Description
This recipe creates a bright, tender lemon layer cake topped with a cloud-like Chantilly frosting made from cream cheese and whipped cream. It utilizes a special citrus sugar rub technique to maximize the lemon flavor in the moist, oil and butter-based sponge. Perfect for celebrations or a sunny afternoon dessert.
Ingredients
- Cake Flour
- Fresh Lemons (zest and juice)
- Granulated Cane Sugar
- Unsalted Butter, softened (for cake)
- Olive Oil
- Whole Milk, room temperature
- Large Eggs, room temperature
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Sea salt (for cake)
- Vanilla extract (for cake)
- Unsalted Butter, softened (for frosting)
- Cream cheese, softened
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla (for frosting)
- Salt (for frosting)
- Heavy cream
- Lemon juice (for frosting)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In your stand mixer bowl, combine the lemon zest and granulated sugar. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar for about a minute until the sugar is fragrant and slightly damp.
- Add the softened butter to the sugar. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low until combined, then beat on high for 2 minutes. Switch to the whisk attachment, add the eggs, and beat for another 2 minutes until the mixture has doubled in volume and looks pale and fluffy.
- Slowly add the lemon juice, olive oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously for another 2 minutes. Gently mix in the whole milk until just combined.
- Sift the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt into a separate bowl. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix just until the batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between your two prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cakes are cold, carefully slice each layer in half horizontally to create four thin layers.
- Beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then fold in the vanilla, salt, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Beat on high until the frosting is light and billowy.
- Place the first layer on your stand and spread about 3/4 cup of frosting. Repeat with all layers. Apply a thin crumb coat to the outside, chill for 20 minutes, and then finish with a final thick layer of frosting.
Notes
If you find your Chantilly frosting is too soft after whipping, place the bowl in the freezer for five minutes, then beat it again briefly. This helps stabilize the cream cheese and heavy cream mixture. For the best flavor, make the cake layers the day before and wrap them tightly before chilling; this makes them much easier to slice into thin layers for assembly.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American