 110mg 11%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.