A light, fluffy lemon layer cake filled with bright lemon curd and finished with a silky lemon buttercream. This Lemon Layer Cake delivers lemon flavor in every bite and is a perfect dessert for spring and summer gatherings.
Lemon is one of the most versatile and refreshing flavors to bake with. I love making citrus-forward desserts, and this layered lemon cake has been a favorite for years. The combination of lemon-scented cake layers, a tart-sweet curd center, and a creamy lemon buttercream gives a balanced, bright dessert that’s hard to resist.
This cake is great for celebrations or a simple weekend treat. It’s not overly complicated to make, and you can easily adjust the lemon intensity to your taste by increasing or reducing lemon juice and zest.
Layer cakes are especially fun because you can get creative with decoration and flavor variations. This version focuses on pure lemon in the cake, filling, and frosting so the citrus really shines.
Why This Recipe Works
- Makes multiple servings, ideal for parties or sharing.
- You control the lemon intensity across cake, filling, and frosting.
- The cake layers hold up well and store nicely, so you can prepare ahead.
Ingredients Needed (Full recipe measurements below)
- Cake flour
- Baking powder
- Fine sea salt
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Large egg whites
- Buttermilk
- Fresh lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
- Fresh lemon zest
- Powdered sugar
- Prepared lemon curd (or homemade)
How to Make a Lemon Layer Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, and grease the parchment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg whites in three additions, mixing well between each.
- Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the buttermilk, lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon zest, and mix until smooth. Give the batter a final scrape and a few extra seconds of mixing.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake 22–27 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.
- Allow the cakes to cool in their pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely right-side up.
- While the cakes cool, make the lemon buttercream: beat softened butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in a pinch of salt, the lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- To assemble, place a small dollop of buttercream on your cake plate to hold the bottom layer in place. Remove the parchment from one cake layer and set it bottom-side down on the plate. Spread the lemon curd to within about 1/2 inch of the edge.
- Remove the parchment from the second layer and place it top-side down over the curd. Gently press to spread the curd toward the edges without letting it spill out.
- Apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream and chill the cake for about 2 hours to set. Finish frosting with the remaining buttercream, slice, and serve.
Layer cakes can seem intimidating, but this recipe focuses on straightforward steps and yields a moist, tender cake with bright lemon flavor.
Can I Make My Own Lemon Curd?
Yes. Store-bought lemon curd is convenient, but a homemade curd will work beautifully and can be tailored to your preferred tartness. If using homemade curd, be sure it’s fully cooled before assembling the cake.
Can I Use Cream Cheese Frosting?
You can swap the lemon buttercream for a cream cheese frosting if you prefer. Lemon and cream cheese complement each other nicely—consider adding lemon zest or juice to the cream cheese frosting to keep the citrus character consistent.
Do I Have to Use 9″ Cake Pans?
9-inch pans are used in this recipe, but 8-inch pans will work. If you use 8-inch pans, pick high-sided pans to allow for taller layers or bake in three 8-inch pans for a three-layer cake. Baking times will vary slightly with pan size.
This cake stacks lemon flavor in the cake, filling, and frosting, making citrus the star. If you prefer less filling, you can use frosting between the layers instead of lemon curd—just note that will change how much frosting remains for decorating the top.
How to Store
Because this cake contains lemon curd, store it covered in the refrigerator. Properly stored, the cake will keep for 3–4 days. You can freeze baked cake layers (unfrosted): wrap cooled layers tightly in plastic, then foil, and freeze for up to 5 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before assembling and frosting.
Tips and Tricks
- The buttercream quantity given is enough for a standard frost; if you plan more detailed decorating, make 1.5–2x the buttercream. The pictured cake used about 1.5x the frosting recipe.
- For the brightest lemon flavor, use fresh lemon juice and zest.
- The cake layers are light and airy—handle gently when stacking to keep them from compressing too much.
- If using homemade curd, chill it thoroughly before spreading between layers to prevent slipping.
- Always refrigerate the finished cake because of the curd filling.
Recipe Summary
Lemon Layer Cake
Author: Dana DeVolk
Servings: 12
Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 27 mins | Total: 57 mins
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 640 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 95 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Fat: 27 g (Saturated fat: 17 g)
- Sodium: 233 mg
- Sugar: 77 g
If you like this recipe you might also like:
- S’mores Layer Cake
- Layered Carrot Cake
- Layer Turtle Cake
If you make this Lemon Layer Cake, please leave a note about how it turned out and any tweaks you tried. Enjoy this sunny, citrus-packed dessert!