How to Make Delicious Lemon Cake

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Satisfy your sweet tooth with this easy-to-follow recipe for a homemade lemon cake topped with homemade lemon frosting. Learn how to make and bake the perfect dessert every time.

Homemade Lemon Cake with Lemon Frosting

❤️ Why you’ll love it

This delicious lemon cake is one of our favorite desserts. It is perfect for lemon lovers. The tangy lemon flavor and fluffy frosting come together perfectly.

Moist and fluffy texture and just the right amount of sweetness
Always a crowd-pleaser at any gathering
Homemade lemon frosting adds an extra touch of decadence

🥘 Equipment

Cake Pans
Mixer
Measuring cups

🧾 Ingredients

Get the full list of ingredients, with measurements, and step-by-step instructions at the bottom of the post in the printable recipe card.

All-purpose flour
Sugar
Baking powder
Salt
Butter flavored shortening
Milk
Vanilla extract
Concentrated lemon juice
Eggs
Lemon Frosting

🍳 How to Make

Get the full list of ingredients, with measurements, and step-by-step instructions at the bottom of the post in the printable recipe card.

Sift the dry ingredients together.

Beat together the wet ingredients using a stand mixer.

Slowly add in the flour mixture and beat for 3 minutes.

Add the lemon cake batter to a prepared pan.

Bake.

Once cooled on a wire rack, frost the top of the cake using the prepared lemon frosting.

Hint: For a perfectly flat cake, place strips of parchment paper under the edges of the pan. This will help keep the sides from rising too quickly and creating an uneven top.

🎥 Video

🥄 Variations to Moist Lemon Cake Recipe

Add 1/2 cup of poppy seeds to the cake batter for an extra bit of crunch and flavor.
Top with a simple glaze instead of frosting.
Swap out lemon juice for orange juice.
Try adding blueberries or raspberries to the cake batter for a fruity twist.

🍽️ What to Serve With with the Perfect Cake

When it comes to dessert, you have to have a great dinner. Some of our favorite dinner recipes are:

🍶 Storing Lemon Surprise Cake

Refrigerator Storage: The cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Wrap it well with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container.

Freezer Storage: You can also freeze the frosted cake for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. I love to freeze the cake in slices instead of the entire cake so that it is easy to take a slice of cake out at a time.

💭Tip for Making the Best Lemon Cake Recipe

To get the best results, use freshly squeezed lemon juice or a high-quality concentrated lemon juice in your cake batter. This will ensure it has a bold and tangy flavor.
Make sure your butter-flavored shortening is at room temperature before adding it to the batter. This helps in creating a light and fluffy texture.
Use a cake tester to make sure the cake is done. Insert it in the center of the cake and if it comes out clean, the lemon cake is ready to be taken out of the oven.
Wait for the cake to cool completely before frosting. Otherwise, the frosting will melt.
Place lemon slices on the lemon layer cake to make the cake look pretty.

❔FAQs

Can I use a different type of frosting?

Yes, you can switch out the lemon frosting for any other flavor you like. Vanilla, chocolate, and cream cheese – all work great. Lemon cream cheese frosting is one of my favorite variations.

How do I increase the flavor of my lemon cake?

You can add a few teaspoons of lemon zest or lemon extract to the cake batter for an extra punch of flavor. Alternatively, you can sprinkle some over the top after it’s been frosted.

Can I make this a layer cake?

You can make this into cake layers. Split the cake batter between several cake pans. This will change the baking time since there is less batter per pan. When building the cake, spread the frosting between the layers. This cake can also be made in a bundt pan or loaf pan.

📖More Lemon Desserts

Homemade Lemon Curd
Lemon Blueberry Cake Recipe

Need to change the number of servings? You can click on the number of servings and change the number. This will adjust the ingredient measurements to what you need.

If you love this recipe, come back and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️