1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 3 8-inch circular baking pans with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, add sugar and lemon zest. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingers. This helps release the natural oils in the lemon zest, resulting in a more flavorful lemon cake.

3. Add the vanilla extract, eggs and milk. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

4. In a second bowl, sift your flour. Add your cubed butter. Use a pastry knife or 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. (This cake uses the reverse creaming method, which means the butter is added to the flour instead of the wet ingredients. This results in a more tender, velvety crumb.)

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir the ingredients together, mixing just until combined.

6. Pour into the three prepared cake pans.

7. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to fully cool on a wire cooling rack.

8. Once the cake is completely cool, make the frosting. Beat the butter and cream cheese in your stand mixer, or in a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, until light and fluffy. Add in the lemon juice and zest, heavy cream and 1/8 teaspoon salt, as well as 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. Adding the powdered sugar in slower helps prevent the powdered sugar from flying out of the bowl.

9. Assemble. Cut each cake layer in half, horizontally to yield 6 layers. Or, you can leave them as is and make a 3-layer cake. Place your bottom layer on your serving plate, then spread frosting over top. Place the second cake layer on top, then spread with frosting. Continue to do so until all layers have been used. Spread frosting over the top and sides of the cake. To decorate, add lemon slices all over the top and sides of cake, then add mint leaves to the lemon slices.

10. Serve and enjoy!