(Update: For those of who don’t have access to frozen lemonade concentrate, I suggest making a simple syrup by dissolving sugar in equal part water, and then flavor the syrup with fresh lemon zest and lemon juice. If you don’t have access to buttermilk, you can make it with ingredients in your kitchen. The general formula is to use 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar and then add enough milk to make 1 cup. Make extra so that you have enough for the 1 1/4 cups buttermilk called for in this recipe.)
Lemons. Their bright, tangy flavor and fresh scent evoke memories of roadside lemonade stands and summer games of Kick the Can and Capture the Flag. Apparently I was craving this freshness back in January when I made Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce with Chicken, Green Beans & Red Peppers. Wishful thinking. This cake from Cooking Light Magazine has been an enduring member of my dessert repertoire for years, and for good reason. The dense cake is made moist with the addition of buttermilk and the flavor of lemon is infused throughout, with the help of lemonade concentrate and grated lemon zest. The only change I made to the original recipe was to increase the icing by half. Call me picky, but I like the icing to fully cover the cake. It is ironic, perhaps, that the day after I made this cake, we received the biggest snowfall of the year. Even as the t-shirts were folded and put back into the drawers for several more weeks, we were grateful to have the taste of spring waiting for us in the fridge.
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.
Laura says
I see a definite Top 9 in your future with this one… just wow!
-Laura
Amanda aka Hannahbanana says
Ah lemonade….I used to dream it came out of the faucets and fountains when I was a kid…well now too actually. I am obsessed with lemonade. This cake makes me crazy…can't wait to make it. Love that its fat reduced!!!! 🙂
alison says
it looks so good and the lemon flavour is one my favorites!
Brisbane Baker says
Wow, definitely created a nice image in my head describing spring coming early..
Lovely cake, reminds me of the smell of the lemon tree I have outback 🙂
http://www.brisbanebaker.blogspot.com
Sandie {Inn Cuisine} says
What perfect timing! I've had lemonade on the brain lately (must be subconsciously pushing for spring/summer) and this looks like just the dessert to satisfy my cravings. I'll be giving this one a shot, perhaps for our Easter dinner!
Barbara says
Great recipe, will have to try it out, that icing looks delicoius. yummy.
pegasuslegend says
what a gorgeous cake, looks so creamy. Lemon is one of my favorites~ thanks for the printable feature this is diffinitely one for my cookbook~
Jessica @ How Sweet says
Looks so delicious and refreshing! Perfect for Spring.
Barbara Bakes says
I haven't tried using lemonade concentrate in a cake before. What a great idea!
alwayshungry says
There's no such thing as frozen lemonade concentrate nor fat free buttermilk where I live but I'll have to work out something to try this recipe!
It looks delicious.
bunkycooks says
Things just sounds like Springtime! Very pretty cake! It is a nice change from all the heavy desserts from the colder months with less calories!
Mum in Bloom says
This really looks delicious and simple to make. Would be great to eat one while looking out on this grey day and get that "taste" of summer, eh? Thanks for the inspiration 🙂 Love your blog.
Maria says
This cake reminds me of summer! I can't wait!
Kalyn says
Great photo of the cake; it looks absolutely delicious! I bet if you took this cake to a party everyone would have to have a piece (even if they were on the South Beach Diet and didn't normally eat sugar!)
Judy says
As soon as I saw the title, I knew this was going to be one or me! Like alwayshungry, we can't get frozen lemonade concentrate – so when you come up witha substitute, AH, please let me know! Any ideas, Dara? It looks absolutely yummy.
Chris says
Yum! This is a perfect post as the sun shines here (although I think its chilly outside – no biggy). Makes me want spring here….now! 😉
Cookin' Canuck says
Thanks for all of the positive comments!
For those who asked about buttermilk and frozen lemonade concentrate substitutes, please see the Update at the top of the post.
Tia says
beautiful! The lemon twist garnish on top is lovely and I bet this is an awesome, moist cake.
Biren says
This would be great for afternoon tea. Nice picture.
Chef E says
Not many people know that trick of making buttermilk, but growing up in the south my grandmother taught my mom…we also made simple syrup to make home made lemonade!
I am all about citrus desserts and this is making me want to get busy baking!
Vegetable Matter says
Your cake really does feel summery. I think our boys would love it. It's definitely heating up here too — I actually got sun-burned this weekend working in the garden if you can believe it. A week earlier, temps were in the 30's. Crazy!
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) says
Lemon is the one flavor that manages to cut right through winter, and a cake like this one would brighten up any day. Love the photo, too; my mouth is watering.
Rachael says
I can totally relate to your husband! I grew up in Southern California (and live there again now), but did my undergrate degree in Utah. During the winter you could often find me wearing flip flops. All that winter clothing is uncomfortable! 🙂 This cake looks wonderful–I LOVE lemon anything, so I know I'd love it!
Memória says
Wow. This cake looks so yummy and refreshing. I must try this out this summer!! Thanks for the process photos.
Divina Pe says
Lemon is one of my favorite ingredients. This cake is surely a winner.
Miranda says
mmmhh….Can you cut me a HUGE slice? PLEAAAASE! LOL
Alanna Kellogg says
Isn't early spring just perfect for lemon? I actually have a two-year old partial container of frozen limeade in the freezer, maybe lime is on the St Patrick's Day menu, it's 'green' after all!
Tasty Eats At Home says
Wow this looks good. I'm all about lemon desserts.
Bob says
That looks amazing, I love lemon cake.
You know, despite what that groundhog saw, we're in spring here in Boston. It's kind of weird.
Diana Bauman says
Oh wow Dara! I'm going to try this recipe out. I wonder how it would hold up as a wedding cake? HMM… Maybe some tweaks but these flavors look amazing 😀
Judy says
Thanks for the info re substitutes, Dara – we have a houseful this weekend and this is definitely on the menu. Yippee!
Trix says
Even though this cake is so rich and moist with the buttermilk it somehow seems like it would be light and refreshing. I bet it smells out of this world.
Laura says
Wow this seems like just right spring day treat! I'm going to try dying the cake and icing green for st. patty's!
thanks!
Angie says
yummy cake! love the plate too, I have one exactly like it!
That's Ron says
yummo!
LaraB Adventures in Scrapping says
I'm new to the site, found you through the BlogHer network which I also just discovered! wonderful website, and he Lemonade Cake sounds like the perfect things for our upcoming Easter Dinner – Lemon just sings spring!!
I'll be back =)
LaraB Adventures in Scrapping says
I'm new to the site, found you through the BlogHer network which I also just discovered! wonderful website, and he Lemonade Cake sounds like the perfect things for our upcoming Easter Dinner – Lemon just sings spring!!
I'll be back =)
BeeACooker says
So glad to see a lemonade cake recipe without cake mix! Looking forward to trying this!
Foodessa says
First time on your blog.
The title got me interested…and the lemons hit the spot on your recipe.
I'm saving it to try at a later time.
Thanks for sharing,
Flavourful wishes, Claudia