When life throws you Lemons…. Make [{the most delicious}] LEMON CAKE !!
Hello from India !!!! It’s been just over a few hours since I landed… with jet lag kicking in and having an entire night ahead of me , thought why not share this delicious lemon cake recipe with my readers !
I used this cake recipe for my daughter’s yellow themed second birthday cakes (made her two) and it was another hit… one of the guests mentioned that it was by far my best cake recipe! Hooraah!! 🙂
This cake has a hint of zest that balances the sweetness of the frosting giving a fresh new taste! The citrus zest is achieved with a fresh grated lemon peel, a suggestion from my neighbor… thank you Diedri !!!!
I torted the two cake layers in half to create 4 layers. Filled these cake layers alternately with lemon cream cheese frosting and lemon curd as shown in the picture collage above.
The cream cheese frosting alternated with the lemon curd in combination with this lemon cake…. such a heavenly combination !……and look how moist the cake appears!
So don’t wait !! Celebrate your weekend with this delicious cake recipe and take some left overs to your colleagues to help them beat Monday blues !!!!
- Thula's White Cake Mix (click for recipe)
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 250g Granulated Sugar
- 3 whole eggs (or Ener G Egg Replacer equivalent to 3 eggs)
- 3/4 cup Buttermilk (beat yogurt and milk together)
- 1/2 cup Oil
- 1 tsp Lemon Essence
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 1 1/2 cup/3 sticks Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
- 100 g Vegetable Shortening
- 200 g Cream Cheese (softened)
- 1 1/2 tsp Lemon Essence
- 500 g Confectioners Sugar
- For the Topping
- A thin slice of lemon slit in center
- Freshly grated peel from one large lemon
- Pre-heat oven to 320F
- Mix the lemon juice, water and sugar together, and heat on high flame or microwave until the sugar completely dissolves. keep this aside.
- Add the rest of the wet ingredients to a kitchen mixing bowl and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the previously made "hot sugar syrup" slowly along the side of the bowl. continue mixing for another 30 seconds.
- Stop, add the sifted Cake Mix. Mix at medium speed for 60 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides and continue mixing for another 60-90 seconds at low speed until it becomes a smooth batter.
- Split batter evenly into two 8 *3 inch cake pans and bake at 320F for 45 minute
- Add the cream cheese, shortening and butter to a mixing bowl and mix at high speed for 5 minutes.
- Add the Essence and reduce speed to low. Add sugar 1/2 cup at a time.
- Once you have added all the sugar mix at high speed for 7-10 minutes until a smooth velvety frosting forms.
- Apply a dab of icing on an 8 inch cake board and Place the first torted cake layer (this will secure the cake to the board). spread a thin layer of frosting on this layer.
- Place the second cake layer. Fill this layer with lemon curd and a half portion of the grated lemon peel.
- Place the third cake later and again apply a thin layer of frosting.
- Place the fourth and final layer. Apply frosting tinted in desired food gel coloring. I did an ombre of yellow (I can prepare a tutorial if you are interested, leave a request in comments)
- Top the cake by sprinkling with remaining lemon grating and serve !
- g- gram
- tsp- teaspoon
- You can use margarine in place of shortening.
- Generous serving feeds 8 people. Party serving feeds 14- 24 as per the Wilton serving chart
- Use the right utensils for measuring your wet and dry ingredients.
- 10 steps to succeed in baking- Follow my 10 guided steps with linked tutorials to achieve perfect soft and tender cakes!
Hope you enjoyed this recipe …. if yes, please share and leave a comment Below, TIA !
Watch more recipe videos in YouTube and join the community !
With Baking Love,
Thula
Maria newnwes
October 9, 2016
Please keep me updated also let me know how you did the inner effect on the lemon cake.
Thanks
Maria
Thulashitha RD
October 9, 2016
Sure Maria ! 🙂
Roy Miller
October 9, 2016
Lemon is one of our family favorites. I cannot wait to make this for the holidays!
Thulashitha RD
October 9, 2016
It is one of my favorites too! I cant wait to know how it turned out … keep me posted 🙂
Pipli
October 9, 2016
Gorgeous bake.. would love to know about the yellow ombre effect in detail. so vibrant !
Thulashitha RD
October 9, 2016
Thank you Pipli !
Katie
October 9, 2016
Love this cake! The yellow hues are so pretty and lemon is one of our family favorites.
Thulashitha RD
October 9, 2016
thank you Katie ! 🙂
Paige Strand
October 9, 2016
I love this, such beautiful colours! I’ve sent this to my mom for my birthday 🙂
Thulashitha RD
October 9, 2016
Thank you Katie . Happy Birthday to you! 🙂
Dionna Chambers
October 9, 2016
Looks delicious. I love how thorough you are in your recipe and in your photos!
Thulashitha RD
October 10, 2016
Thank you Dionna ! 🙂
Kim Smith
October 10, 2016
Lemon cakes are one of my favorites and this looks awesome. Layer cakes make the best presentation so I need to try this asap.
Thulashitha RD
October 10, 2016
Thank you Kim ! 🙂
Renee @ The Good Hearted Woman
October 10, 2016
What a beautiful presentation! If this cake tastes half as good as it looks, I have got to make it asap!
Thulashitha RD
October 10, 2016
Thank you Renee ! please do try out the recipe and let me know how it turned out…
Lisa Chase
October 10, 2016
This might just be the most cheerful, beautiful cake ever!!
Thulashitha RD
October 10, 2016
Aww… thank you Lisa, that’s very kind of you 🙂
Indika
October 10, 2016
So summery!
Thulashitha RD
October 10, 2016
perfect for India 😉 !
Sarita Fernandes D'Souza
October 12, 2016
Please could you post the tutorial too. Also wanted to know if we can use almond essence instead od extract. Should the sugar syup be hot when mixing with the wet ingredients. TIA.
Thulashitha RD
October 12, 2016
Hello Sarita, yes the sugar syrup needs to be hot, not boiling. yes you can use essence instead of extract. sure will keep your request in mind !
Amanda
October 12, 2016
Lemon desserts are my favorite!! Thanks for sharing! Xo
Thulashitha RD
October 12, 2016
Anytime Amanda !
Zeba
October 12, 2016
It is a very beautiful cake. Please do teach us icing too…
Thulashitha RD
October 12, 2016
Thank you Zeba, i will put a tutorial together. thanks !
Preet
October 14, 2016
Please share the tutorial of how u usef gel icing to give shades of yellow
Thulashitha RD
October 14, 2016
I sure will put together a tutorial Preet!
Lauryn
October 15, 2016
This cake is absolutely beautiful!
http://Www.lauryncakes.com
Mari Tuten
October 15, 2016
YUM!!!!!
Mamaguru
October 16, 2016
Gorgeous cake!! My favorite flavor is lemon. Hands down!!
lakshmi
October 27, 2016
Awwwww…its ssoooooo beautiful and yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm thulasitha <3 Can i replace the eggs with ur flax gel recipe?
Thulashitha RD
October 27, 2016
Yes you can !
Okuneh Martha
March 9, 2020
I just read your cake recipe article and would love to give it a try but a video tutorial would be much appreciated please. Thanks.
Gourmetads Gourmetads
January 10, 2021
yes! please subscribe to my youtube channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJn8K1ncMCHF-R_KIwddXhw
i have a video coming up soon.
Thula's Cake Lab
February 10, 2021
Thanks for the feedback! I have a video coming up. Do check my youtube channel out – https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCJn8K1ncMCHF-R_KIwddXhw