Lemon Velvet Cake

5 from 3 votes

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By: Jill Mills Updated: Mar 20, 2025

This Lemon Velvet Cake takes its inspiration from classic red velvet cake but with a bright, citrusy twist. It’s perfectly moist, with just the right amount of fresh lemon flavor, and topped with a luscious lemon cream cheese frosting that makes every bite delicious.

Best Lemon Velvet Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

If you love lemon, this recipe is a must-try! Lemon Velvet Cake is a citrus explosion with a moist velvety texture. It’s fairly easy to follow, even if you aren’t a seasoned baker. I promise it’s worth the effort because the flavor and texture are unmatched.

I’ve made this as a lemon birthday cake, as part of our holiday dessert spread, and just because! No matter the occasion, this recipe is a showstopper. I promise you will be obsessed with this luscious lemon cake, just like I am!

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Velvet Cake Recipe

• The ingredients are inexpensive. Despite how impressive this recipe is, it won’t break the bank. The components are affordable even on a tight budget. So, you won’t have to worry about spending a ton of extra money to pull this off.
• It’s a crowd-pleaser. I’ve never come across anyone who didn’t fall in love with this lemon velvet cake. The cake is soft and tender, and the luscious frosting is bursting with lemon flavor. 
• It’s easy to make. Don’t be intimated by all the ingredients and steps involved in this recipe. Trust me, it’s a simple recipe that anyone can pull off successfully. As long as you follow the instructions, it’s easy peasy.

What You’ll Need

I have included all of the essential ingredients needed to make this homemade lemon velvet cake and the lemon cream cheese frosting. They mostly consist of baking staples, and you can find exact measurements on the recipe card.

For the lemon cake

• Flour: You can’t make a homemade cake without flour. I use cake flour because it has less protein than all-purpose flour for a softer texture. Need it gluten-friendly? Try a gluten-free flour blend instead.
• Baking soda/powder: I use a combo of baking soda and baking powder in this recipe to help the cake rise and remain light, airy, and spongy. No one wants a dense lemon cake!
• Salt: I always add a pinch of salt to baked goods to balance the sweetness and enhance the flavors of the ingredients. 
• Sugar: I use granulated sugar for the sweetener. You don’t want to use brown sugar here because it will change the color, flavor, and texture of the cake.
• Oil/shortening: Both oil and shortening will provide the best cake texture here. I like to add shortening to ensure the cake is perfectly moist every time. Ensure you use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil for this recipe.
• Lemon zest: Fresh lemon is key to achieving the most authentic flavor! I use plenty of zest to give it that subtle citrusy taste.
• Extracts: I love the strong lemon flavor of lemon extract, so I like to use it in the cake and juice in the frosting. I also use vanilla because the subtle vanilla flavor compliments the other ingredients while bringing out the flavors.
• Eggs: This is a crucial ingredient for the cake’s structure! Ensure you have eggs before you make this cake—you can’t substitute them.
• Buttermilk: The tangy flavor of buttermilk plays well with lemon. I add it to ensure the cake is tender and moist!

For the cream cheese frosting

• Cream cheese: Ensure the cream cheese is softened before you make the frosting. This will make it easier to mix and prevent lumps.
• Butter: The same must be done for the butter! Take this and the cream cheese out at least 30 minutes before you make the frosting to give them time to soften.
• Powdered sugar: This is the perfect sweetener because it won’t add a gritty texture like granulated sugar.
• Lemon: Of course, you need lemon! I use both fresh juice and zest to give the frosting plenty of zing.
• Vanilla extract: I use clear vanilla to preserve the color of the frosting. You may also use it in the cake batter well. It keeps the frosting white with a subtle yellow hue.

How to Make Lemon Velvet Cake

Here are all of the steps needed to make a successful and delicious lemon red velvet cake. I included everything you need to make the cake batter, bake it, and prepare the homemade frosting on top.

For the cake

• Prep the oven and cake pans. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray 2 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray and lightly dust them with flour.
• Sift the flour mixture. Then, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
• Combine the wet ingredients. Beat the oil, shortening, sugar, vanilla, lemon extract, and zest in a separate bowl with an electric mixer well mixed and smooth.
• Add eggs. Next, beat the eggs into the oil mixture until they are well incorporated.
• Combine and add buttermilk. Pour the dry mixture into the egg mixture gradually and mix at low speed. Repeat this process with the buttermilk until the batter is fully mixed.

• Divide and bake. Pour half of the cake batter into each of the prepared cake pans. Put them in the oven and bake them for 28-30 minutes or until set.

For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

• Beat the cream cheese and butter. Add the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar to a small bowl. Use the electric mixer to beat the ingredients until they are smooth.
• Add lemon and vanilla. Stir in the lemon juice, zest, and vanilla extract until they are well combined and the frosting is creamy.

• Frost and assemble the layers. Generously frost each cooled layer of the cake and stack them. Finish the outside with the remaining frosting and enjoy.

Proper Storage

Store this cake covered at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. You may freeze the cake for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before enjoying it.

More Lemon Cake Recipes to Try

• Lemon Pound Cake
• Lemon Pudding Cake
• Best Lemon Cake Roll
• Lemon Dump Cake
• Lemon Curd Cake

5 from 3 votes

Lemon Velvet Cake

Lemon Velvet Cake takes it's inspiration from classic red velvet cake but with a bright, citrusy twist. It’s perfectly moist, with just the right amount of fresh lemon flavor, and topped with a luscious lemon cream cheese frosting that makes every bite delicious.

Servings: 10

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 45 minutes mins

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Ingredients

  

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• ▢ 3 cups cake flour
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 ½ cups sugar
• ▢ ⅔ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ ⅓ cup shortening (or softened butter)
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
• ▢ 2 teaspoons lemon extract
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 1 ½ cups buttermilk

Lemon Frosting

• ▢ 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• ▢ 4 ounces unsalted butter room temperature (one stick)
• ▢ 2 ¾ cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• ▢ Zest from one lemon about 1 Tablespoon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon clear vanilla

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees
• In a large bowl,  sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set the bowl aside.
• Using another large bowl, or a stand mixing bowl, beat together the oil, shortening, sugar, vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon zest.
• Once the ingredients are mixed together, beat in the eggs, until they are well combined into the batter.
• Slowly add in the flour mixture and the buttermilk, mixing at medium to low speed. The cake batter should be smooth and creamy with no lumps. Do not over mix or mix at high speed.
• Evenly divide the batter and pour into two 9-inch cake pans that have been lightly greased and floured, or lined with a circle parchment paper.
• Baked at 325 degrees for about 28 to 30 minutes. The cake will lightly spring back when touched on top. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool before frosting.

Lemon Frosting

• Beat together the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar, until they are smooth.
• Add in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Continue mixing until it is smooth and creamy.
• If the frosting is too thick, you can add a teaspoon of water at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.

Last Step:

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Notes

 

Proper Storage: this cake is best stored in the fridge for up to 4-5 days and can also be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 774kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 419mg | Potassium: 204mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 65g | Vitamin A: 720IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 1mg

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