Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Lemon layer cake with homemade lemon cream cheese frosting is hands-down the best lemon cake I’ve ever eaten. Every bite bursts with fresh lemon flavor, and this lemon cake recipe is easy to make!

One of the best, most exciting, and most humbling parts of food blogging is hearing from you when you make one of my recipes. It is always meaningful to hear from you and know that, of the thousands (maybe millions) of recipes out there, you chose one of mine. I am especially honored when you make one of my recipes, like today’s Lemon Layer Cake, for a special celebration, such as a birthday or anniversary. Of all the recipes on my site, this Lemon Layer Cake has been a part of more of your celebrations than any other. You’ve called it “super moist,” “easy,” “perfectly fluffy,” and even the “best lemon cake recipe in the world.”

Ingredients
FOR THE LEMON CAKE:

•  2 1/4 cups cake flour*
•  1 tablespoon baking powder — I recommend aluminum free
•  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
•  1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
•  4 large egg whites
•  1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
•  2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
•  1 stick unsalted butter — at room temperature (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces)
•  1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

FOR THE LEMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

•  8 ounces  cream cheese — softened
•  1 stick — 8 tablespoons or 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
•  2 3/4  cups powdered sugar — sifted
•  2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice — divided (from about 1/2 a large lemon)
•  1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
•  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
•  1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

• Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 8x2-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, then butter the parchment.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk and egg whites.
• Place the granulated sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of a standing mixer or a large mixing bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and beat on medium speed for 3 full minutes, until very light and fluffy. Beat in the lemon extract.
• Beating on medium speed, add one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the egg/buttermilk mixture and beat until combined. Still beating on medium speed, add the next third of the dry ingredients, then the remaining eggs/buttermilk. Beat until the batter is smooth, then add the remaining dry ingredients. Beat for 2 additional minutes on medium speed, ensuring the batter is very well combined and that plenty of air has been beaten into it.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber or offset spatula. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen, spring back lightly when touched, and a small knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the cake pans on a wire rack and let cool 5 minutes, then run a dull knife around the sides of the cake to loosen. Gently invert the cake into your hand so that it comes out of the pan, remove the paper liner, then place the cake directly back onto the wire rack, bottom (flat) side down and right-side up. Let cool to room temperature.
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