🍋 Lemon Velvet Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Soft, tender, buttery, and bursting with fresh lemon flavor, this Lemon Velvet Cake is the perfect dessert for anyone who loves bright citrusy sweets. Fresh lemon juice and zest give the cake a vibrant flavor, while the silky lemon cream cheese frosting adds the perfect tangy finish.

⏱ Recipe Information

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 25–30 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: About 2 hours
Servings: 10–12
Difficulty: Easy–Medium

Ingredients

🍋 For the Lemon Velvet Cake

2½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
3 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract, optional
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

🍋 For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz (226 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
3½–4 cups (420–480 g) powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Optional Garnish

Thin lemon slices
Fresh lemon zest
Powdered sugar
Small lemon wedges

Instructions

1. Prepare the Cake Pans

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Grease and line the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.

Lightly flour the sides.

2. Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

Flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt

Set aside.

Cream the Butter and Sugar

3. Beat the Butter, Oil, and Sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar for approximately 2–3 minutes, until lighter and fluffy.

Slowly pour in the vegetable oil while continuing to mix.

The combination of butter and oil helps give this cake its particularly soft, velvety texture.

4. Add the Eggs

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the vanilla and lemon extract, if using.

Add the Lemon

5. Add Lemon Zest and Juice

Mix in the fresh lemon zest.

Add the lemon juice and mix briefly until combined.

The mixture may look slightly separated at this point—that’s perfectly fine.

Combine Everything

6. Alternate the Flour and Buttermilk

Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions.

For example:

Add ⅓ of the flour mixture
Add ½ of the buttermilk
Add another ⅓ of the flour
Add the remaining buttermilk
Add the remaining flour

Mix on low speed just until combined.

Do not overmix.

The batter should be smooth and fairly thick.

Bake

7. Divide the Batter

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.

Smooth the tops with a spatula.

Gently tap the pans on the counter once or twice to release large air bubbles.

8. Bake

Bake for approximately 25–30 minutes, or until:

The tops spring back lightly when touched.
A toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
The edges have just begun to pull away from the pan.

Don’t overbake—the goal is a soft, moist crumb.

Cool the Cakes

9. Cool in the Pans

Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for approximately 10 minutes.

Run a thin knife around the edges if needed.

Turn the cakes onto wire racks and remove the parchment.

Allow them to cool completely before frosting.

🍋 Make the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

10. Beat the Cream Cheese and Butter

Place the softened cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl.

Beat for 2–3 minutes, until completely smooth and creamy.

There should be no visible lumps.

11. Add the Powdered Sugar

Gradually add the powdered sugar, about ½ cup at a time, mixing on low speed initially.

Increase the speed and beat until fluffy.

Add:

Lemon juice
Lemon zest
Vanilla
Pinch of salt

Beat for another 1–2 minutes.

Adjust the consistency:

Too soft? Add more powdered sugar.
Too thick? Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice or milk at a time.

Assemble the Cake

12. Level the Cakes

If the cakes have domed tops, use a serrated knife to carefully level them.

Place the first cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand.

13. Add Frosting

Spread a generous layer of lemon cream cheese frosting over the top.

Place the second cake layer on top.

Press gently so the layers sit evenly.

14. Frost the Cake

Cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting.

For a rustic look, leave gentle swirls with your spatula.

For a smoother finish, use a cake scraper.

Finish

15. Garnish

Decorate with freshly grated lemon zest and a few thin lemon slices.

For an elegant finish, add a very light dusting of powdered sugar.

Refrigerate the finished cake for approximately 30 minutes before slicing to help the frosting firm up.

⭐ Chef’s Tips

Use Fresh Lemons

Fresh lemon juice and zest make a huge difference. Bottled lemon juice won’t provide the same bright flavor.

Zest Before Juicing

It’s much easier to zest whole lemons before squeezing them.

Don’t Overmix

Once the flour goes in, mix only until the ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing can make the cake dense.

Use Room-Temperature Ingredients

Room-temperature eggs, butter, buttermilk, and cream cheese combine more smoothly and produce a better texture.

Don’t Frost a Warm Cake

Even slightly warm cake can melt the cream cheese frosting. Make sure the layers are completely cool.

Chill Before Cutting

A short chill gives you cleaner slices and helps the frosting hold its shape.

🍋 Optional Lemon Syrup

For an even more intensely lemony cake, brush the warm cake layers with a simple lemon syrup.

Combine:

¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup granulated sugar

Heat gently until the sugar dissolves.

Allow it to cool slightly, then lightly brush over the cake layers before frosting.

Don’t saturate the cake—just enough to add moisture and extra lemon flavor.

🍰 Delicious Variations

Lemon Raspberry Cake

Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam between the cake layers along with the frosting.

Lemon Blueberry Cake

Fold 1 cup fresh blueberries into the batter before baking.

Coconut Lemon Cake

Add ½ cup shredded coconut to the batter and garnish the finished cake with toasted coconut.

Extra-Lemony Cake

Increase the lemon zest to 2 tablespoons and add the optional lemon extract.

Lemon Curd Layer

Add a thin layer of homemade or store-bought lemon curd beneath the cream cheese frosting.

Storage

Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the finished cake covered in the refrigerator.

Refrigerated: Up to 4–5 days.

For the best texture, let the cake sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before serving.

Freezing

The unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before assembling.

The frosted cake can also be frozen, but for the best texture, freeze the individual layers before frosting.

🍋 Recipe Summary

This Lemon Velvet Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting is soft, tender, moist, and packed with real lemon flavor.

The combination of butter and vegetable oil creates an exceptionally tender crumb, while fresh lemon juice and zest give every bite a bright citrus finish. The tangy cream cheese frosting brings everything together.

It’s sunshine in cake form—and an absolute must for lemon lovers!