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–+ servings
A lemon cake decorated with lemon buttercream.

Zesty Lemon Cake with Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Author: Veena Azmanov
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Calories: 563kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 12 servings

Description

This light and refreshing butter-based zesty lemon cake is surprisingly easy and simple to make. Takes no more than 10 minutes to mix and 25 minutes to bake. Frosted with lemon flavored Swiss meringue buttercream and some pretty yellow ruffles. Ideal for a weeknight dessert with a lighter cream cheese frosting or can be made into a celebration cake for a birthday, anniversary or wedding with fondant and more. 

Ingredients 

Cake

  • 6 oz (170 g) unsalted Butter (1 ½ stick) room temperature
  • 1 ½ cup (200 g) All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup (200 g) White Sugar divided
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • 3 large Eggs
  • ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) Milk
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoon Sour Cream
  • ½ teaspoon Lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 2 drops Yellow Gel food color

For the lemon frosting

  • ¼ cup Lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon Lemon extract
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest optional
  • 2 - 4 drops Lemon yellow food gel colors

Extra

Frosting

Instructions

Prepare

  • Preheat the oven at 160 °C / 320 °F.
  • Grease and line two 6-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  • Sift together - flour, baking powder, baking soda, zest, and salt.

Whip eggs

  • Break eggs in a mixer, add cream of tartar - start whipping on medium-low speed
  • Gradually add about ½ cup sugar (use approx. measure for sugar).
  • Once all sugar is in whip until light and foamy - ribbon stage.
  • Add sour cream, vanilla, and lemon juice and extract
  • Remove eggs and Set aside.

Cream the batter

  • Working quickly - using the same mixer bowl (no need to wash)
  • Cream butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add flour and milk in three batches. The mixture will be dense at this stage.
  • Combine ⅓ of the whipped egg mixture vigorously so it loosens the batter.
  • FOLD the rest of the egg mixture with a spatula by hand.
  • Add yellow food gel color

Bake

  • Divide batter equally into the baking pans.
  • I prefer to use baking strips to avoid a dome.
  • Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes clean
  • Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
  • After 10 minutes invert onto a cooling rack.

Lemon frosting

  • Prepare your choice of buttercream/frosting- then add the lemon juice, zest, and extract.

Decorate

  • Once cooled - cut off any dome on the cake to level them
  • Moisten each layer with simple syrup
  • Spread buttercream and sandwich the two layers
  • Add yellow gel food color to the remaining buttercream
  • Crumb coats or spread a little buttercream around the cake. (this helps seal the crumbs)
  • Chill the cake if necessary for 10 to 15 minutes so the layers won't move.
  • Put buttercream in a piping bag with a 104 or rose piping tip nozzle
  • Pipe around the cake in a zig-zag upwards motion holding the piping bag vertical against the cake.

Recipe Notes

Storage

  • The cake will stay fresh for up to four days at cool room temperature, longer if kept in the fridge.
  • It can be frozen for a month or more.

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

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