Lemon Cake Recipe with a Lemon Buttercream Frosting

My daughter loves to bake but one thing she’s a bit scared of is making cakes.

They are a very aesthetic piece for your company and she had her fair share of cake flops.

Don’t get me wrong; I also am a bit intimated by a homemade lemon cake! Give me the boxed version, thank you very much!

Oh, and I love making pies or even bars too!

But this year, I want to try to make more homemade desserts like my famous pie crust that I perfected!

It’s easy to go too tart, too dry, or just meh.

But after playing around in the kitchen and testing a bunch of tweaks, I finally nailed a lemon cake recipe that’s soft, moist, and full of that sweet-tangy goodness everyone in my house goes crazy for.

It’s now my go-to for brunches, birthdays, and just-because days.

In this post, I’m sharing exactly how to make a lemon cake that tastes like it came straight from a bakery.

You’ll get the full ingredient list, step-by-step instructions, and a few fun twists you can try to make it your own. Let’s get into it.

Ingredients for Your Lemon Cake

Gather your essentials to build a fluffy, flavorful cake everyone will swoon over!

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 ¼ cups whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the lemon buttercream frosting:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 3–4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt (optional)

How to Make a Soft & Moist Lemon Cake

1. Preheat your oven and prep your pans for a clean bake

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line them with parchment paper. You want clean edges and no sticking.

2. Mix your dry ingredients so there’s no clumps

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set it aside while you move on to the wet stuff.

3. Cream your butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until it looks pale and airy. This takes about 3–4 minutes.

4. Add eggs one at a time to keep the texture smooth

Crack in the eggs one by one, beating well after each. Then mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until everything smells like sunshine.

5. Alternate your flour mix and buttermilk to avoid lumps

Add the dry ingredients to the wet in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with the flour mix. Don’t overmix—just stir until combined.

6. Divide and bake until golden with a bounce

Pour the batter evenly into your prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 28–32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before flipping onto wire racks.

7. Whisk up the lemon glaze while the cake cools

In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar with lemon juice until smooth. Once the cake is fully cool, drizzle that glaze over the top for the final touch.

Make the Dreamiest Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Here’s what you need to make this fluffy frosting.

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 3–4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt (optional)

8. Whip up the butter first

Beat the softened butter on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until creamy and pale.

9. Add powdered sugar and lemon goodness

Add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Mix on low until combined, then beat on high until fluffy. Add lemon juice, zest, and a pinch of salt. Beat again for 30 seconds.

10. Adjust texture as needed

Add cream or milk 1 tbsp at a time until smooth and spreadable but still holds its shape. Taste and adjust lemon juice if needed.

11. Frost and decorate

Once the cake is fully cooled, frost it generously. You can use this buttercream between two 9-inch rounds or on top of your 9×13 cake. For extra cuteness, pipe little lemony swirls with a star tip.

Spring Baking is Here

This lemon cake is one of those recipes that feels fancy but is actually super simple to make.

It’s got that bakery-level flavor with a soft crumb and just the right amount of zing.

You can dress it up with berries, layer it with whipped cream, or just enjoy a slice straight out of the fridge like I do when the kids go down for the night.

If you’ve been craving a new spring dessert to try, this one’s a winner.

Let me know how it turns out—I’d love to see your version!