Lemonade Layer Cake Recipe

The cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer, combine 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons softened butter, 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind, 3 tablespoons thawed lemonade concentrate, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until well combined and fluffy.

Add 2 large eggs and 2 large egg whites, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.

Beat flour mixture and 1 1/4 cup fat-free buttermilk into the butter mixture, a little bit at a time, alternating between the two. Begin and end with the flour mixture.

Spray two (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Divide the batter between the two pans and sharply tap each pan on the counter. This will help to remove air bubbles.

Bake the cakes for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes on a wire rack, in the pans, for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan by inverting the pans onto the wire rack. Cool completely on rack.

The icing:

In the bowl of a mixer, beat together 3 tablespoons softened butter, 3 teaspoons grated lemon rind, 3 teaspoons thawed lemonade concentrate, 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 12 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese on high speed until fluffy. Add 5 1/4 cups powdered sugar and beat on low speed just until combined. Chill for 1 hour.

Putting it together:

Place 1 layer of cake on a serving plate or cardboard cake round. Spread 3/4 cup icing on top of the cake layer.

Place the second cake layer on top. Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of icing on the sides and top of the cake. This is a crumb coat and will help to keep the crumbs in place when spreading on the rest of the icing.

Place in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

Remove the cake from the fridge and, using an offset spatula, spread the rest of the icing over the sides and top of cake. Loosely cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Other lemon cake recipes:

Use Real Butter’s Triple Layer Lemon Cake
Smitten Kitchen’s Poppy Seed Lemon Cake
Gluten-Free Goddess’ Lemon Yogurt Cake
Baking Obsession’s Lemon Cake with Lemon Mascarpone Filling & Summer Berries
Sunday Nite Dinner’s Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Lemonade Layer Cake
From Cooking Light Magazine

Cake:
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
6 tbsp butter, softened
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
3 tbsp thawed lemonade concentrate
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cup fat-free buttermilk

Icing:
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3 tsp grated lemon rind
3 tsp thawed lemonade concentrate
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
12 oz. 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
5 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer, combine granulated sugar, butter, lemon rind, lemonade concentrate, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until well combined and fluffy. Add eggs and egg whites, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Beat flour mixture and buttermilk into the butter mixture, a little bit at a time, alternating between the two. Begin and end with the flour mixture.

Spray two (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Divide the batter between the two pans and sharply tap each pan on the counter. This will help to remove air bubbles.

Bake the cakes for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes on a wire rack, in the pans, for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan by inverting the pans onto the wire rack. Cool completely on rack.

Icing:
In the bowl of a mixer, beat together butter, lemon rind, lemonade concentrate, vanilla extract, and cream cheese on high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed just until combined. Chill for 1 hour.

Putting it together:
Place 1 layer of cake on a serving plate or cardboard cake round. Spread 3/4 cup icing on top of the cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top. Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of icing on the sides and top of the cake. This is a crumb coat and will help to keep the crumbs in place when spreading on the rest of the icing.

Remove the cake from the fridge and, using an offset spatula, spread the rest of the icing over the sides and top of cake. Loosely cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 12.

Printable recipe