Italian Lemon Cream Cake recipe

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 1 box white cake mix (or vanilla)
• 1 cup water
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 4 egg whites
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

For the Filling:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1½ cups heavy whipping cream

For the Crumb Topping:

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, egg whites, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth (about 2 minutes).
3. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely.
4. While cakes are cooling, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Beat until combined.
5. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the cream cheese mixture. Chill until ready to use.
6. For the crumb topping: Combine flour and powdered sugar. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or fork until crumbly. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes until lightly golden. Cool.
7. Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread filling evenly. Top with the second cake layer. Frost the top and sides with remaining filling. Sprinkle crumb topping generously over the top and sides.
8. Chill the cake for at least 2 hours before serving.

Would you like a version with a homemade lemon cake base instead of a boxed mix?