Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Lemony, moist, and utterly fantastic lemon cake with homemade lemon cream cheese frosting. You better like lemons for this recipe.
Servings: 15
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour (see note 1)
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup buttermik or milk
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 170 grams butter (3/4 cup)room temperature
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
For the frosting:
- 240 grams 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 120 grams butter (1/2 cup, 4.2 oz) room temperature
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Line 34x23 cm (13x9in) baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat butter, sugar and lemon zest until fluffy, around 3 minutes, add eggs, one at the time, beating well after each egg. Add vanilla extract, lemon juice, and greek yogurt and beat until combined.
- Turn the mixer down to low speed, add flour mixture, and beat until combined. Add buttermilk and beat until incorporated.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish, and bake 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting:
- Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. On low-speed beat in powdered sugar (add more sugar if you like it sweet), lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt.
- Using a flat-edged knife frost the cooled cake.
Notes
Note 1. If you do not have cake flour, use all-purpose flour in the same amount + 4 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift flour and cornstarch together a few times until well combined.
Note 2. The recipe works well with milk if you don't have buttermilk. To make your own buttermilk, in 1/3 cup of milk add 2 teaspoons lemon juice and let stand for 5 minutes.
Note 3. I do not like my frosting overly sweet. And in all the recipes I cut down the sugar because I find all the frostings too sweet. Add more powdered sugar if you are a sweet tooth.
Note 2. The recipe works well with milk if you don't have buttermilk. To make your own buttermilk, in 1/3 cup of milk add 2 teaspoons lemon juice and let stand for 5 minutes.
Note 3. I do not like my frosting overly sweet. And in all the recipes I cut down the sugar because I find all the frostings too sweet. Add more powdered sugar if you are a sweet tooth.
Tried this recipe?Tag @mihaela_biteitquick on Instagram! I would love to see what you've baked!