🍋 LEMON CREAM CAKE RECIPE 🍋
A delicate, dreamy, lemon-scented cake with a soft, buttery crumb and light creamy finish that melts hearts and sweetens moments.
🧁 Introduction
Lemon Cream Cake is a true celebration of elegance and comfort, pairing the bright citrus zing of fresh lemons with the tender texture of cake flour and the creamy richness of buttermilk. This cake has roots in European patisserie and American southern baking traditions, where lemon desserts symbolized spring, love, and freshness. Whether you’re serving it at a tea party, bridal shower, or simply indulging at home, this cake will captivate every citrus lover.
🍋 Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups cake flour (sifted for tenderness)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk (room temperature)
- 4 large egg whites (room temperature)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Optional Lemon Cream Frosting
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
🥣 Instructions & Method
🔸 1. Prep and Preheat
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- Sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
🔸 2. Creaming Method
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, sugar, and lemon zest until pale and fluffy (about 3–5 minutes).
- Add vanilla extract and mix.
🔸 3. Wet Ingredients Mixing
- In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg whites until well combined.
🔸 4. Combine the Batter
- Alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk-egg white mixture to the creamed butter.
Start and end with flour (Flour → Wet → Flour → Wet → Flour). - Mix gently after each addition, just until combined. Do not overmix.
🔸 5. Bake
- Divide batter evenly into prepared pans.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
🔸 6. Make the Lemon Cream Frosting (optional)
- Beat cold heavy cream with powdered sugar, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Keep chilled until ready to use.
🔸 7. Assemble
- Spread a layer of lemon cream between the cooled cake layers.
- Frost the top and sides if desired, or serve simply with a dusting of powdered sugar.
🧬 Formation & Chemistry
- Cake flour has lower protein content than all-purpose flour, giving the cake its tender crumb.
- Buttermilk adds tang and reacts with the baking powder for a soft rise.
- Egg whites (without yolks) create a light, airy structure, perfect for a delicate cake.
- Lemon zest infuses natural oils and fragrance directly into the batter.
📜 History & Background
Lemon-flavored desserts gained popularity in Renaissance Europe, where citrus fruits were prized luxuries. In the 20th century, the American South brought lemon cake into home kitchens, often made with sour cream or buttermilk for added tenderness. This modern take balances heritage and simplicity, creating a cake that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
❤️ For the Lovers of Lemon
This cake is for the lovers of light, bright flavors — those who crave something refreshing yet indulgent. Whether paired with a cup of Earl Grey or served after dinner under soft lights, the Lemon Cream Cake is made to be shared, savored, and remembered.
✨ Conclusion
A whisper of lemon, a cloud of cream, and a soul-soft crumb — that’s the magic of Lemon Cream Cake. With its classic structure and modern twist, it’s a dessert that never goes out of style. Bake it for someone you love, or treat yourself because you deserve it.
Would you like a version filled with lemon curd or topped with berries? Or a sheet cake version for a crowd? I’d be happy to adapt it for you! 🍰💛