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super moist lemon cake with cream cheese frosting

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cake
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cool Tme 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

for the lemon cake:

  • cooking spray
  • 1 ¾ cups granulated white sugar
  • zest of two lemons
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • 4 large eggs at room temp
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 3 cups all purpose white flour
  • 1 ½ tsps baking powder

for the cream cheese frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese at room temp (aka softened)
  • 2 sticks ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temp (aka softened)
  • 1 lemon zested and juiced
  • healthy pinch of fine sea salt
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

optional toppings: lemon slices, lemon zest, berries, rosemary, sanding sugar, etc

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan (that’s at least 2-3 inches deep) with cooking spray.
    2. Combine granulated sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl (feel free to use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment for this) then whisk together for about 1 minute to allow the lemon zest oils to disperse into the sugar. Next, whisk in the olive oil and eggs until yolks are broken and incorporated. Add in the milk, vanilla, and salt then continue whisking until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Finally, whisk in the flour and baking powder until just combined, don’t over mix!
    3. Transfer batter to the prepared baking pan from step one then bake until the cake top is extra golden and a butter knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
    4. Remove cake from the oven and let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. For an extra easy frosting application, I like to pop my cake in the freezer for the last 10 minutes of cooling time.
    5. While the cake is cooling, make your frosting! Combine cream cheese, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer). Beat on medium-high until smooth and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed using a rubber spatula. Reduce speed to low then slowly add your powdered sugar then beat until incorporated. Finally, increase speed to medium-high and beat until extra fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
    6. Place cooled/chilled cake on a cake stand. Slice off the uneven “dome” on the cake top in order to have a flat surface using a serrated knife. Slowly spin the cake stand while slicing to cut the top off easily and evenly. We’re also going to slice the remaining cake into two halves by using the same technique as before except placing the knife in the middle of the cake.
    7. Remove the top cake section and set it to the set (carefully so you don’t break it). Spread frosting on top of the first cake layer using a rubber spatula or icing knife, making sure it’s even and smooth (should be about 1 cm thick) then top with the second cake layer.
    8. Spread frosting on top of the second cake layer, same as above. Coat the sides of the cake with frosting using a rubber spatula or icing knife. Finally, take a pastry scraper along the sides of the frosted cake and turn the cake stand to make the frosting smooth and even on the sides.
    9. Top cake with desired toppings like lemon slices, lemon zest, berries, rosemary, sanding sugar, or whatever you’d like then slice and enjoy!