Triple Lemon Cake
Fluffy, lemony cake filled with tart lemon curd and frosted in triple lemon buttercream. With the right balance of sweet and tart, this cake is not just for lemon lovers!
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Why this recipe works
To get a bold lemon flavor from actual lemons, I used a vegetable peeler to peel large bits of lemon zest (no white pith) and steeped that with my milk overnight (probably about 12 or so hours). This infuses a lot of lemon flavor into the milk. I also combined room temperature lemon juice with my room temperature lemon-infused milk, creating a super lemony buttermilk. This is done just before adding the milk to the batter so that it doesn’t get chunky. Finally, pulsing the sugar with grated lemon zest serves the dual purpose of releasing the oils from the zest and also getting it to a very fine texture that won’t be noticed in the cake. This way, you can use enough to actually taste the lemon! I also love that this cake uses butter to create a fluffy texture with just a bit of oil to maintain moisture. It stays both fluffy and soft for days!
To top off this amazing cake, I used my triple lemon buttercream and my tart and creamy lemon curd. The lemon curd filling is one of my favorites. It’s simple yet bright and lemony. And I used just enough egg and butter to make it smooth and super creamy. The buttercream actually uses a bit of curd, which reduces how much work you need to do. It combines curd, lemon juice, and lemon zest. It’s the only thing I’ve found that creates a super lemony frosting that’s still smooth and sturdy.
Together, these flavors make the ultimate lemony-lemon cake!
Key ingredients
Whole milk. You can use lowfat milk, but don’t use skim. You could also use coconut milk or cream, as long as it’s not separated. I’m unsure if other milk alternatives would work, so let me know if you do try them!
Fresh lemons. You’ll need several. You’ll be using peeled and grated zest as well as lemon juice. You’ll need more zest than juice, meaning you’ll have some zested lemons that you won’t juice. But I love saving this to use in cooking or to add to iced tea!
Cake flour. I usually make my own. For this recipe you’ll need 1/4 cup plus 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch combined with 1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon all purpose flour. Sift the two together 3 times before using.
Baking powder. Be sure it hasn’t been open longer than a few months, as it will lose its rising power at that point.
Sea salt. Table salt will work, too, but sea salt is better for baking.
Butter. Use unsalted, European style butter for a much fluffier cake.
Sugar. Use plain granulated sugar.
Eggs. Use fresh, large, room temperature eggs.
Oil. I like avocado or grape seed, as they’re healthier and tasteless (just avoid extra virgin, as they can sometimes be fairly green in color), but vegetable or canola oil work, too.
Vanilla extract. Use pure extract, not imitation.
Tart and creamy lemon curd. You can also use store bought, but I just love how lemony this recipe is!
Triple lemon buttercream. The perfect balance of creamy, sweet, and lemony!
How to make triple lemon cake
1. Ideally, make the lemon curd ahead so it can set in the fridge. I suggest doing this the day before, when you also need to steep the milk for the cupcakes.
2. Steep the milk and peeled lemon zest overnight. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest, but avoid the white pith. Combine with the milk, seal well, and refrigerate 8-12 hours.
3. Process sugar and grated lemon zest. Again, avoid getting the white pith when you zest the orange. Use a food processor or blender to blend it until fully mixed and zest is finely ground.
4. Sift and whisk dry ingredients. Be sure to sift well.
5. Beat butter and lemon sugar until light and fluffy. This should take 2-3 minutes.
6. Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and oil. Beat 30-60 seconds after each addition to keep it light and fluffy.
7. Combine strained milk and lemon juice. You can do this while waiting for the butter and sugar to beat. Be sure to press down a bit on the zest to get all of the oils out.
8. Alternately add flour, lemon milk, then flour. Blend on low and only mix until combined. Don’t worry if it’s not smooth.
10. Bake 25-30 minutes. Test early as ovens can vary. Bake less if using more than 2 pans.
11. Make the buttercream. This can also be made ahead and kept in the fridge (well-sealed) up to 1 week.
12. Assemble cake. I did a thin layer of buttercream followed by piping a ring of buttercream around the edge to fill with lemon curd. I also made a lemon curd drip by stirring some lemon juice into the leftover curd—it was fun and delicious but a little messy.
Enjoy!
Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe
Do I have to steep the milk so far in advance?
Sort of. If you don’t steep it at least 8 hours in advance, it’s kind of not worth it. A few hours will only add a hint of lemon, which won’t be very noticeable in the cupcakes. However, steeping 8-12 hours will create a noticeably lemony flavor (I’ve gone as long as 24, but this can sometimes create a bitter taste if any white pith was on the zest). So, if you’re able to, steep the milk the day before you want to make the cupcakes so you get a fresh, true lemon flavor!
Can I make the cake ahead of time?
Yes! You can make all of the ingredients ahead of time and can fill and frost the cake as much as a day in advance. The curd will last in the fridge 1-2 weeks or the freezer 2 months. The buttercream will last in the fridge 1-2 weeks (though I try to stick to 1 week to be safe) or the freezer up to 3 months, if well-sealed. For either of those options, let it come to room temperature on the counter (at least 2-3 hours) then stir well before using. The cake shouldn’t be baked more than a day in advance. You can technically freeze it for up to a month or so, but I’ve found this cake can dry out in the freezer. So, you can split up your work by making the curd and buttercream a few days ahead then making the cake and filling it (once cooled) the day before you’ll need it.
Can I use store bought lemon curd?
Yes! I probably use store bought half the time, because it’s easy and I bake so much. But we also have a lemon tree and have friends with lemon trees and eventually, you gotta do more than just juice hundreds of lemons. So, I do make lemon curd quite a bit. In fact, I used store bought for these photos, but I prefer the taste of this cake with homemade. Store bought lemon curd is usually more translucent and sticky than my homemade recipe. Mine also holds up better under the weight of the cake (as you can see, my curd was squishing out a bit). So, it all depends on what you have time for and what taste you prefer.
My cupcake tools
Here are my must-have tools I use for making these cupcakes. Affiliate links provided.
Fine mesh sieve (because sifting is KEY in this cake!)
Reusable silicone piping bags (These are super easy to clean—just turn inside out, wear like a mitten, and wash! I stand mine like a cone hat on my tea kettle to dry.)
Vegetable peeler (to peel the zest for steeping the milk)
All-rubber spatula (this makes scraping the bowl easier so the batter and frosting doesn’t get all over a wooden handle!)
Silicone liners for 8” cake (or for 6” cakes)
8” aluminum cake pans or 6” aluminum cake pans (I’ve found nonstick doesn’t bake as evenly)
Offset spatula for frosting the cake
Triple Lemon Cake
- prep time: 45-50 minutes (includes making the curd and buttercream)
- bake time: 25-30 minutes
- total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes (plus 8 hours to steep the milk and set the curd)
servings: 12-16
Ingredients:
for the lemon cake
- ¾ cup(184g) whole milk
- peeled zest of 2-3 lemons
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (244g) cake flour, spooned then leveled (see note above for making your own)
- 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (3g) sea salt
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter*, room temperature
- 1 ⅔ cups (335g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (12g) grated lemon zest (2 large lemons)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (27g) avocado or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon (13g) pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (58g) fresh lemon juice
to assemble
- one batch of tart and creamy lemon curd (or store bought)
- one batch of triple lemon buttercream
Instructions:
cold infuse the lemon peel and milk for the cake
- The night before you plan to make the cupcakes, use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest (avoid the white pith) of 2-3 lemons. Add this to your milk in a sealed jar. Refrigerate until ready to make the cupcakes.
make the lemon curd
- When you prepare the milk to steep (or earlier), make the lemon curd so it has time to set up in the fridge. If you are unable to make it ahead of time, be sure to make it before you begin making the cake so it has at least a few hours in the fridge to set.
make the lemon cake
- When you take the butter and eggs out to warm up, strain the lemon peel from the milk and let it come to room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 325F/165C. Lightly grease and flour two 8” or 9” cake pans or three 6” cake pans (or use baking spray) and line the bottom with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (I sometimes make 3 layers to make room for extra filling.)
- In a food processor, pulse the sugar and grated lemon zest. You can also rub it together with your hands or stir with a wooden spoon, pressing against the sides of the bowl, until fragrant.
- In a medium mixing bowl, use a large fine mesh sieve to sift then whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter on high until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the lemon sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl as necessary, at least once.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium until light and fluffy (about 30 seconds) and scraping the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix on medium until well blended.
- Add half of the flour and mix on low until just barely blended. Add the milk and lemon juice and mix on low until just barely blended. Add the remaining flour and mix on low until just barely blended. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix on low another 3-5 seconds, just to mix it all. Don't’ worry if there are some streaks of flour.
- Divide evenly between your cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes (less if at high altitude or using more than 2 pans), or until a toothpick inserted in the middle cupcake comes out clean. Check early, around 10 minutes, as climate, elevation, and individual ovens can cause the bake time to vary.
- Let cake cool in the pan 5-10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool entirely..
make the buttercream (can also be made ahead of time)
- If you didn’t make the buttercream ahead of time, make it while the cake layers cool so it’s ready to use when they’re done. If you did make it ahead of time, be sure to let it come to room temperature on the counter (usually 2-3 hours).
assemble
- When the cake is cool, cut off any domed tops. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on the bottom layer. Place some buttercream in a piping bag or plastic baggie with a ½ inch of the end snipped off. Pipe a ring of buttercream around the very edge of the cake. Fill with lemon curd, no thicker than ¼ inch. (If you want extra filling, cut the cake layers in half with a long serrated knife rather than using extra thick filling.)
- Frost with a thin crumb coat of buttercream and refrigerate at least 20 minutes. Frost to desired thickness. If desired, you can mix about 4 tablespoons lemon curd with about half a tablespoon lemon juice until it is drizzle-able. Spread on top of the cake and let some drip off the sides.
Enjoy!
Cake should be stored in a truly airtight container. Keep cut sides fresh by placing a piece of plastic directly against the cut cake and using the buttercream to seal it.
Split up your time by making the curd and buttercream ahead. Buttercream can be kept, in an airtight container, on the counter overnight or refrigerated 1-2 weeks or frozen 1-2 months. Let come to room temperature on the counter. If chilled longer than overnight, it may need to be stirred or quickly whipped with a mixer. Curd can be kept refrigerated 1-2 weeks or frozen up to 3 months.
*I highly recommend European style butter! It has less water and makes a richer dessert. If your butter has become shiny or oily, put it back in the fridge for 5-10 minutes until it firms up a bit (not hard) and is matte in appearance.
