This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Made with moist and fluffy cake, a velvety buttercream frosting, silky bavarian cream and a zesty curd filling, this is The Ultimate Lemon Layer Cake! You won’t find this much fresh lemon flavor in any other dessert.
Table of Contents
- Easy Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Buttercream
- What You’ll Need
- How to Make the Lemon Cake
- How to Make the Lemon Buttercream
- How to Make the Lemon Curd
- How to Make the Bavarian Cream
- Assembling Your Cake
- Tips for Making Lemon Layer Cake
- How to Store Frosted Cake
- Can I Freeze Lemon Layer Cake?
- Watch How To Make It
- Get the Recipe
Easy Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Buttercream
This layer cake is a lemon lover’s dream come true. The naturally-flavored lemon cake is super tender and buttery – it has such a lovely texture to it. The fillings and the frosting are also spot-on when it comes to flavor and texture. Once you try a bite with all of them together, your mind will be blown!
Fruit-themed desserts are one of my favorite things about summer. Whether it’s a classic Strawberry Shortcake or a fancy Berry Trifle, I’m there to help devour it. There’s simply no substitute for the flavors of ripe, in-season fruits! If you’re a lover of lemon, this cake has to be the next treat you try. You’ll fall in love!
What You’ll Need
Let’s talk about the ingredients for the cake, the frosting, the curd and the bavarian cream. Each one calls for juice and zest from fresh lemons for the most fabulous citrus flavor!
For the Lemon Cake
- All-Purpose Flour: You’ll need 3 cups.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: This cake uses 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and 2 3/4 teaspoons of baking powder. the combination creates the best rise and texture.
- Salt: Just a teaspoon, for flavor.
- Butter: Unsalted; bring to room temperature.
- Sugar: For a moist cake with the right amount of sweetness.
- Egg Whites: You’ll need 4 egg whites; you can use the yolks in the lemon curd.
- Vanilla Extract: This will set the stage for all that lemon-y goodness.
- Milk: Just over a cup of milk makes this cake super soft and fluffy.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed!
- Lemon Zest: About 2 tablespoons.
For the Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted Butter: Room temperature.
- Powdered Sugar: For volume and the right consistency.
- Salt: Just a pinch.
- Vanilla Extract
- Lemon Zest
- Lemon Juice
- Yellow Gel Icing Color
For the Lemon Curd
- Lemon Juice: About 1–2 lemons’ worth.
- Lemon Zest: Finely grated.
- Sugar
- Egg Yolks
- Butter: Salted.
For the Bavarian Cream
- Powdered Gelatin: This gives the cream its custard-like texture.
- Lemon Juice
- Egg Yolks
- Heavy Whipping Cream: You’ll need 3/4 cup to start and another cup later on.
- Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Lemon Zest
- Powdered Sugar
How to Make the Lemon Cake
These cake layers come together quickly and easily. You just have to combine the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately before mixing them together.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper in the bottom and grease the sides.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
- Cream Butter & Sugar: Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add Egg Whites & Vanilla: Add the egg whites and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed, to make sure everything is combined.
- Start Adding Dry Ingredients: Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture to the batter and beat on medium speed until incorporated.
- Add Milk & Lemon: Add about half of the milk and the lemon juice and zest and beat on medium speed until incorporated.
- Complete Batter: Continue alternating adding dry and wet ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, and beating until incorporated after each addition. There should be three total additions of dry ingredients and two total additions of milk. End with the dry ingredients.
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Don’t be alarmed if the tops are a little browned – that is normal.
- Let Cool: Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool for 1-2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
How to Make the Lemon Buttercream
This lemon frosting is also super fast and simple. You’ll be whipping it up to top off all sorts of yummy treats!
- Beat Butter: Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
- Add Half of Powdered Sugar: Slowly add about half of the powdered sugar, mixing until well combined and smooth.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the salt, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice and mix until well combined and smooth.
- Finish Adding Powdered Sugar: Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
- Adjust to Taste: Add additional lemon juice, if needed, to thin out the frosting.
How to Make the Lemon Curd
Though this cake has plenty of lemon flavor throughout each layer, the curd is where it really shines. Here’s how to make it happen!
- Combine Ingredients: Combine all the ingredients in a double boiler or a metal bowl over a pot of simmering water.
- Thicken: Heat while whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and reaches 170-180°F, or coats the back of a spoon.
- Chill: Pour the lemon curd into a heat-proof bowl, cover with clear wrap pressed onto the the top of the curd to avoid a film developing, and refrigerate until cold and firm.
How to Make the Bavarian Cream
Last but not least, let’s discuss how to make the light and fluffy bavarian cream. As long as you’re watching it closely while it cooks, you’ll do just fine.
- Combine Gelatin & Lemon Juice: In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin onto the lemon juice and set aside.
- Whisk Egg Yolks: In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks together and set aside.
- Heat Remaining Ingredients: Add 3/4 cup of the the heavy whipping cream, sugar, vanilla extract and lemon zest to a large saucepan and heat over medium heat until warm.
- Add Cream Mixture to Eggs: Remove the cream mixture from heat and slowly pour the hot cream into the egg yolks to temper them.
- Cook: Add the egg and cream mixture back into the saucepan and return to the heat. Continue cooking over medium heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, or reaches about 160°F. It should happen fairly quickly.
- Add Gelatin Mixture: Add the gelatin mixture to the hot cream and stir until smooth.
- Let Cool: Pour the custard into another bowl and set that bowl inside another bowl over ice. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Whip Cream & Sugar: While the custard cools, add the remaining cup of heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to a large mixer bowl and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Fold Into Custard: When the custard is ready, gently fold the whipped cream into the custard. Be sure it’s at least room temperature, so the whipped cream doesn’t wilt/melt.
Assembling Your Cake
Now that everything is prepped and ready to go, let’s get to the exciting part – putting it all together!
- Cut Cakes & Gather Fillings: The cake layers should be pretty flat, but if there’s a dome, trim the tops of the cakes so they are flat. Cut each cake in half, so that you end up with 6 layers of cake. Get the lemon curd and bavarian cream from the fridge and stir them until smooth. The bavarian cream may need a little hand whisking to work out any lumps.
- Start Layering: Place the first layer of cake on a serving platter. Pipe a small dam of frosting around the outer edge. Fill the dam with 1/3 of the bavarian cream. Place the second layer of cake on top of the cream. The cake layers are very tender, so I recommend using a cake lifter.
- Continue Layering: Add another dam of frosting around the out edge of the cake. Fill the dam with about half of the lemon curd. Repeat with another layer of cake, a dam of frosting and 1/3 of the bavarian cream. Then repeat with another layer, a dam and 1/2 of the lemon curd.
- Finish Layering: Repeat with the another layer of cake, a dam of frosting and the remaining 1/3 of the bavarian cream. Add the final layer of cake on top, then frost the outside of the cake with a crumb coat.
- Chill: Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours for the cake to firm up.
- Frost & Serve: Frost the outside of the cake and decorate as you wish. Refrigerate the lemon layer cake until you’re ready to serve.
Tips for Making Lemon Layer Cake
With a cake this luxurious, it never hurts to have some extra recipe tips and tricks. I’ve got you covered!
- Make-Ahead Option: If you want to start working on this cake a day in advance, you can prepare both of the fillings ahead of time and store them in airtight containers in the fridge. Just give them an extra good stir before assembling the cake so they’re nice and smooth.
- Use a Cake Lifter: This cake is super soft and tender, which is amazing in every way, but it does come with some difficulty in terms of assembly. I recommend using a cake lifter to move the thin layers around without breaking them.
- Don’t Forget the Dams: The dams of frosting along the edges of the filling layers are super important. They hold everything in place so that nothing comes spilling out down the sides, so make sure you include them and that your frosting is thick enough to stay in place.
- Use a crumb coat: If you’re new to making layer cakes, you might not know what a crumb coat is. Basically, it’s a thin layer of frosting that goes over the sides and the top of the cake to catch any loose cake crumbs. Then when the cake is chilled those crumbs get set in place providing a smooth surface to apply the outer layer of frosting.
- Easy Decorating Idea: Roughly frost the cake on top of the crumb coat, then color the remaining frosting a nice shade of yellow. Place little blobs of the yellow frosting around the cake, then finish smoothing out the sides and you’ve got a lovely watercolor design going on. I piped the rest of the yellow buttercream around the edges and I love the final look! So bright, summery and lemon-y.
How to Store Frosted Cake
This cake should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. If you can’t fit the whole leftover cake in a container, cut it into slices and store them separately. Enjoy leftovers within 3-4 days for the best results.
Can I Freeze Lemon Layer Cake?
You can! Though I recommend freezing individual slices. To freeze your lemon cake, wrap it tightly in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. Thaw frozen cake overnight in the fridge before enjoying.
Watch How To Make It
Print
Recipe
The Ultimate Lemon Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 7 hours, 55 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 Slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Made with moist and fluffy cake, a velvety buttercream frosting, silky bavarian cream and a zesty curd filling, this is The Ultimate Lemon Layer Cake! You won’t find this much fresh lemon flavor in any other dessert.
Ingredients
For the Lemon Cake
- 3 cups (390g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 2 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups (336g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups (414g) sugar
- 4 egg whites
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) milk
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
For the Lemon Buttercream
- 2 1/4 cups (504g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 9 1/2 cups (1093g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2–3 tbsp lemon juice
- Yellow gel icing color
For the Lemon Curd
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice (about 1–2 lemons)
- 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 1/3 cup (69g) sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp (28g) salted butter
For the Lemon Bavarian Cream
- 1 1/2 tsp powdered gelatin
- 4 1/2 tbsp (68ml) lemon juice
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 3/4 cup (420ml) heavy whipping cream, divided
- 3 tbsp (26g) sugar
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup (58g) powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper in the bottom and grease the sides.
Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. - Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg whites and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed, to make sure everything is combined.
- Add about one-third of the flour mixture to the batter and beat on medium speed until incorporated.
- Add about half of the milk and the lemon juice and zest and beat on medium speed until incorporated.
- Continue alternating adding dry and wet ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, and beating until incorporated after each addition. There should be three total additions of dry ingredients and two total additions of milk. End with the dry ingredients.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans.
- Bake the cakes for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Don’t be alarmed if the tops are a little browned, that is normal.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the Buttercream
- Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
- Slowly add about half of the powdered sugar, mixing until well combined and smooth.
- Add the salt, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice and mix until well combined and smooth.
- Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
- Add additional lemon juice, if needed, to thin out the frosting.
Make the Curd
- Combine all the ingredients in a double boiler (or in a metal bowl over a pot of simmering water). Heat while whisking constantly until mixture thickens and reaches 170-180 degrees, or coats the back of a spoon.
- Pour the lemon curd into a heat proof bowl, cover with clear wrap pressed onto the the top of the curd to avoid a film developing, and refrigerate until cold and firm.
Make the Bavarian Cream
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin onto the lemon juice and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks together and set aside.
- Add 3/4 cup of the the heavy whipping cream, sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest to a large saucepan and heat over medium heat until warm.
- Remove the cream mixture from heat and slowly pour the hot cream into the eggs to temper them.
- Add the egg and cream mixture back into the saucepan and return to the heat. Continue cooking over medium heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, or reaches about 160°F. It should happen fairly quickly.
- Add the gelatin mixture to the hot cream and stir until smooth.
- Pour the custard into another bowl and set that bowl inside another bowl over ice. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- While the custard cools, add the remaining cup of heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to a large mixer bowl and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- When the custard is ready, gently fold the whipped cream into the custard. Be sure it’s at least room temperature, so the whipped cream doesn’t wilt/melt.
Assemble
- The cake layers should be pretty flat, but if there’s a dome, trim the tops of the cakes so they are flat. Cut each cake in half, so that you end up with 6 layers of cake. Get the lemon curd and bavarian cream from the fridge and stir them until smooth. The bavarian cream may need a little hand whisking to work out any lumps.
- Place the first layer of cake on a serving platter. Pipe a small dam of frosting around the outer edge.
- Fill the dam with 1/3 of the bavarian cream.
- Place the second layer of cake on top of the cream. The cake layers are very tender, so I recommend using a cake lifter.
- Add another dam of frosting around the out edge of the cake. Fill the dam with about half of the lemon curd.
- Repeat with another layer of cake, dam of frosting and 1/3 of the bavarian cream.
- Repeat with another layer of cake, dam of frosting and 1/2 of the lemon curd.
- Repeat with the another layer of cake, dam of frosting and remaining 1/3 of the bavarian cream.
- Add the final layer of cake on top, then frost the outside of the cake with a crumb coat and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours for the cake to firm up.
- Frost the outside of the cake and decorate as you wish. To create the watercolor look I used, frost the outside of the cake roughly, then color the remaining frosting with yellow gel icing color. Place a few blobs of yellow frosting around the outside of the cake, then smooth out the cake a few more times to spread the yellow frosting around and create the effect. Use the remaining yellow frosting to pipe around the edges.
- Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. The cake is best when stored in an air tight container and eaten within 3-4 days.
Notes
You’ll need about 5 hours total of cooling time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 1144
- Sugar: 111.1 g
- Sodium: 346.6 mg
- Fat: 65.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 135 g
- Protein: 9.1 g
- Cholesterol: 264.2 mg
This post contains affiliate links.
Can you share some instructions on how to cut the cake layers in 1/2 so perfectly. Every time I cut my layers in 1/2 they are so off. Thin on one side thick on the other side and I have had it high in the center and all over on the sides. Maybe a Video on how to cut a cake I half properly.
I actually have a tutorial you can check out. Hopefully that helps!
I made this cake for my niece’s first birthday, almost a year later my sister told me that she still regularly thinks about that cake and how delicious it was. That’s how good this recipe is. She was devastated on the day when the guests had second and third helpings and there were no left overs for her to eat later.
So glad it was such a hit!
Is there a replacement I could use for the Bavarian cream? The rest of the recipe looks delicious but my family is not a huge fan of that.
You could make more lemon curd and use that instead.
Hi
I’m going to try this today. Not going to use the curd. I’m making a lemon cake with raspberryfilling, with regular buttercream ? Do you have a regular buttercream that’s not so sweet. I’ve made a lemon cake with Italian buttercream. It was good but not enough of lemon in it and the buttercream was way to buttery l thought. So this is my second cake going to make. Try to find a cake that is tasty. I’m starting to make cakes for someone else than family and friends. It’s a little neve racking to make it great. The are allergic to nuts.
She wants a cake lemon cake, raspberry filling, regular buttercream. I’ve made the raspberry filling. Sweet and tart.
So any suggestions
Thank you
I have a standard american buttercream you could try.
Delicious! Well explained and surprisingly very easy to execute. My family loved it!
So glad to hear that!
I had a blast making this cake for my birthday in quarantine! So bright and fun, it definitely made things feel more festive 🙂 I was worried it might be too much lemon flavor but it was just right. The recipe was easy to follow and I was actually surprised at how easy it was to whip up a nice Bavarian cream (I’d never tried before). For a casual at-home baker I would definitely recommend making this a two-day process, particularly if you’re doing anything involved in terms of decorating the cake. In terms of alterations, I didn’t have an 8-inch round pan so I used two 9″ squares. I kept an eye on the cook time and adjusted down to four layers of cake instead of six (cake, 1/2 of the Bavarian cream, cake, all of the lemon curd, cake, 1/2 of the Bavarian cream, cake) to accommodate the size difference and it worked great, with a good moisture level and thick enough to cut into layers. The buttercream was a very nice consistency for decorating although I will say I have no idea how anyone eats that stuff – WAY too sweet for me! But it looked so fun and cheerful and the inside of the cake (with the curd and Bavarian cream) was delicious. I froze half of it–no way was our little quarantine household going to take out a whole cake in a few days–and I expect it to hold up well for a couple of months, with the lemon curd being the limiting factor on freeze time. Thank you to Lindsay for this recipe! It was a very welcome dose of sunshine for a birthday on lockdown. The suggestion in the comments of an orange version may very well be on the menu for next year!
(whoops, meant to say the Bavarian cream is the limiting factor on freeze time! either way it will be a sweet treat for months to come 🙂 )
Can this recipe done in two 8 inch pans… Pls reply soon im hoping to bake this cake tomorrow for a birthday.
Technically yes, but I find that when the cake layers get thicker, the cake gets more dense. So it depends a little on what kind of texture cake you prefer.
This recipe is my top pick to try for my husband’s birthday cake! The only question I have is I was curious when you mix your eggs whites and vanilla for the cake, how fully are you getting your egg whites? I’m used to a having like a soft peak but was curious what you had done to achieve such great results! Thanks so much!
The egg whites aren’t whipped prior to adding them to the cake in this recipe. I hope you enjoy it!
Is it also possinle to just decorate the whole cream in buttercream than bavarian cream .As during this lockdown it is very hard to get a lot of things .
You could leave out the bavarian cream, yes.
I just made this cake. The Bavarian cream and lemon curd were delicious. The cake on the other hand didn’t. When it came out of the oven it was swimming in butter. It was mushy and greasy. Any suggestions?
It honestly sounds like an ingredient was off somewhere. That definitely shouldn’t be the result you get.
Hi Lindsay,
Love your blog and your recipes. Have been asked to make a lemon cake for a friends fathers 80th birthday. I love cooking using weight measurement rather than cups and spoons seeing as I am in Australia and often our measurements are slightly different to yours. So was wondering could you tell me the correct amount of butter for the lemon buttercream specifically. Also if you have a weight measurement for any of the other ingredients that aren’t listed using weights that would be excellent but appreciate that you may not.
Thanks heaps.
I updated the butter, but the others that are missing I’m not sure of. Sorry!
Thanks heaps Lindsay. Much appreciated. Happy New Year!
My husband now has this obsession with Walmart’s lemon pies, the little ones. For his birthday, I wanted something lemony and definitely not a lemon pie from Walmart. I made this cake and it was absolutely amazing. Just so you understand how amazing this cake is, my mother did cakes as I was growing up. She became the premier wedding cake person in the town we lived in. I’ve eaten tons of different cakes and frankly, I’m not a cake eater. Then I found your recipe for this Lucious lemon cake. As our children are grown and gone, it was just the two of us. I expected to throw some cake away, but we ate it and a couple of weeks later, I had to make another one. It’s that good!
I am so glad to hear you enjoyed it so much!
Hi Lindsay! I just discovered your blog and this recipe. I plan to make it for my mom to take to her Bridge Club meeting in January. They play at a local library, so no refrigerator is available for leftover cake. Do you know how long this cake, when cut, will keep at room temperature? Thanks so much!
I feel like it’s a little hard to say exactly. It should be fine for several hours though. I hope everyone enjoys it!
Understand. Thank you for your reply Lindsay. I look forward to making it! Best wishes to you for a wonderful, warm, safe and happy holiday season. Thank you for sharing your recipes. I totally understand the importance of trying various things, techniques, etc. I constantly find myself “tweaking” things. 😊 But, it is awesome when I find a recipe for which someone has already done all the “tweaking” ahead of time. Somehow, I think your recipe likely falls into that category! 😊 Thank you again!
This cake is incredible! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. Each layer, with its own flavor and texture, comes together for such lemony goodness! I received rave reviews from my work colleagues. This is definitely a special occasion cake and I look forward to the next opportunity to bake and share it!
– My store was out of Knox Gelatin so I substituted Lemon Jell-O and it worked perfectly. Thanks again and Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m so glad it worked out and that you enjoyed it!
I have a question the gelatin is it plain or whet can I get it from ???
Yes, it’s plain. I use the Knox brand and I’m able to find it at any grocery store and Walmart.
hi lindsay, for the baking powder does it mean we used the 3/4 teaspoons 2 times or 2 & 3/4 teaspoons ?? to make sure 😉 i can’t wait to try it!!!
You use two full teaspoons plus 3/4 of a teaspoon.
Hi Lindsay! Do you think I could swap orange for lemon for all the components of this cake? I’m not sure of the science behind if different citrus work differently.
I think that should be ok.
Wow this recipe omg i love lemon…. btw can i use 2 9-inch-pan for this?? can’t wait to try it!! 🙂
The only issue I see with using 9 inch pans is that the layers will be thinner so it’ll be harder to divide them and fill them.
oh ok! 🙂 btw for the baking powder 2 & 3/4 teaspoons does 3/4 means you put 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder 3 times?? i want to make sure so the cake doesn’t fail..
Well yes. Or a half teaspoon plus a fourth teaspoon.