Lemon Cake

This Lemon Cake has a velvety smooth crumb that just melts in your mouth. It’s light, refreshing and truly perfect for any occasion. Made with real lemon juice and zest, this cake has six layers of lemon cake (or you can choose to make it 3 layers) sandwiched together with a creamy lemon cream cheese frosting. This cake uses only a handful of ingredients and is incredibly easy to make.

Lemon desserts are one of my favorite desserts to enjoy any time of year. They are light, refreshing and just go well with just about any occasion. I especially love lemon desserts during the warmer summer months.

This Lemon Cake is one of my favorites to make. It has six layers of delicious, velvety smooth crumb sandwiched together with lemon cream cheese frosting. The cake actually bakes as 3 cake layers, then each cake layer is sliced in half horizontally to yield 6 cake layers. So, if you want, you can certainly make it a 3 layer cake instead. However, the 6 layers, will be a showstopper!

Here’s what you will love about this Lemon Cake

• velvety smooth, moist, tender crumb – this cake uses a reverse creaming method, which results in a melt-in-your-mouth crumb. This method is my go to method to use when I make layer cakes as it results in cakes that have a flatter top (perfect for stacking), and the most delicious tender cake.
• Light, refreshing flavor – I think lemon is one of those flavors that is good any time of the year, but especially during the warmer months. The light, refreshing flavor of this cake is perfect for truly any occasion.
• Layers – this cake is made up of 6 layers of cake! The cake is technically baked as three cakes, then those three cakes are cut in half to yield 6 thin layers. So, if you choose, you can make the cake with 3 layers instead of 6. However, having a 6 layer cake will certainly be a showstopper.
• Easy to make – this cake can be completely mixed by hand. No fancy mixers needed. It takes just a few minutes to mix together.
• This Lemon Cake only uses a handful of ingredients, yet it yields incredible flavor.

Here’s how to make this Lemon Cake

REVERSE CREAMING METHOD

This cake uses a reverse creaming method, which means that the butter is mixed with the dry ingredients instead of the wet ingredients. The butter coats the gluten strands in the flour, which minimizes gluten development. This results in cake that has an incredibly smooth, velvety crumb. This also helps the cake to bake more evenly, and helps result in flat layers. This is perfect for cakes that you plan to stack, like this one.

MIX THE WET INGREDIENTS

For this cake, I prefer using two large bowls. Certainly you can use your stand mixer, if you prefer.

To begin, you’ll want to add the sugar to your bowl along with lemon zest. Sugar is treated as a “wet” ingredient, because it is mixed with the other wet ingredients (eggs, milk, etc.). Use your fingers to rub the lemon zest into the sugar. As you do this, you will begin to smell a fresh, tangy lemon scent. Doing this helps to release the natural oils in the zest, creating a more flavorful lemon cake.

Next, add in the eggs, lemon juice, milk and vanilla extract. Use a whisk to combine the ingredients.

MIX THE DRY INGREDIENTS USING THE REVERSE CREAMING METHOD

Next you’ll add sifted flour to a large bowl, then add in the cubed butter. Use a pastry knife, or a fork to cut the butter into the flour, similar to if you were making biscuits. Once pea sized morsels remain, add in the salt, baking soda and baking powder. Stir to combine.

ADD THE WET AND DRY INGREDIENTS TOGETHER

Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon, or spatula to mix the ingredients together, just until combined.

TIME TO BAKE!

Pour the cake into 3 8-inch parchment paper lined circular pans. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

ALLOW THE CAKE TO COOL

Allow the cakes to cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack. The cakes must be completely cool before adding the frosting.

TIME TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE!

When the cake has fully cooled, make the frosting. In the bowl of your stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add in the lemon zest, juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, heavy cream and 2 cups of powdered sugar. Mix to combine, then add in another cup of powdered sugar. Continue to do so until all powdered sugar has been added. Mixing the powdered sugar in slower will help prevent the powdered sugar from flying out of your mixing bowl and making a mess. Trust me, I’ve been there!

Slice the cake layers in half, horizontally, using a serrated knife.

Place one cake layer on your serving plate. This will be the bottom cake layer. Spread with frosting, then add a second cake layer on top. Spread with frosting. Continue until all cake layers have been used. You should now have a cake that has 6 layers. Spread the top and sides of the cake with lemon cream cheese frosting.

To decorate, place slices of lemon all over the top and sides of the cake. Add mint leaves to the lemon slices.

Serve and enjoy! 🙂

Storage

Cover leftover cake and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Here are a few of my favorite lemon desserts

• Lemon Cheesecake Bars
• Lemon Bars
• Lemon Blueberry Bread
• Mini Lemon Meringue Cheesecakes

Let me know what you thought!

If you make this Lemon Cake, let me know what you thought in the ratings and comments below. I absolutely love reading all of your comments! Also, make sure to snap a picture and tag me @simplebakingwithpep on instagram. It truly makes my day to see all of your wonderful creations.

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