There is something undeniably cheerful about a bright, citrusy dessert sitting on the kitchen counter. My homemade Lemon Cake brings a burst of sunshine to even the gloomiest afternoon.
I use a special technique to keep the sponge plush for days, while the frosting stays light as a cloud.
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Cake
What Sets This Lemon Cake Apart
The sponge uses a whipped egg method that creates a texture far superior to standard butter cakes. It stays soft and moist for nearly a week, which is almost unheard of in baking.
You will appreciate the frosting because it relies on a cooked flour base rather than just heaps of powdered sugar.
This balance means the tangy citrus flavor shines through without making your teeth ache from sweetness.
If you enjoyed this fresh bake, my Grandma’s Perfect Pumpkin Bread Recipe brings that same satisfying warmth, and the Cozy Linzer Cookies Recipe has become a regular in my meal rotation.
Everything You Need for Perfect Lemon Cake
Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
- Sugar: You will need fine white sugar for both the sponge batter and the frosting mixture.
- Baking Powder: Check that this is fresh and active to ensure the layers rise properly.
- Milk: Use full-fat milk for the richest flavor in both the cake and the roux base.
- Salt: A small pinch helps balance the sweetness and pop the citrus notes.
- Lemon Zest: Freshly grated zest provides the essential aromatic oils for the batter.
- Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed juice for the brightest, tangiest flavor profile.
- Unsalted Butter: This forms the base of the batter and creates the creamy structure of the frosting.
- All-Purpose Flour: Regular plain flour works best here to give the crumb stability.
- Eggs: Large eggs at room temperature are crucial for achieving the right volume.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash adds depth and rounds out the sharp citrus flavors.
- Vegetable Oil: A small amount keeps the crumb incredibly moist for several days.
- Lemon Extract: This is optional but adds a concentrated punch of flavor if you have it.
My Method for Perfect Lemon Cake
Let’s get cooking!
- Start by preheating your oven to 180°C (350°F) so it is ready to go when your batter is done. Grease three 20cm (8-inch) cake pans with butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper to prevent sticking. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until they are well combined and free of lumps.
- Place the room-temperature eggs and sugar into a stand mixer bowl or a large mixing bowl. Beat them on high speed for exactly seven minutes until the mixture triples in volume and turns white. This step is critical because the trapped air provides most of the lift for your Lemon Cake, giving it that delicate, cloud-like texture.
- While the eggs are beating, combine the milk and cubed butter in a heatproof container. Heat this mixture until the butter is completely melted and the milk is hot, but not boiling. Stir in the oil, vanilla extract, lemon juice, lemon zest, and optional lemon extract into this hot liquid until everything is fragrant and combined.
- Gently fold one-third of the flour mixture into the whipped eggs on the lowest speed for just a few seconds. Repeat with half of the remaining flour, then the final portion, mixing only until the flour just disappears. Do not overmix at this stage, or you will deflate the air bubbles you worked so hard to create.
- Pour the hot milk mixture into the batter and fold it in gently until the batter is smooth and uniform. Divide the batter evenly between your prepared pans and bake for 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely upside down.
- To make the frosting, whisk flour and sugar in a saucepan, then slowly add milk while cooking over medium heat to create a thick pudding-like roux. Cover this mixture and let it cool completely to room temperature before beating it into the softened butter until pale and fluffy. Add the lemon juice and zest, whipping until the frosting reaches a whipped-cream consistency, then spread it generously over your cooled cake layers.
My Best Tips for Perfect Lemon Cake
Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before you start whipping them for the Lemon Cake batter. Cold eggs simply refuse to aerate properly, which leads to a dense and flat sponge.
I always cool the flour roux completely before adding it to the butter for the frosting.
If the roux is even slightly warm, it will melt the butter and ruin the fluffy texture of your Lemon Cake topping.
How to Serve This Lemon Cake
I love garnishing this dessert with fresh edible flowers or thin slices of citrus to hint at the flavor inside.
This Lemon Cake tastes best when served at room temperature so the frosting remains creamy and soft.
If you love fresh baking ideas, follow me on Pinterest for more inspiration.
Print
Lemon Cake with Fluffy Frosting
- Total Time: 53 min
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A stunning layer cake featuring a tender sponge made with fresh lemon zest and a unique cooked-flour frosting that is creamy without being overly sweet.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 300g unsalted butter (for frosting)
- 3 tsp lemon zest (for frosting)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/3 cups caster sugar (for frosting)
- 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice (for frosting)
- 1/3 cup lemon juice (for cake)
- 1 1/2 cups caster sugar (for cake)
- 3 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs (room temp)
- 6 1/2 tbsp flour (for frosting)
- 1 cup full-fat milk (for cake)
- 3 tbsp lemon zest (for cake)
- 1 1/3 cups full-fat milk (for frosting)
- 115g unsalted butter (for cake)
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp natural lemon extract (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Beat the eggs and sugar on high speed for 7 minutes until tripled in volume and white in color.
- Heat the milk and butter until melted and hot, then stir in oil, vanilla, lemon juice, zest, and lemon extract.
- Gently fold the flour into the egg mixture in three batches, mixing just until combined.
- Fold the hot milk mixture into the batter until smooth, then divide among pans.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean, then cool completely.
- For the frosting, cook flour, sugar, and milk in a saucepan until it forms a thick pudding; cool completely.
- Beat the butter until pale, then slowly whip in the cooled pudding mixture.
- Add lemon juice and zest to the frosting and whip until fluffy, then assemble the cake.
Notes
Ensure the roux for the frosting is completely cool before adding to the butter.
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Cooling Time: 2 hr
- Cook Time: 28 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 345
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 92mg
Keywords: lemon cake recipe, homemade lemon cake, citrus dessert, birthday cake, layer cake