Lemon Velvet Cake has moist, bouncy, soft layers of lemon cake bursting with zesty flavor. It’s frosted with rich and creamy lemon buttercream.
This cake costs around $15.91 to make. The cake serves twelve for about $1.32 per serving.
If you love lemon treats as much as I do, you do not want to miss out on this Copycat Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake, Lemon Lush from Scratch, or Lemon Pudding Cookies.
Lemon Velvet Cake
Red Velvet is a favorite flavor for many of us with its undeniable buttermilk flavor. This Lemon Velvet Cake takes velvet cake’s best flavor and texture and pairs it with lemon’s light and tangy taste.
Lemon Velvet Cake is soft and fluffy, layered between sweet and tart cream cheese frosting. The citrus velvet cake has a tender crumb that is exceptionally moist. The light and airy texture creates the perfect cake.
This recipe for Lemon Velvet Cake is easy to follow and perfect for all your Spring celebrations, like Easter dinner or picnics.
Ingredients and Estimated Cost
Per Serving Cost: $1.32
Recipe Cost: $15.91
- 2 ½ cups cake flour – $1.25
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder – $0.06
- 1 + ½ teaspoon salt – $0.02
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda – $0.01
- 1 ⅔ cup granulated sugar – $0.49
- 1 cup vegetable oil – $0.50
- 2 large eggs – $0.86
- 2 large egg whites – $0.44
- 1 cup buttermilk – $0.50
- ¼ cup sour cream – $0.30
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla – $0.26
- Zest from 4 lemons – $0.16
- ⅓ cup lemon juice – $0.37
- 7 cups powdered sugar – $2.66
- 2 cups butter – $4.48
- 8 ounce cream cheese – $2.98
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon extract – $0.56
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest – $0.01
NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The recipe cost is calculated by the amounts needed for the recipe. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have. I updated the pricing for this recipe in March 2023.
How To Make Lemon Velvet Cake
***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line the bottom of the cake pans with parchment paper. Lightly spray the pans with cooking spray.
- Then, using a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Next, mix the sugar and vegetable oil in a stand mixer for about two minutes.
- Add the eggs and beat for thirty seconds.
- Then mix in the buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest.
- Next, stir in the dry ingredients, followed by the hot lemon juice.
- With the mixer running slowly, slowly add the food coloring drops until the desired color is reached.
- Pour the batter into the three prepared cake pans and bake for twenty-three minutes.
- Allow the cakes to cool after baking on wire racks for fifteen minutes before removing them from the pans to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting by first mixing together the powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, lemon extract, lemon zest, and salt. Beat until smooth.
- Color the frosting with yellow food coloring if desired.
- Next, place the first cake on a plate and add ½ cup of frosting. Smooth the frosting out with an icing spatula.
- Then, place the second cake on top and repeat the frosting process finishing with the third cake on top.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake with a smooth finish.
- Fill a piping bag with the remaining frosting and pipe a border along the top and bottom of the cake.
- Finally, cut the cake into twelve slices and serve.
Recipe Variations
- If you don’t have cake flour, you can make your own. Add 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour to a bowl. Remove 5 Tablespoons of the flour and whisk in 5 Tablespoons of cornstarch before adding it to the recipe.
- You can make a buttermilk substitute for this recipe. Add 1 cup of milk to a liquid measuring cup. Remove 2 Tablespoons of milk and whisk in 2 Tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before adding it to the recipe.
- Instead of sour cream, you can use plain or Greek yogurt.
Storage Tips
SERVE: Serve the cake alone or with vanilla ice cream or even lemon sherbet.
STORE: The cake may be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
FREEZE: Place the cake in the freezer for about an hour until it is frozen solid. Then, wrap the cake in two layers of plastic wrap and foil. You can freeze it for up to three months.
DEFROST: Unwrap the cake and defrost the cake overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for about four hours.
Recipe FAQs
A velvet cake is known for being light and fluffy with a smooth texture. Hence the name “velvet” cake.
Lemons add a tangy zest of flavor to a lot of dishes. You can use lemons for savory dishes like this Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Thighs or sweet like this Easy Lemon Sherbet. Type lemons into the search bar at the top of the website to easily access more lemon recipes. There is something for everyone and a wide variety of recipes.
I prefer to juice my lemons first if I know I will not use them all. I store the juice in Ziploc bags and store them in my freezer. Then I can pull a bag out at a time as needed.
If you do not have cake flour, do not worry! You can easily make it on your own. Follow my tutorial on making your own Cake Flour Substitute Recipe to learn how to make it quickly.
More Cakes
- White Forest Cake
- Orange Creamsicle Cake
- Strawberry Cream Cake
- Red Velvet Bundt Cake
- Best Ever Coconut Cream Cake
- Lemon Pistachio Bundt Cake
- Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake Copycat
- Black Forest Cherry Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake Roll Cake
- Easy Tres Leches Cake
Lemon Velvet Cake
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- stand mixer
- measuring cups and spoons
- liquid measuring cup
- 9-inch cake pans
- wire racks
- Icing spatula
- piping bag
Ingredients
LEMON CAKE:
- 2 ½ cups cake flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Zest from 4 lemons
- ⅓ cup lemon juice hot
- Yellow food coloring optional
LEMON FROSTING:
- 7 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups butter
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Yellow food coloring optional
Instructions
PREP OVEN AND CAKE PANS:
- Move oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line the bottom of (3) 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray.
MAKE LEMON CAKE BATTER:
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Add sugar and vegetable oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 2 minutes or until pale in color.
- Add eggs and mix for 30 seconds.
- Add buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix until combined.
- Next, add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.
- Add hot lemon juice and mix.
- While the mixer is still running, slowly add food coloring drops until desired color is reached (optional).
- Evenly distribute the batter into the 3 prepared cake pans.
BAKE AND COOL CAKES:
- Place the cake pans into the preheated oven on the middle rack and bake for 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven and place on wire cooling racks for 15 minutes. Then, remove the cakes from the pans and cool them completely on wire racks.
- While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting.
MAKE LEMON FROSTING:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, lemon extract, lemon zest, and salt.
- Beat on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- If you wish to have yellow frosting, add food coloring drops until the desired color is reached.
ASSEMBLE CAKE:
- Once the cakes are completely cool, place the first cake on a plate or cake stand and add about ½ cup of frosting. Use an icing spatula to smooth the frosting out.
- Place the 2nd cake on top and repeat the frosting process ending with the 3rd cake on top.
- Once all cakes are layered, frost the top and sides of the cake, using an icing spatula to get a smooth finish.
- Spoon the remaining frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
- Pipe a border along the top and bottom of the cake.
SERVE:
- Cut into 12 slices and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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How gorgeous is this cake? I love the flavors too. Thanks for sharing.
Whoa! This incredible looking cake is bursting with so much flavor! It’s a perfect summer cake.
I love your lemon cake! It’s perfect and it was really fun to share with friends. Gonna be making this again soon!
I love anything lemon and cannot wait to try this one! I plan on making it as an Easter dessert, but of course I’ll have to make another before then for “testing” purposes!
I loved everything about this moist and delicious cake but the best part for me was the frosting. So tasty I could have eaten it with a spoon!
Best lemon cake, ever!! Made it for Mother’s Day and everyone loved it.