Lemon Cake to Die For Recipe

Lemon Cake to Die For Recipe

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This lemon cake is incredibly moist, bursting with bright lemon flavor, and topped with a luscious lemon cream cheese frosting. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and tart, guaranteed to impress.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour  
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened  
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs  
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract  
  • 1 cup buttermilk

For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened  
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest

Instructions:

Cake:

  1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. You may also line the bottoms with parchment paper.
  2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Add Eggs: Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
  5. Alternate Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.  
  6. Bake: Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Cool: Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting:

  1. Cream Butter and Cream Cheese: In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth.  
  2. Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until combined. Then beat on high speed until fluffy.
  3. Add Lemon: Mix in lemon juice and lemon zest until well combined.

Assembly:

  1. Once cakes are completely cooled, place one layer on a serving plate and frost with half of the frosting.
  2. Top with the second cake layer and frost with the remaining frosting.
  3. Decorate with extra lemon zest, if desired.

Tips for Lemon Perfection:

  • Fresh Lemon: Always use fresh lemon juice and zest for the most vibrant flavor.
  • Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature for a smoother batter.
  • Do Not Overmix: Overmixing can lead to a tough cake. Mix until just combined.
  • Cool Completely: Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.

Enjoy your delicious “Lemon Cake to Die For”!

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