This beautiful Lemon Cake recipe is everything you’d hope, from it’s super moist and light cake to the delicious Lemon Buttercream Frosting. It’s a must make during the spring and summer months.
Don’t miss all of my favorite cake recipes, including Yellow Cake, Coconut Cake with Pineapple Filling, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake, or this Berry Cake!
Lemon Cake is Sunshine on a Plate
Lemon Cake is Sunshine on a PlateComing from a snobby cake person, I can say with conviction that I’m completely obsessed with this incredible Lemon Cake and it definitely has it’s place in my round-up of favorite cakes (right up there with german chocolate, carrot and coconut cake). The lemon buttercream frosting it other-worldly and may be the actual real winner of the whole thing, but what I love most of all, is we have TWO options for making this cake:
- a “from-scratch Lemon Cake” that’s simple to make and completely divine!
- dare I say it, an equally as amazing doctored-up cake-mix version. Gasp! I know, it’s not completely from scratch. But, I can’t lie to you, this version is also absolutely delicious, and a great option of you are intimidated by cake making, or super short on time.
Either way you prepare the cake, pair it with an amazing homemade lemon buttercream frosting and it will be your favorite summery cake of all time!
How to Make Lemon Cake:
Prep Cake Pans: Line the bottom of two 9” round baking pans with a piece of parchment paper and lightly spray all over the inside of the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Make Cake Batter: Sift all-purpose flour and cake flour into a mixing bowl. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt then stir to combine. In a separate mixing bowl, add butter, sugar and lemon zest then mix with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the whole eggs then mix well. Add the egg whites one at a time, mixing after each. Stir in the vanilla.
Add Buttermilk and Bake: Alternately add in a little bit of the flour mixture and then the buttermilk, stirring between each addition. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 24-29 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of the cakes comes out clean. Remove the moist lemon cake recipe from oven and allow to cool several minutes in the pans, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
How to make Lemon Buttercream Frosting:
Frost Cake: Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with electric mixers for 1 minute. Add 4 cups of powdered sugar, lemon zest, and half of the lemon juice. Beat well until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, and the remaining lemon juice until you reach your desired frosting consistency. Wait until cake is completely cool then frost the lemon layer cake and serve.
Freezing Instructions:
To freeze unfrosted cakes, allow them to cool completely, then wrap each round in plastic wrap and place in a gallon ziplock bag or wrap in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Freeze frosting in a separate air-tight container. Thaw frosting completely before frosting cakes room temperature. The assembled lemon cake may also be frozen if it’s covered very well, and stored in the freezer for 1-2 months. Allow the cake to thaw for about 2 hours before serving.
More Spring and Summer Desserts to try:
- Berry Cake
- White Texas Sheet Cake
- Lemon Bars
- Tres Leches Cake
- Panna Cotta
- No Bake Cheesecake
- Lemon Mousse
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Recipe
Lemon Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
1. Lemon Cake (FROM SCRATCH):
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest from about 4 medium lemons
- 2 large eggs
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
2. Lemon Cake (CAKE MIX version):
- 1 box lemon cake mix I use the betty crocker brand
- 1 small package lemon instant pudding
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 3/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
- 4 large eggs
Lemon Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ – 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
Lemon Cake (FROM SCRATCH):
- Prep pans: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of two 9'' round baking pans with a piece of parchment paper and lightly spray all over the inside of the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Sift all-purpose flour and cake flour into a mixing bowl. Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt then stir to combine.
- In a separate mixing bowl, add the butter, sugar and lemon zest then mix with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the whole eggs and mix well. Add the egg whites one at a time, mixing after each. Stir in the vanilla.
- Alternately add in a little bit of the flour mixture and then the buttermilk, stirring between each addition. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared round cake pans.
- Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center of the cakes comes out clean, about 24-29 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool several minutes in the pans, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting:
- Add butter to a stand mixer or large mixing bowl and beat with beaters for 1 minute. Add 4 cups of powdered sugar, half of the lemon juice and the lemon zest. Beat well until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, and the remaining lemon juice until you reach your desired frosting consistency. Add more juice to thin, or more sugar to thicken.
- Frost cake once the cake is completely cool.
Notes
- 1 box lemon cake mix
- 1 small package lemon instant pudding
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup water
- ¾ cup oil
- 4 large eggs
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe July 2016. Updated July 2020 and April 2024.
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This was delicious, but batter was very thick. So it was a bit dry but still so good. Maybe cuz I’m high altitude? I think I’ll try again with a bit less flour. Thank you. 😊
Sooooo good! I needed something to go with Hersheys chocolate cake and this cake was a hit! Not everyone likes chocolate, so this cake was perfect.
I didn’t have an zest, so I had to double the lemon juice. But it was still fabulous!
Greta, You mentioned that you didn’t have zest, so you had to double the lemon juice. I didn’t see any lemon juice in the cake recipe. Did you use lemon juice instead of zest in this cake? I thought it was strange that there is no lemon juice in the cake.
Hi Lauren, I was trying to find your recipe for carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese icing. I couldn’t find it.
Use this recipe to make carrot cake cupcakes: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/the-ultimate-carrot-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting/
You can find instructions for cupcakes in the post! Let us know how they turn out for you!
Can I make the box cake one in a 9×13 cake pan?
Thank you!
Yes, you sure can!
I made the cake mix version. It looked beautiful in the oven, light and fluffy. Almost immediately when I took it out of the oven, it began to shrink from the sides of pan and eventually all over. It became half the height and very dense. It tasted good but I don’t know what happened. Do you think maybe 3/4 cup of oil is too much?
The same thing happened to me….. This is why I never bake /<:
could i use lemon extract instead of lemon zest?
Sure. A little will ho a long way.
Hi, can I just use 3 cups of all purp flour if I don’t have cake flour ?
Yes, that’s fine, just be sure to spoon the flour into the measuring cup so you don’t add too much flour.
I haven’t baked the from scratch lemon cake yet, but I have all the ingredients ready to go in the morning. My question is – I have a Kitchen Aid, can I use it instead of a hand mixer? Looking forward to other recipes.
Yes, you can! Enjoy.
The first lemon cake I have baked and it is a hit in the house 🙂 Thanks.!
I’ve never measured in volume before, anything I should know?
Could 1 stick of butter be replaced with 1 cream cheese & still work to frost & decorate?
I would recommend 1/2 stick of butter with the cream cheese.
I put the cake in the freezer for an hour after removing the cake from the pan. Good temp for frosting the cake I have found.
can the from scratch lemon cake be refrigerated and frost the next dayb
Yes, that would be fine!
This is thee most requested cake in my house, from my 10 year old and husband. I’ve only made the box cake version, and everyone thinks I’m some fancy baker. I go on the very low end of the sugar for the frosting, and it’s perfect. The secret is the lemon in the frosting.
This is now my favorite lemon cake. Made it for a friends birthday and I had to make it again and again and again. Perfect recipe. Thank you!
That’s so nice to hear! Thanks Jenn!
Hi can I make this recipe in a bunt cake pan? 🙂
Yes, that should be fine. I’d guess cooking time will be around 50-55 minutes. Enjoy!
Hi Lauren, and thank you for responding. I did use a 9 x 13 pan. I tasted it (after it fell) and the lemon flavor was absolutely phenomenal! Thank you for suggesting adding some more flour. A friend thought I had not baked it long enough although it seemed fine when I first removed it from the oven. I will try again and report back! I have no idea as to my elevation, but live near Fredericksburg, VA, just about an hour from our nation’s capital of DC.
Your from scratch recipe sounds good to me. I have been looking for a new one to try. Question: As I like to make tall layer cakes, do you think doubling to get 4 6″ layers? And, have you replaced the vanilla with lemon extract? Thank you.
Hi Paula,
It makes sense that that should work and I think it will be great to replace the vanilla with lemon extract!
I made this recipe today, from scratch, and compared to another that I made using only cake flour and egg whites. I like this recipe so much better with the flour combo and the addition of eggs with egg whites. I replaced the vanilla with lemon. Worked very well. I didn’t double it this time. Is this recipe one that can be doubled? BTW: I made a 1/2 recipe which made 1 tall 6″ layer and 3 cupcakes. The cupcakes were great and don’t stick to the paper!! Would be good injected with lemon curd..I may try…:-)
Please help! I made this recipe using the cake mix but in one one sheet cake pan. It looked fine when I took it out but 15 min. later it fell!!!! I needed this for a birthday party Friday and want to try again but it’s to feed a large group and a sheet cake would be so much easier. I have NO idea what I did wrong! Help – please respond the sooner the better! Thank you in advance.
Hi Cynthia, what size pan did you make it in? What is your elevation? I would suggest making it in a 9×13 pan and add a few tablespoons of flour to the batter.
very nice and good work. thanks for this. delicious recipe
Have you tried baking this in a bundt cake pan?
I haven’t but it should work great! Increase the bake time 🙂
Can either be covered iin fondant- or does it lack sturdiness?
That should work fine!
Did you say cake? This Lemon Cake looks yummy.
This lemon cake looks legit, I can’t wait to try it
OMGOSH!!!
Lauren, this cake is top-notch to me because it’s LEMON!!
Anything baked with lemons is so delicious….so beautiful and ever so fresh tasting, I LOVE LEMON!
Lemons always put a smile on my face, thank you, thank you! 😀
I do bake from scratch 90% of the time, but a good box recipe, like this one, doesn’t bother me a bit.
Truth be known, it doesn’t bother anyone who has need for a good dessert….. 😉
I plan on making the “from scratch” one first.
I also freeze some cake layers in my freezer for future use.
It’s quick and easy for those last minute invites to friends homes for dinner.
They always ask me to bring desserts, which I happily do. 🙂
I really like your finishing touch on top of your cake, it’s so cute.
Have a great weekend!
Pinned!