Lemon Sour Cream Cake

A soft, rich lemon cake made with cream cheese, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest, layered and finished with a smooth homemade buttercream frosting. This cake is perfect for anyone who loves bright lemon flavor with a rich, tender crumb.

Ingredients

The Lemon Cake

• 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks softened butter
• 18 ounces cream cheese
• 2 cups of sugar
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

The Buttercream Icing

• 2 sticks softened butter
• 4 cups of powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

How to Make the Lemon Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Prepare the dry ingredients

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Cream butter and cream cheese

 In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the softened butter and cream cheese for 3 minutes.

4. Add the sugar

 Add the sugar and continue whipping for 10 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.

5. Add the eggs

Add the eggs one at a time, whipping until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.

6. Add the flavoring

 Add the vanilla extract and freshly squeezed lemon juice and mix until combined.

7. Add flour and milk

 Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until the ingredients are incorporated. Do not overmix.

8. Add the lemon zest

Fold in the lemon zest until evenly distributed.

9. Bake

Pour batter into two prepared 9-inch cake rounds. Bake at 350°F for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the cakes to cool before removing them from the pans and frosting.

How to Make the Buttercream

Place the softened butter in a stand mixer and cream for 3 minutes.

Add the powdered sugar and cream for 5 minutes.

Add heavy cream and salt. Continue creaming for 2–4 minutes, until smooth and creamy.

Once the cakes are completely cooled, frost and layer the cake as desired.

Tina’s Tips

• Use room-temperature eggs. They incorporate more easily into the batter and help create a smoother cake.
• Don’t rush the creaming process. The butter and cream cheese are whipped for a total of 13 minutes which helps create the texture of the cake.

Lemon Sour Cream Cake

A soft, rich lemon cake made with cream cheese, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest, layered and finished with a smooth homemade buttercream frosting. This cake is perfect for anyone who loves bright lemon flavor with a rich, tender crumb.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Ingredients

  

For the Lemon Sour Cream Cake

• 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks softened butter
• 18 ounces cream cheese
• 2 cups of sugar
• 4 eggs room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

For the Buttercream

• 2 sticks softened butter
• 4 cups of powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

 

For the Lemon Sour Cream Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Prepare the dry ingredients

• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and cream cheese

• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the softened butter and cream cheese for 3 minutes.

Add the sugar

• Add the sugar and continue whipping for 10 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.

Add the eggs

• Add the eggs one at a time, whipping until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Add the flavoring

• Add the vanilla extract and freshly squeezed lemon juice and mix until combined.

Add flour and milk

• Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until the ingredients are incorporated. Do not overmix.

Add the lemon zest

• Fold in the lemon zest until evenly distributed.

Bake

• Pour batter into two prepared 9-inch cake rounds. Bake at 350°F for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cakes to cool before removing them from the pans and frosting.

For the Buttercream Frosting

• 2 sticks softened butter
• 4 cups of powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

How to Make the Buttercream

• Place the softened butter in a stand mixer and cream for 3 minutes.
• Add the powdered sugar and cream for 5 minutes.
• Add heavy cream and salt. Continue creaming for 2–4 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
• Once the cakes are completely cooled, frost and layer the cake as desired.