Best Ever Lemon Cake Recipes

LEMON LAYER CAKE WITH LEMON CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 8-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients just until combined. With the mixer still running on low, add the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix just until combined. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be a little thick.
• Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for around 21-26 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling. The baked cakes are fluffy, but they are not thick- about 1 - 1.5 inches.
• In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the cream cheese and beat until completely smooth and combined. Add confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add more confectioners' sugar if frosting is too thin, more lemon juice if frosting is too thick, or add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. (I always add a pinch of salt!)
• Using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with about 1 cup of frosting. Top with 2nd cake layer and evenly cover the top with about 1 cup of frosting. Top with the third cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I like to top mine with homemade whipped cream (I used Wilton 8B piping tip).
• Refrigerate for at least 30-45 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
• Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

BEST EVER LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Measure ingredients into bowls. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and butter in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy and pale. Add 1 egg at a time, beating until the batter returns to a uniform pale color before adding the next. Sift in flour gradually. Fold with a wooden spoon to be sure flour is combined. Add baking powder and lemon zest.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan, being careful not to press it down.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Try not to open the oven door early to avoid collapsing the fluffy cake.
• Juice the zested lemon into a small bowl. Add the zest and juice of the second lemon. Stir in 7 tablespoons sugar until dissolved. Pour glaze over the warm cake and leave to cool in the pan; glaze will harden as the cake cools.

BEST-EVER LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• 1. FOR CAKE: Preheat oven to 350º (325 if high altitude). In large bowl, mix first 5 ingredients (marked with*) with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl-whisk together well. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, a little at a time. Beat well after each addition. Begin and end with flour mixture. Pour batter into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans that are coated with cooking spray. Sharply tap pans on counter a couple of times to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes. NOTE: Cakes will NOT brown. They will remain pale with slightly golden edges-sort of like a Twinkie. Cool in pans for 10 minutes on wire rack, then turn them out directly onto racks to continue cooling. Cool completely.
• 2. FOR FROSTING: In bowl, mix everything EXCEPT powdered sugar in bowl and beat with mixer until light and fluffy. Make sure you use COLD cream cheese, as room-temp cream cheese makes frosting too runny. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat JUST until blended. Chill 1 hour.
• 3. For Curd: Beat sugar and butter together in bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Add lemon juice. Mixture will look curdled at first-but will smooth out during cooking. In heavy pan (don't use copper, it will react with the acid), cook over low heat until smooth, then increase to medium heat. Stir constantly-especially in corners on bottom of pan. (OR you can cook in steel bowl over simmering water). DO NOT BOIL. It's done at 170º~ when your finger leaves clear path on back of spoon. Remove from heat. Add zest. Cover with plastic wrap (pressed onto surface of curd to prevent skin from forming) and thoroughly chill in refrigerator. It will last 1 week in fridge...2 months in freezer.
• 4. TO ASSEMBLE: Slice both layers of COOLED cake in half, horizontally--to create 4 separate layers (I use dental floss). Place one layer section on large plate. Slather with thick layer of curd. Place remaining layers on top, one at a time, slathering with curd in between each layer--or just use frosting in between layers if you didn't make curd. Frost entire cake with frosting. May garnish with thin slices of lemon, lemon zest, mint leaves or with Lemon gel candies.

LEMON BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease well a 12-cup (10-inch) Bundt pan and set aside.
• To make the cake: In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, mix together buttermilk/sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Set bowls aside.
• In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, sugar, and lemon zest on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until fluffy. Occasionally scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the lemon juice mixture in 2 additions, starting and ending with the flour. Do not over mix.
• Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. If the top is browning too fast while baking, cover pan loosely with aluminum foil. Allow cake to cool for 10-15 minutes, then remove from pan, carefully inverting it onto a plate.
• Meanwhile, make the syrup: In a small saucepan, combine sugar and lemon juice. Cook on medium-low heat until sugar dissolves and syrup forms. After inverting the cake to a plate, brush top and sides of the cake evenly with syrup. Use all syrup. Allow cake to cool to room temperature.
• To make the glaze: In a small bowl, combine sugar, lemon juice, and milk, and whisk until smooth. Add more milk as necessary until you get a thick yet pourable consistency. Pour over top of cake and let drizzle down the sides. Allow glaze to set, 15-30 minutes.
• The cake is best served at room temperature. Store cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Leftovers can be frozen for up to 2 months.

ICED LEMON POUND CAKE LOAF (BEST EVER)

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. and gather your ingredients and supplies. Add the paddle attachment to your stand mixer.
• Pour the sugar into the mixer bowl and add the stick of butter. Blend until fluffy; about 4 minutes on medium speed
• Beat in the eggs, lemon juice & zest (loaf portions). Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder, and gradually add that in. Slowly add in the milk and once the batter comes together, scrape the sides down, and give it a final mix.
• Pour the batter into the parchment-lined loaf cake and bake for 40-45 minutes. The top of the loaf will be raised, slightly golden brown, and firm to the touch. A toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf should come out clean once ready.
• When the loaf is baked, cool it for 15 minutes, remove the parchment from the pan, and cool it for an additional 15 minutes before layering the icing on. It will be slightly warm but that is okay.

BEST EVER LEMON POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan. In medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix buttermilk and lemon juice together in another bowl. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture. Add lemon zest and mix, just until smooth. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool cake for ten minutes. Mix the powdered sugar and 1/3 cup of lemon juice glaze together with a whisk. Make a few holes in cake with a toothpick and pour glaze over cake. Store the cake covered in the refrigerator after serving.