Lemon Velvet Cake
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Lemon Velvet Cake. Our most popular cake to date, for its real lemon flavour and incredible light, airy texture, while still staying moist and delicious.
Before this Lemon Velvet Cake, it all started with me trying to develop the best Red Velvet Cake recipe I could.
It was such a success and I loved the moist, tender texture of that cake so much that I just had to try a White Velvet Cake and then an Orange Velvet Cake.
Those turned out to be a couple of the most popular cake recipes ever on Rock Recipes so I couldn't stop there. Keeping the lemon lovers like me in mind, a luscious lemon version was inevitable.
The creamy, tangy lemon buttercream frosting goes particularly well with this beautiful lemon cake too.
Am I done with Velvet Cake recipes yet? Maybe not, I have an idea that might work out for yet another version. Here's a clue... think pink. 🙂
Update: That pink version is now posted as Raspberry Velvet Cake!
Looking for more Velvet Cakes?
Be sure to check out all of the other recipes in the Velvet Cake Collection too!
I generally bake this cake in round 8 inch pans or 9 inch Aluminum Cake Pans but the recipe can also be made as a sheet cake in a 9 x 13 baking pan
I've found that the 9 inch pans may bake up a little quicker so be sure to check it 5 minutes early.
Depending on whether you use glass or not, the 9x13 size could take a few minutes longer. Just let the toothpick test be the final judge.
Lemon Velvet Cake as a birthday cake, anniversary cake or wedding cake.
2018 update: Since this recipe was first developed several years ago, I have heard from countless people who have made this cake for every possible occasion from an Easter Cake to a Mother's Day Cake. Wherever you find lemon lovers, this cake is sure to to be a hit.
However, I'll give one word of caution about fondant and wedding cakes. This is a very light textured cake, so if using fondant icing on a celebration cake be sure to use the thinnest layer you can.
Minimal stacking is also recommended unless you are using a weight supported stand. Too much weight can compress the light airy crumb structure of this cake.
Like this Lemon Velvet Cake recipe?
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Lemon Velvet Cake
Developed from an outstanding Red Velvet Cake recipe, this lemon cake is a perfectly moist and tender crumbed cake with a lemony buttercream frosting. An ideal birthday cake for the lemon lover in your life.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups sifted all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups sifted cake flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup vegetable shortening at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- zest of two small or one large lemons, grated and finely chopped
For the Frosting
- 4 cups icing sugar, powdered sugar
- 1 cups unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon minced lemon zest, optional
- 2 tablespoon milk, approximately
Instructions
- Grease and flour 2 nine inch round cake pans and line the bottom with 2 circles of parchment paper. Sift together both flours, baking soda. baking powder, salt and sugar, Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the vegetable oil, shortening, vanilla and lemon extract. Beat well at high speed with whisk attachment until light and fluffy
- Beat the eggs in one at a time.
- Fold in the lemon zest.
- Fold in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk.
- I always add dry ingredients in three divisions and liquid ingredients in 2 divisions. It is very important to begin and end the additions with the dry ingredients. Do not over mix the batter. As soon as it has no lumps in the batter, pour into the two prepared 9 inch cake pans.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.
To prepare the frosting
- Mix together the icing sugar, lemon zest and butter until it becomes sort of crumbly.
- Add the lemon extract and a little of the milk.
- Beat until smooth and fluffy, adding only enough milk to bring the frosting to a creamy spreadable consistency.
- Fill and frost the cake. Garnish with candied lemon zest if desired.
To make candied lemon zest
- Remove the zest with a sharp vegetable peeler in long strips, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible.
- Bring one cup of water and one cup of sugar to a slow boil.
- Add the pieces of lemon zest and boil for about 15 minutes. Drain the lemon zest on a wire rack.
- When cool, cut them in strips and roll in fine sugar.
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
Notes
Previous versions of this recipe have included twice the amount of frosting. In this recent update I've halved that to provide enough frosting for the middle and top as many people seem to prefer. If you want to frost the entire sides of the cake as well. please feel free to make one and a half or even two times the recipe. It depends on how much frosting is your personal preference.
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
Recommended Products
Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.
Nutrition Information
Yield
16Serving Size
gAmount Per Serving Calories 538Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 69mgSodium 278mgCarbohydrates 73gFiber 1gSugar 54gProtein 4g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
Made this for my 86 & 85 year old in-laws and it was a total hit! Mother in-law said it was the best lemon cake she has ever eaten.
I made this exactly as stated and the only difference I will make in the future is add a bit more lemon to the cake batter. Not that it wasn’t lemony, I just like a lot of lemon in my sweets.
Recipe is definitely a keeper!!
Thanks for sharing 🙏
Have you ever done this as cupcakes. I need to do 50 lemon cupcakes and this recipe does look great.
Yes, lots of folks make cupcakes.
Thank you so much for this wonderful lemon cake recipe! This will be my go to lemon cake from now on. It came out light as a feather, moist, and tender. Everyone loved the icing, too. I followed the recipe with the exceptions of adding fresh squeezed lemon juice from the lemons I zested to the cake batter and the frosting. I also used salted butter instead of unsalted butter for the frosting. Delicious! This lemon cake will be on the family table at holidays and gatherings. Thank you, again!!! 🙂
Love, Love, Love this light delicious cake! I'm so happy to find this recipe and it'll be my go-to lemon cake from now on. I followed the recipe except that I added a little less sugar to the cake batter, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and extra lemon zest. For the frosting, I used one stick of salted and one stick of unsalted butter, 3 cups of sugar (instead of 4) and freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest instead of milk. It's perfect - incredibly light, tangy, creamy, and sweet. My new favorite! Thank you so very much!!
Hi.
I noticed you have two lemon cake recipes. This one and the ultimate lemon one with curd. As far as cake goes, which one is your favorite
I like the light soft texture of this one best.
Hi, I am curious for the people that substituted butter for the shortening, how did the cake turn out?
Thanks!
I usually don’t comment on recipes, but I am just so impressed with how this cake came out, that I had to. I’m at 6,000 ft above sea level and cakes can be iffy, even with high altitude adjustments, but this is easily the best I’ve ever had, I decreased the sugar by about a tablespoon, the baking powder by a quarter teaspoon and increased the buttermilk and flour by 3 tablespoons to account for the high altitude and I ended up with the most perfect, moist and tender cake.. Thank you so much, you are a cake genius!
I made this cake for my mother in laws 91st birthday on Saturday. I did add more lemon extract though to the cake batter. I also added some yellow food coloring to the batter. When I made the icing I didn't like the taste at the time. I added the lemon extract to it and also squeezed some lemon juice in to it and some heavy whipping cream to thin it to a spreading consistency . Since the butter makes it a softer icing I wasn't liking the flavor all that much but I put it in the cold car ( Indiana weather) and when I cut it at the restaurant it sliced beautifully and really tasted great. I wished I had taken another piece home with me instead of sending it all home with my in laws. I also used 8 inch cake pans.
Made exactly as recipe stated turned out wo fearful, baked in a copper bakeware so needed no oil or flour on pan, when completely cooked it popped out beautifully.
Wonderful cake texture is fantastic, really like this recipe. Frosting was perfect as well
If you don't have cake flour, can you replace it regular flour and what will be the measurement of the replacement?
The cake flour ensures a soft texture. You can use the same amount of regular flour but don't expect the perfect soft crumb that the recipe normally produces.
You can make your own cake flour. Google it.
Can I use butter instead of shortening?
It will change the texture of the cake.
I ordered a slice of lemon cake at a local restaurant, and it was dry and tasteless. What a disappointment! To redeem that experience, I used this very recipe for the cake (I made a different cream cheese frosting). Yes, as promised, the cake was really tender. Thank you for helping me to make a cake that my dinner guests loved as much as I did.
Just found your recipe on line on pintrest. I would like to make this cake in 2- 9inch pans. To make sure the cake not to thin., would I need to make 1 1/2 the ingredients? If so would like to get the exact amount to use for 1-1/2 times for the ingredients.
If someone has made this cake successfulyl with 1 1/2 the ingredients, would like to get their feedback and amounts they used in making what appears to be a delicious lemon cake.
Everyone Loved this cake! I made 3 layers and did not increase the batter recipe, and reduced the cooking time to 28 minutes. For the icing increased the powdered sugar by 1 & 1/2 cups and maybe a tablespoon more milk, but did not increase the butter in the icing. It was a huge hit at the office and will become one of my go-to cakes from now on!
Thank you!
Hi! Have you ever made a key lime cake? A friend requested one and many of the recipes I’ve found use cake mix and jello. I wonder how key lime juice would taste in this recipe. 🙂
Look up the recipe for our Lime Velvet Cake.
I just made this for mini Bundt cakes. I tried one and it is so good! I think I might up the lemon a bit or maybe use a lemon oil in addition to the zest and emulsion. But the cake was soft, tender, and so good.