Lemon Cake with Lemon Filling and Lemon Butter Frosting
Every bite of this Lemon Cake with Lemon Filling and Lemon Butter bursts with lemon flavor. A wonderfully moist lemon cake is layered with velvety smooth lemon curd and frosted with fresh lemon buttercream.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice & 1 t. grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 3/4 cup milk
- add a couple drops of yellow good coloring,if desired
Filling (Lemon Curd)
- 2 10 ounce Jars of Dickinson's Lemon Curd
Filling (Scratch Version)
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 1/2 c fresh lemon juice
- 1 t. cornstarch
- 6 t. butter
- 3/4 c sugar
- 4 egg yolks beaten
Frosting
- 4 c confectioners sugar
- 1 t. grated lemon zest
- 1/2 c butter softened
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 t. grated lemon zest
- add a couple drops of yellow food coloring if desired
- 2 tablespoons milk f needed to thin frosting
- chopped nuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 inch round pans. Mix together the dry ingredientsSet aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add lemon juice & zest to the milk.Beat in the eggs one at a time,stir in vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with milk, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
- To make filling: In medium saucepan, mix together 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth. Mix in 6 tablespoons butter and 3/4 cup sugar, and bring mixture to boil over medium heat. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. In small bowl, with a wire whisk, beat egg yolks until smooth. Whisk in a small amount of the hot lemon mixture. Pour the egg mixture into the sauce pan, beating the hot lemon mixture rapidly. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes, or until thick (not to boil). Pour mixture into medium bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface to keep skin from forming as it cools. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate 3 hours.
- To make frosting: In large bowl, beat confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest until smooth, and increase speed and continue to beat until light and fluffy.((add milk 1 tablespoon at a time to thin frosting if needed))
- To assemble: With long serrated knife, split each cake layer in half horizontally, making 4 layers. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Spread with half of the lemon filling. Top with another layer, and spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Add third layer, and spread with remaining half of the lemon filling. Press on final cake layer, and frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.Decorate sides of cake with nuts if desired. Refrigerate cake until serving time.
Notes
The cake is soft and fluffy. Even though it’s a moist cake, the layers are easy to work with. I spread the batter evenly in the cake pan and did not have to trim it. Of course, trimming the hump is not necessary, but to get that flat-top bakery looking cake you may want to.
This is a beautiful cake to serve at a party.
I filled the layers with lemon curd for a nice change of texture than the frosting. You can, if you prefer, use the frosting between the layers.
The lemon buttercream is sturdy enough to decorate with. I chose to use fresh flowers. I wrapped the stem with aluminum foil before arranging them in the cake.
As well, you can make two layers instead of three. I prefer three layer cakes instead of two.
I used an 8-inch cake pan. If you use a 9-inch pan, your layers will be thin and I recommend double the cake batter recipe. Bake 30 to 35 or until pick inserted in center of the layer comes out clean.
This is a beautiful cake to serve at a party.
I filled the layers with lemon curd for a nice change of texture than the frosting. You can, if you prefer, use the frosting between the layers.
The lemon buttercream is sturdy enough to decorate with. I chose to use fresh flowers. I wrapped the stem with aluminum foil before arranging them in the cake.
As well, you can make two layers instead of three. I prefer three layer cakes instead of two.
I used an 8-inch cake pan. If you use a 9-inch pan, your layers will be thin and I recommend double the cake batter recipe. Bake 30 to 35 or until pick inserted in center of the layer comes out clean.
