Description
Lemon velvet cake delivers a zesty symphony of citrus-infused luxury. Silky layers draped in tangy cream cheese frosting promise a delightful dance of bright flavors you’ll savor with pure culinary joy.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 3 cups cake flour (342g)
- 2 cups sugar (400g)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened (168g)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (226g)
Liquid Ingredients:
- ¾ cup milk (175g)
- ¼ cup lemon juice (juice of 1 small lemon)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (54g)
- 1 tablespoon lemon extract (10g)
Seasoning and Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (8g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (3g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (3g)
- Zest of 2 lemons
Lemon Curd Filling Ingredients:
- ¾ cup sugar (150g)
- ¼ cup cornstarch (30g)
- 1 cup water (236g)
- 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons butter (28g)
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Whipped Cream Ingredients:
- 1 cup heavy cream (240g)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (29g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (4g)
Lemon Buttercream Ingredients:
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened (339g)
- 7 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Meticulously prepare your workspace by greasing three 8-inch round cake pans and lining them with parchment paper.
- Sift together cake flour, leavening agents, and salt in a mixing bowl, creating a uniform dry ingredient mixture.
- Blend milk, vegetable oil, lemon juice, lemon extract, and zest in a separate container, allowing the liquid to slightly curdle for enhanced flavor complexity.
- Cream butter and cream cheese until achieving a silky, smooth consistency using a stand mixer.
- Incorporate sugar gradually, whipping the mixture until it becomes light and voluminous.
- Introduce eggs individually, gently mixing after each addition to maintain batter integrity.
- Carefully fold dry ingredients and liquid mixture into the creamed base, alternating between them to ensure even distribution.
- Distribute batter evenly across prepared pans, smoothing surfaces for uniform baking.
- Bake at 325°F for approximately 28-30 minutes, verifying doneness with a toothpick test.
- Allow cakes to rest briefly in pans before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Prepare lemon curd by combining sugar, cornstarch, and water, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbling.
- Temper egg yolks by slowly incorporating hot mixture, then return to saucepan for additional cooking.
- Enhance curd with butter, lemon juice, and zest, then refrigerate after cooling.
- Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form, being cautious not to overbeat.
- Create buttercream by beating butter, then introducing lemon extract, zest, and gradually adding powdered sugar.
- Assemble cake by layering first cake round and piping buttercream dam to contain fillings.
- Spread lemon curd and whipped cream within buttercream boundaries.
- Repeat layering process with remaining cake rounds.
- Apply crumb coat and chill briefly to set initial frosting layer.
- Generously frost cake with remaining buttercream, creating decorative textures if desired.
- Optionally embellish with lemon curd and refrigerate until serving time.
Notes
- Precise temperature control ensures a perfectly moist and tender cake texture.
- Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly, creating a more uniform batter.
- Curdled milk mixture is intentional and will not affect the cake’s final outcome.
- Chilling the cake between layers helps stabilize the structure and enhances flavor melding.
- Lemon zest provides intense citrus flavor without adding extra liquid to the recipe.
- Refrigerating the lemon curd prevents skin formation and allows flavors to develop fully.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 607
- Sugar: 53g
- Sodium: 201mg
- Fat: 37g
- Saturated Fat: 22g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 66g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 124mg