Homemade Fresh Lemon Cake with Lemon Buttercream Frosting
If you love lemon desserts, you need to make this homemade fresh lemon cake.
I’m talking about a soft, tender lemon cake made with real lemon juice and fresh lemon zest, covered in a creamy homemade lemon buttercream frosting. It is light, fresh, bright, and absolutely delicious.
It’s not even a surprise-
This homemade lemon cake is 100 times better than a box of lemon cake mix and a can of frosting.
I know a boxed cake mix is easy. I know grabbing a tub or can of frosting from the grocery store saves time. Believe me, I understand the appeal.
But when you take the time to bake a lemon cake from scratch, you can taste the difference.
This cake has real butter, fresh lemon, buttermilk, eggs, flour, and sugar. The frosting is made with butter, powdered sugar, fresh lemon, vanilla, and a little heavy cream.
Real ingredients that turn into an incredibly soft, flavorful homemade cake.!
No preservatives, highly processed oils, food dyes or artificial additives.
And for real, it is worth every minute it takes to make it.
Why You’ll Love This Fresh Lemon Cake
The first thing you’ll notice is the lemon.
This isn’t a cake that vaguely tastes like lemon because somebody added a little artificial lemon flavoring to the batter. You get real lemon flavor from both the fresh lemon juice and the lemon zest.
That zest is important.
When you zest a lemon, you’re getting all those flavorful oils from the outer peel. It gives the cake a much more pronounced fresh lemon flavor than juice alone.
Then there’s the buttermilk.
Buttermilk helps give this lemon cake its soft, tender texture while adding just enough tang to balance the sweetness. The result is a cake that’s light and delicate instead of dense and overly sweet.
The lemon buttercream takes it right over the top.
It’s creamy, buttery, sweet, and full of fresh lemon flavor. A little vanilla rounds everything out, while heavy cream gives the frosting a smooth, spreadable consistency.
Put all of that together and you’ve got a cake that is really hard to resist.
Fresh Lemon Makes a Difference
If you’re going to make a lemon cake from scratch, use a real lemon.
And seriously- don’t skip the zest.
The juice gives you the bright acidity and fresh citrus flavor you expect from lemon. The zest brings even more intense lemon flavor because it contains the fragrant oils found in the outer peel.
It’s a small step, but it makes a big difference.
I also love that using fresh lemon means I know exactly what I’m putting into the cake. There isn’t any need for artificial lemon flavoring or food coloring to make the cake taste or look “lemony.”
The real thing does the job right.
In fact, the finished cake doesn’t need to be bright yellow to tell you it’s lemon cake.
You can smell and taste it.
Why I Make My Cakes from Scratch
The ingredient list alone tells you why.
A homemade cake starts with butter, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and fresh lemon.
The frosting starts with butter, powdered sugar, lemon, vanilla, and heavy cream.
That’s a pretty big difference from reaching for a box and a can filled with ingredients designed for shelf stability and convenience.
When you make it yourself, you get to decide what’s going into your food.
For me, that’s worth the extra effort.
And once you taste the difference between homemade lemon cake and a boxed cake with canned frosting, you might feel the same way.
Ingredients for Homemade Lemon Cake
Butter
You’ll want softened butter for the cake.
Butter gives the cake richness and helps create that tender texture we want. Let it soften at room temperature rather than trying to melt it.
Softened butter will cream much better with the sugar.
Sugar
Regular granulated sugar sweetens the cake and helps create the right texture.
Creaming the sugar with softened butter is an important step, so don’t rush through it.
Eggs
Four eggs give the cake structure, richness, and moisture.
I recommend bringing them to room temperature if you have time. Room-temperature eggs incorporate more easily into the batter.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk is one of my favorite ingredients for homemade cakes.
It adds moisture and a subtle tang while helping create a soft crumb.
Lemon
One fresh lemon goes into the cake.
You’ll use both the zest and the juice, so don’t zest it and then forget about it!
Zest the lemon first, then cut it open and squeeze out the juice.
Flour
All-purpose flour works perfectly here.
Measure your flour carefully because adding too much can make the cake heavier than it should be.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda
Both help the cake rise and create a soft texture.
The baking soda also works with the acidity from the buttermilk and lemon.
Sea Salt
Just a little salt helps balance the sweetness and bring out the lemon flavor.
You won’t taste “salt.” Instead, it helps all the other flavors taste better.
How to Make Fresh Lemon Cake
Start by preheating your oven and preparing your cake pans.
Grease the pans well so your cakes release easily after baking.
Next, cream the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
The creaming process helps incorporate air into the mixture, which contributes to the final fluffy texture of the cake.
Mix in the eggs and the buttermilk.
Then add your fresh lemon zest and juice.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Mix just until everything is combined.
You don’t want to beat the batter to death.
Overmixing can lead to a tougher cake, and that’s definitely not what we’re after here.
Pour the batter into your prepared pans and smooth the tops.
Bake until the cakes are cooked through and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Let the cakes cool before frosting.
Waiting is so hard, but frosting a hot cake is a recipe for disaster.
Let the Cake Cool Completely
Cool the cake completely before frosting it.
If the cake is still warm, your beautiful lemon buttercream is going to start melting.
Instead of sitting pretty between the layers, the frosting will start sliding around and dripping down the sides.
Nobody needs that kind of kitchen drama.
Let the cake cool in the pans for a little while, then transfer the layers to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Once they’re cool, you can start frosting.
Homemade Lemon Buttercream Frosting
This lemon buttercream is ridiculously good.
It’s made with softened butter, powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice and zest, vanilla extract, and heavy cream.
The fresh lemon really shines here.
Start by beating the softened butter until smooth and creamy.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing as you go.
Then add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.
Finally, add the heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches the consistency you want.
You may need two tablespoons.
You may need four.
It depends on how soft your butter is and how thick you want your frosting.
Beat the frosting until it’s smooth and creamy.
Why Homemade Frosting Is So Much Better
Have you ever tasted homemade buttercream right after making it?
It is completely different from canned frosting.
The texture is smooth and creamy. The butter actually tastes like butter. The lemon tastes fresh because you’re using real lemon.
There’s no artificial color needed to convince you that you’re eating lemon frosting.
It’s lemon frosting because you’re using real lemon.
That is exactly what you want.
The powdered sugar gives it sweetness, the butter gives it richness, and the lemon keeps it from becoming overwhelmingly sweet.
A little vanilla adds another layer of flavor, too.
It’s simple, delicious, and once you make frosting yourself, you’re never going back to the canned stuff.
Putting the Lemon Cake Together
Once the cake layers have cooled completely and the buttercream is ready, it’s time for the frosting fun.
Place your first cake layer on your serving plate or cake stand.
Spread a layer of lemon buttercream over the top.
Add the second cake layer.
Then frost the top and sides of the cake.
You don’t have to make it perfect.
Actually, I prefer a homemade cake that looks homemade. You don’t need to spend an hour trying to get every inch perfectly smooth.
Grab your spatula and have fun with it. Go ahead and use a piping bag for some fun designs.
A few swirls in the frosting look beautiful, especially when you’re making the cake for family or friends.
How to Get the Best Lemon Flavor
If you really want the lemon flavor to shine, don’t be stingy with the zest.
When zesting your lemon, use only the yellow outer portion of the peel. The white part underneath is bitter.
You’ll get plenty of lemon flavor from the zest without adding bitterness.
Fresh lemon juice is equally important.
Because this recipe uses lemon in both the cake and frosting, you get lemon flavor from several directions instead of relying on one ingredient to carry the entire dessert.
That’s what makes the finished cake taste so fresh.
This Is the Kind of Cake Worth Making From Scratch
I know making a cake from scratch takes more time than opening a box.
There’s no arguing with that.
You have to soften the butter. Measure the ingredients. Zest and juice the lemon. Mix the batter. Bake the layers. Wait for them to cool. Make the frosting.
It takes some effort.
But here’s the thing.
You can taste that effort.
The finished cake is soft and tender with fresh lemon flavor running through every bite. The buttercream is creamy and bright, and the whole dessert tastes fresher than the typical super-sweet cake covered in canned frosting.
Plus, I love knowing exactly what went into it- no artificial fake ingredients.
Just ingredients from my own kitchen.
When to Serve Lemon Cake
This fresh lemon cake would be right at home on just about any dessert table.
Make it for a birthday. Bring it to Easter. Serve it after Sunday dinner. Take it to a family gathering.
It would also make a beautiful dessert for a bridal shower, baby shower, Mother’s Day, or spring luncheon.
Honestly, though, you don’t need a special occasion.
Sometimes you just need cake.
And if you’ve got fresh lemons sitting on the counter, that’s reason enough for me.
Can I Make This Lemon Cake Ahead of Time?
Absolutely.
You can bake the cake layers ahead of time and let them cool completely. Wrap them well and keep them until you’re ready to assemble the cake.
The buttercream can also be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Let it come back toward room temperature and beat it again before frosting if needed.
That can make things much easier if you’re preparing this cake for a gathering.
You don’t have to do everything in one frantic afternoon.
How to Store Lemon Cake
Store the finished cake covered in the refrigerator because of the buttercream.
Before serving, let it sit out for a little while so the frosting can soften.
Cold cake and buttercream are fine, but letting it come closer to room temperature gives you a much better texture and brings out the flavor.
If you somehow have leftovers, keep them covered and refrigerated.
Although, between you and me, I wouldn’t count on having many.
A Fresh Lemon Cake You’ll Want to Make Again
There are a lot of reasons I love this homemade lemon cake.
It’s soft, fresh, light, and full of real lemon flavor.
The buttercream is creamy and delicious without relying on artificial lemon flavor or food coloring.
Most importantly, you can taste the difference homemade makes.
That is what keeps me coming back to scratch baking.
Yes, a boxed cake mix is faster, and a can of frosting is easier.
But when you take a little extra time and make the whole thing yourself, you end up with a dessert that tastes completely different.
The fresh lemon, real butter, buttermilk, and homemade frosting.
That’s something to proudly serve- which is always my favorite part.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use bottled lemon juice?
Fresh lemon juice is highly recommended for this recipe. Since you’re also using lemon zest, fresh lemons give the cake and frosting a much brighter flavor.
Why do I need lemon zest?
Lemon zest contains flavorful citrus oils that provide an intense lemon flavor. Using both zest and juice makes the lemon flavor much more noticeable.
Can I use milk instead of buttermilk?
Buttermilk contributes both moisture and acidity to the cake, so I recommend using buttermilk as written for the best texture and flavor.
Can I make the lemon buttercream ahead of time?
Yes. Store the frosting covered in the refrigerator, then let it soften before using. You may want to beat it again to restore its smooth texture.
Why should my butter be softened?
Softened butter creams properly with the sugar and helps create the right texture in both the cake and frosting. Avoid melting the butter.
Why shouldn’t I frost a warm cake?
Warm cake will soften or melt the buttercream, making it difficult to frost neatly. Allow the cake layers to cool completely first.
Does this lemon cake need to be refrigerated?
Because of the homemade buttercream frosting, I recommend storing the finished cake covered in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze the cake?
The unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped well and frozen for later use. Thaw them completely before assembling and frosting the cake.
More Homemade Dessert Recipes
Tres Leches Cake
Victoria Sponge Cake
Apple Cake
Lemon Cake
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Equipment
- 3 9 inch cake pans
Ingredients
Lemon Cake
- 1 cup Butter, softened
- 2 cups Sugar
- 4 Eggs
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 1 Lemon (zested and juiced)
- 2⅓ cups Flour
- 1½ tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/4 tsp Sea salt
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- 1½ cup Butter (softened)
- 6 cups Powdered sugar
- 1 Lemon (zested and juiced)
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2-4 tbsp Heavy cream
Instructions
Lemon Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs. Beat again.
- Add the buttermilk, lemon zest, and juice. Beat until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Slowly mix until the batter has just come together and the dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Pour the cake batter into 3 greased 9 inch pans.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes in the pan before removing them from the pan. Allow at least an additional 15 minutes for them to cool on a wire rack before frosting.
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice and zest, vanilla, and start with 2 tbsp of heavy cream. Begin slowly or you will have sugar all over the place. Increase speed as the ingredients mix.
- Beat on high speed for 5-6 minutes to make the frosting light and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add more heavy cream, 1 tbsp at a time.
- Place one cake on a cake stand and spread 1/4 of the frosting over the top.
- Place the second cake on top of that. Spread another layer of frosting on the second cake.
- Add the top cake and spread the remaining frosting on top and all around the sides.
- Refrigerate for freshness. When serving, allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
