Fluffy Lemon Cake From Scratch

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This fluffy lemon cake from scratch recipe is one of my favourites! It’s so delicious with a light lemon flavour. It’s one of those recipes that I’ve been using for years, but I don’t remember where I originally found it. I’ve made a few small changes, but it’s super quick and easy to make! The “hardest” part is making the fresh lemon zest and the lemon juice (and maybe separating egg yolks from the egg whites).

WHY I LOVE THIS lemon cake RECIPE

The best part about this recipe is it’s so versatile! Make a lemon/coconut cake by adding coconut shavings. Or make it a fruity lemonade flavour by adding some fresh raspberries. Or even strawberries or blueberries! Whichever the case, it’ll be so yummy! All of these are variations I’ve made, but you can also try filling the cake with lemon curd, or a cream cheese frosting. Or even a lemon cream cheese frosting! The possibilities are endless to make the ultimate lemon dessert.

Making the lemon cake batter

Start off by sifting together your dry ingredients in a large bowl. This recipe has cake (and pastry) flour, which is very clumpy, so it’s important to sift the dry ingredients (or at least whisk them together).

Then, in the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter with a paddle attachment until it gets nice and smooth and creamy. You can gradually add the sugar at this point, while the mixer is still on.

Once the butter and sugar become light and fluffy, add the whole eggs and egg yolks, one at a time.

Add the vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest. At this point, your batter is going to start curdling and look like scrambled eggs. But don’t worry! It’ll all come together!

Finish by alternating your dry ingredients with the buttermilk.

lemon cake variations

If you’re adding any coconut or fruits, I would add it at the very end and mix only until incorporated. I like extracts from Olive Nation and LorAnn Oils to add to my buttercream, depending on which flavour I’m making.

This recipe is good for an 8” 3-layer cake, or about 36 cupcakes. Combine it with simple vanilla buttercream, or whatever flavour your heart desires! Create a lemon coconut flavour with some toasted coconut. Or make a raspberry lemonade with some fresh raspberries. It’s my favourite recipe for a reason – it’s just so yummy! And I’m not even someone who enjoys cake much! (I know, right?!).

Tried this recipe or have any questions? Comment below and let me know how it turned out!

Happy baking and munching!

xo

Mich

Lemon Cake Recipe

Yield: 8″ Cake or 36 Cupcakes

Ingredients

Lemon layer Cake

• 3 ¾ Cups Cake Flour (450g)
• 2 ½ Tsp Baking Powder (12g)
• ½ Tsp Baking Soda (3g)
• ½ Tsp Salt (3g)
• 1 ½ Cups Unsalted Butter, room temperature (340g)
• 3 Large Whole Eggs, room temperature (150g)
• 4 Large Egg Yolks, room temperature (60g)
• 2 Tsp Vanilla (12g)
• Juice and Zest of 2 Lemons
• ¾ Cup Buttermilk, room temperature (160g)
• 1 ¾ Cups Granulated Sugar (375g)

Vanilla Buttercream

• 454g Unsalted Butter – room temperature
• 1 1/2 Cups Icing Sugar (160g)
• 1/4 Cup Whipping Cream (45g)
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare 3 8″ pans with parchment paper and cooking spray.
2. Sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat butter with a paddle attachment until smooth and creamy.
4. Gradually add the sugar to the butter. Mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
5. Add egg yolks and whole eggs, one at a time.
6. Add the lemon juice and zest, and vanilla.
7. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk (2 additions).
8. Add coconut shavings or fresh fruit if desired. Mix until incorporated.
9. Divide the batter between your cake pans, and bake for about 35-40 minutes – until the toothpick comes out clean.
10. When the cake is cooled completely, assemble your cake with the buttercream – creating a 3-layered cake.
11. Enjoy!

Making the Buttercream Frosting

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the room-temperature butter until smooth and creamy.
2. On low speed, slowly add the icing sugar. Scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
3. Add the whipping cream, vanilla and salt. It may turn out clumpy at first, but continue to scrape down the sides of the bowl until the whipping cream is incorporated.
4. Continue mixing on high speed until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
5. Feel free to add some coconut extract, or even a flavoured jam to add more flavour to your buttercream.

lemon cake RECIPE NOTES

• Be careful not to overmix and overbake. Mix until combined and check the cake every few minutes after you’ve hit the 20-minute mark in the oven.
• Cake didn’t come out as moist as you wanted? Add a little bit of simple syrup to each cake layer. I usually use 1:1.25 parts sugar to boiling water for my simple syrup.
• I always recommend using cake strips when baking cakes. They help your cake to bake evenly, and it reduces waste.
• Please feel free to contact me directly if this recipe looks like your own. I don’t recall where I found the original recipe, but I’d love to give credit to my inspiration 🙂