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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Whip up the butter first
Beat the softened butter on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until creamy and pale.
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.
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.
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 9x13 cake. For extra cuteness, pipe little lemony swirls with a star tip.
