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    Home » Recipes » Cake Recipes

    Lemon Buttermilk Cake

    Published: Jun 26, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

    1.1K shares
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    5 from 90 votes
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    pinterest images for lemon buttermilk cake

    This simple southern Lemon Buttermilk Layer Cake is a classic dessert that is perfect for the spring and summer months. Light and fluffy with a tangy lemon cream cheese frosting, it’s a delightfully refreshing dessert that your friends and family will love!

    slice of lemon buttermilk cake on white plate with fork

    This delicious cake is perfect for the lemon lovers in your household, and although I don’t make it often enough, it’s one of my all-time favorite cake recipes.

    If you love lemon desserts, my Lemon Cheesecake and Lemon Gelato are must-try recipes!

    decorated whole lemon buttermilk cake

    Lemon desserts always seem so refreshing and the lemon flavor makes a delicious after-dinner treat. It’s the perfect cake for dinner parties, brunch or showers.

    Table of Contents:

    • What ingredients do I need to make a Lemon Buttermilk Cake?
    • How do I make a Lemon Buttermilk Cake?
    • How to make lemon cream cheese frosting
    • How to assemble a lemon buttermilk cake
    • Recipe FAQ’s
    • More Cake Recipes You’ll Love!
    • Lemon Buttermilk Cake
      • Ingredients
        • Lemon Cake
        • Cream Cheese Frosting
        • Assembly
      • Instructions
        • Lemon Cake
        • Cream Cheese Frosting:
        • Assembly
      • Nutrition

    What ingredients do I need to make a Lemon Buttermilk Cake?

    ingredients to make recipe

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Lemon Buttermilk Cake. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

    Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    How do I make a Lemon Buttermilk Cake?

    collage showing how to start making the recipe
    • Place the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl,
    • Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until well blended and a pale yellow in color (4-5 minutes).
    • Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, fresh lemon juice, vanilla extract, and lemon extract together in a bowl and set aside until needed.
    • In another mixing bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.

    *Buttermilk and eggs should be at room temperature.

    collage showing how to finish the batter.
    • Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix in until just combined.
    • Add in half of the buttermilk mixture and combine.
    • Repeat this process until all of the flour and milk have been added in, adding the lemon zest with the last addition of the flour.
    • Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl during the process to make sure everything is mixed in.
    collage showing unbaked cakes and baked cakes
    • Divide the cake batter among the three prepared pans.
    • Bake at 350 for 25 -30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes sit in the pans for 5 minutes and then remove them from the pans and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

    *Allow layers to cool completely before assembly and frosting.

    How to make lemon cream cheese frosting

    collage showing how to make the cream cheese frosting
    • Place the butter and cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl)
    • Beat together butter and cream cheese until creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
    • Add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt
    • Mix until just combined. Don’t be tempted to overwhip at this stage.
    • Slowly mix in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time until you have the desired consistency for the frosting.
    • beat mixture until smooth and creamy. Don’t over-mix!

    How to assemble a lemon buttermilk cake

    collage showing how to assemble the cake
    • Place the first layer of cake upside down on a cake stand or serving plate. Add about 1 cup of the cream cheese frosting to the layer and spread it evenly on top of the cake.
    • Place the second layer of cake right side up onto the frosted layer. Repeat the process from the first layer. Add the final layer of the cake with the pan side down, onto the frosted cake layers. Top with cream cheese frosting, creating a thicker layer. Add a very light layer of frosting on the sides as a crumb coat.
    • When the crumb coat has dried finish frosting the sides of the cake and using a pastry bag add swirls of frosting around the outside edge of the top of the cake. This is optional.
    • Add a ring of lemon slices cut in half around the outside of the bottom of the cake for decoration. This is optional.
    slice of lemon buttermilk being taken out of whole cake

    There is something special about Southern Style Cakes; the overall flavor and texture is what all cakes should aspire to. Wouldn’t your friends and family love to sit down to a slice of this delicious Lemon Buttermilk Cake?

    Recipe FAQ’s

    What does buttermilk do to a cake?

    Buttermilk acts as a tenderizer of sorts, helping to make cakes and baked goods moist right from the start.
    Buttermilk is tangy, and although you might not notice its flavor in a buttermilk cake, it keeps the cake from being too sweet and gives it a rich, buttery taste.
    Buttermilk also helps the cake rise.

    What is a crumb coat?

    A crumb coat is a very thin layer of frosting used to seal in the cake’s moisture and provide an even base for the additional frosting. Allow the crumb coat to dry and you’ll be able to finish frosting the cake without any visible cake crumbs.

    How long will this cake last?

    Sitting out at room temperature, this cake will last 3 days. Refrigerated the cake will last for 7-10 days in the refrigerator. Make sure the cake is well covered.

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    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    slice of lemon buttermilk being taken out of whole cake
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    5 from 90 votes

    Lemon Buttermilk Cake

    This simple southern Lemon Buttermilk Layer Cake is a classic dessert that is perfect for the spring and summer months. Light and fluffy with a tangy lemon cream cheese frosting, it's a delightfully refreshing dessert that your friends and family will love!
    Prep Time30 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Resting Time30 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 16
    Calories: 631kcal

    Ingredients

    Lemon Cake

    • 8 oz butter
    • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
    • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 4 teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 3 large eggs room temperature
    • 1 ½ cups buttermilk room temperature
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon lemon extract
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • 8 ounces butter softened
    • 12 ounces cream cheese room temperature
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • 5-6 cups powdered sugar

    Assembly

    • 2 lemons cut into slices for garnish – optional
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Lemon Cake

    • Grease three 9-inch pans with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
    • Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until well blended and a pale yellow in color (4-5 minutes).
    • Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and lemon extract together in a bowl and set aside until needed.
      *Eggs and buttermilk should be at room temperature
    • In another mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
    • Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix in until just combined.
    • Add in half of the milk mixture and combine. Repeat this process until all of the flour and milk have been added in, adding the lemon zest with the last addition of the flour.
    • Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl during the process to make sure everything is mixed in.
    • Divide the batter among the three prepared pans.
    • Bake at 350 for 25 -30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
    • Let the cakes sit in the pans for 5 minutes and then remove them from the pans and transfer the layers to a wire rack to cool.
      *Allow layers to cool completely before assembly and frosting.

    Cream Cheese Frosting:

    • In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer beat together butter and cream cheese until creamy, 2-3 minutes.
    • Add lemon juice, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt and mix until just combined,
    • Slowly mix in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time until you have the desired consistency for the frosting.

    Assembly

    • Place the first layer of cake upside down on a cake stand or serving plate. Add about 1 cup of frosting to the layer and spread it evenly on top of the cake.
    • Place the second layer of cake right side up onto the frosted layer. Repeat the process from the first layer.
    • Add the final layer of the cake with the pan side down, onto the frosted cake layers. Top with cream cheese frosting, creating a thicker layer.
    • Add a very light layer of frosting on the sides of the cake to act as a crumb coat.
    • When the crumb coat has dried finish frosting the sides of the cake.
    • Using a pastry bag add swirls of frosting around the outside edge of the top of the cake. This is optional.
    • Add a ring of lemon slices cut in half around the outside of the bottom of the cake for decoration. This is optional.
    • Refrigerate the cake for at least one hour before serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 631kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 182mg | Potassium: 236mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 58g | Vitamin A: 1085IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

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    About Chef Dennis

    Picture of Chef Dennis

    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

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    1. Stacy

      September 01, 2023 at 8:26 am

      Could I make these as cupcakes instead of layered cake for a work function?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        September 01, 2023 at 8:55 am

        hi Stacy, yes you can definitely make cupcakes out of the recipe. The recipe should make 24 cupcakes.

        Reply
    2. Rebecca

      May 14, 2023 at 1:40 pm

      Hi Chef,

      Can you please post what decorating tip you used to make the pretty ruffled decoration on top of the cake? I made your cake and the flavor of the cake and the icing were very, very good. I decorated the cake with 3 colors of icing (pale yellow, white and pale green) for the ombré look and finished the edges with a cake comb. It was very pretty. Next time, I would like to top it with the pretty, ruffled decoration shown in your photo. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        May 14, 2023 at 7:52 pm

        A 2D tip from Wilton was used to decorate the top of the cake. It takes a little practice but there not difficult to make.

        Reply
    3. Hayley Dhanecha

      April 03, 2023 at 3:59 am

      5 stars
      What a beautiful cake that represents spring! I’ve never baked a cake using butter milk, but your cake was easy to make and so very delicious!

      Reply
    4. Tammy

      April 02, 2023 at 11:48 pm

      5 stars
      What a gorgeous cake, Dennis! I’ve never had a buttermilk cake before but it was so soft and delicious…a perfect spring dessert!

      Reply
    5. Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer

      April 02, 2023 at 6:53 pm

      5 stars
      My lemon tree is producing like crazy and this recipe is such a great way to use up the lemons! So moist and delicate! We loved it!

      Reply
    6. Enriqueta E Lemoine

      April 02, 2023 at 4:09 pm

      5 stars
      Recipe saved for next week, Chef. I’m a big fan of your desserts. Thanks for the inspiration.

      Reply
    7. Elaine

      April 02, 2023 at 11:24 am

      5 stars
      Such a fabulous cake to make for any special occasion. It was a big hit with my family. Loving it! 😉

      Reply
    8. Veronika

      March 31, 2023 at 12:18 pm

      5 stars
      We loved the tangy lemon frosting! The cake was light and fluffy and not overly sweet which I appreciate!

      Reply
    9. Sean

      March 29, 2023 at 3:19 pm

      5 stars
      I love using buttermilk whenever I make a cake and this lemon buttermilk cake is fantastic. I just happened to have everything on hand.

      Reply
    10. Kathryn

      March 29, 2023 at 11:23 am

      5 stars
      This buttermilk cake was so moist and packed with refreshing lemon flavor. Can’t wait to make this again this weekend for my family. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

      Reply
    11. Bernice

      March 27, 2023 at 2:34 pm

      5 stars
      Oh, hello there! Did someone say cake?
      I couldn’t resist the lemon buttermilk flavour in this cake and had to bake it up for myself. It had such a nice texture and flavour. A blue ribbon recipe!

      Reply
    12. Susan

      March 06, 2023 at 10:17 am

      5 stars
      Made this cake exactly according to the recipe and it turned out great! Everybody loved it.

      Reply
    13. Maryanne

      February 26, 2023 at 11:58 am

      Have you tried the reverse creaming method on this recipe? Any thoughts?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        February 26, 2023 at 11:59 am

        I have not used that method, but I have a friend that is a professional baker, and she uses that method often.

        Reply
    14. Dianne Wolf

      January 31, 2023 at 10:12 am

      Instead of using 3 round pans, can I use a 13 by 9 pan?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        January 31, 2023 at 10:44 am

        The batter will be too much for a 13×9 pan. You’ll have almost enough to make two of those size cakes.

        Reply
    15. Lisa

      July 05, 2022 at 9:57 pm

      5 stars
      My family loved your lemon cake! It was the hit of our 4th of July party!

      Reply

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    My name is Dennis Littley or “Chef Dennis” as I’m known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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