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Lemon Velvet Cake

This delicious made from scratch cake is the perfect start to Spring baking. The layers of the cake start with dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then add wet ingredients including buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon zest before mixing until combined. Next the batter is poured into 2 cake pans. After baking and cooling a homemade lemon cream cheese frosting is made. The cake is assembled and frosted then refrigerated until ready to serve.
Course Dessert
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Servings 12 people

Ingredients

Cake

  • 2 ½ cups AP flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¾ cup butter softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 large egg whites room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream cheese frosting

  • 24 oz cream cheese softened (3 blocks)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 8 cups powdered sugar
  • Lemon zest optional garnish

Instructions

Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour 2 9-inch round cake pans. Additionally line the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined.
  3. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and using an electric mixer on low speed, mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  4. Whisk together the egg, egg whites, buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla in a separate bowl.
  5. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing on medium speed until the batter is well combined.
  6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
  7. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting

  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, vanilla, lemon juice and butter together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
  2. Gradually add in the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed after each addition until fully incorporated.

Assembly

  1. Place one cake layer on a flat surface. Slice off dome tops if needed.
  2. Spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting over the top of the first cake layer.
  3. Carefully place the second layer on top.
  4. Frost the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Decorate with lemon zest if desired.
  5. Store the cake in the refrigerator until ready to s