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Sliced lemon layer cake with cream cheese frosting on a white plate
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Lemon Layer Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

A delightful lemon layer cake with soft, tender layers and a tangy cream cheese frosting.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cake, Easy, Lemon
Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • Cake Pans
  • Whisk
  • Spatula

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter Cut into tablespoon-size pieces and softened, plus more for greasing the pans.
  • 3 cups All-Purpose Flour Plus more for dusting the pans.
  • 2 cups Granulated Sugar
  • 3 medium Lemons Zest and juice needed.
  • 1 1/2 cups Whole Milk
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
  • 1/4 cup Neutral Oil Such as canola, vegetable, or grapeseed.
  • 4 large Eggs At room temperature.
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon Extract Optional, for extra lemon punch.

Frosting Ingredients

  • 2 cups Powdered Sugar Sifted.
  • 1 cup Unsalted Butter Softened but cool.
  • 16 ounces Cream Cheese Softened but cool.
  • 1 tablespoon Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice Add more as needed.
  • 1 lemon Lemon Zest Plus 1 thinly sliced lemon for decorating (optional).

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, making sure every nook and cranny is coated to prevent sticking. Zest and juice your lemons, careful to set aside a little zest for the frosting.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest and beat for another 30 seconds.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, lemon juice, and milk (plus lemon extract if using).
  • Add the wet mixture to the creamed butter and sugar, mixing on low speed. Slowly add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with milk, and mix until just combined.
  • Divide the batter evenly between your prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
  • In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar slowly, then mix in lemon juice and zest. Whip until light and silky.
  • Place the first cooled cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous third of the frosting on top, then stack the second layer. Frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting, swirling decoratively.
  • For clean slices, refrigerate the cake for 30–60 minutes before cutting. Serve at room temperature for the best flavor and texture!

Notes

For the fluffiest cake, always use room temperature eggs and dairy. Don’t overbake! Oven times vary; test with a toothpick at 25 minutes.