Lemon Velvet Cake is the perfect dessert to serve at your next party. It’s moist, sweet, and tangy with just the right amount of lemon zest. The cream cheese frosting is light and fluffy, making it an excellent complement to this decadent cake.
Lemon Velvet Cake
With a twist of lemon and a texture as smooth as velvet, you can have a delicious cake in no time. This Lemon Velvet Cake is a blend of simple kitchen ingredients and few store-bought items that can be found with ease at your local grocery store. For some other simple and quick cake recipes, you can enjoy this Caramel Apple Dump Cake or this Strawberry Pound Cake.
Ingredients
- Flour– Use cake flour for the best results.
- Baking powder– This will allow the recipe to rise in the oven.
- Salt– This will bring out the flavors in the recipe.
- Baking Soda– This will allow the ingredients to double in size.
- Sugar– Sugar is always used in the best desserts.
- Vegetable Oil– You can use canola as a substitute.
- Shortening– This will be used to keep your cake soft and moist.
- Lemon Zest– Be sure to zest your lemons before juicing them.
- Lemon Extract– Use pure lemon extract for the best flavoring.
- Vanilla– Use pure extract for the best taste.
- Eggs– Be sure to use these at room temperature.
- Buttermilk– You can use milk with a little vinegar as a substitute.
- Cream Cheese– Use softened or at room temperature.
- Butter– Use unsalted to control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Powdered Sugar– This sugar is great for homemade icing.
- Lemon Juice– Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavoring.
How to Make Lemon Velvet Cake
To start, set the oven to 325 degrees.
First, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl, and combine, then set aside.
Secondly, add the oil or shortening, sugar, vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon zest into a separate large bowl, or standing mixer bowl.
Thirdly, add in the eggs and combine until fully incorporated.
Next, gradually combine the dry ingredients and the buttermilk on medium to low speed until smooth and creamy, with no lumps. Be sure to not over mix or combine the ingredients at high speed.
In addition, you will separate the batter into two, 9-inch cake pans that have been greased lightly and floured, or lined with parchment paper.
Furthermore, you will place the cakes into the oven for 20 to 30 minutes at 325 degrees until the cake springs back lightly when touched.
Finally, take the cakes out of the oven and allow them to cool before making your frosting.
To prepare the frosting
To begin, add the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar into a mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
Next, pour in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla and combine until smooth and creamy.
Finally, as a side note, if the frosting is too thick, you can combine a little bit of water into the mixture until the desired consistency is reached.
What is a Lemon Velvet Cake?
Lemon Velvet Cake is exactly as it sounds. If you have ever had the pleasure of eating a red velvet cake, it is similar to that. The only difference for this recipe is that the main flavoring is lemon which will give a tart and tangy flavor with a smooth texture.
How to Store?
Storing the recipe at room temperature and in the fridge are your two best options. Be sure to place the cake into an airtight container for the best storage method to keep it fresh and moist. Placing the recipe in the fridge will allow longer shelf life for the cake.
More Cake Recipes:
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
- Pineapple Cake (only 6-ingredients)
- Strawberry Buttermilk Cake
- Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Cake
Lemon Velvet Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup shortening
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp lemon extract
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
Frosting Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 4 ounces unsalted butter room temperature (one stick)
- 2 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Zest from one lemon about 1 tbsp
- 1 tsp 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.
To prepare the 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.