Description
Whipping up this lemon velvet cake brings pure sunshine to your kitchen, with tender crumbs and zesty brightness that dance across your taste buds. Smooth cream cheese frosting and tangy lemon zest create a delightful dessert perfect for celebrating any sweet moment.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1½ cups vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2½ cups all purpose flour
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Position your oven rack in the center and heat to 350°F. Thoroughly coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.
- Measure 2½ cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp baking powder into a medium mixing bowl. Whisk ingredients together until completely uniform.
- In a large mixing bowl, pour 1½ cups vegetable oil. Crack 3 large eggs and add 1½ cups granulated sugar. Beat with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Add 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tsp lemon extract, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1 tsp vanilla extract to the oil mixture. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Gradually fold the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Stir gently with a rubber spatula just until no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix the batter.
- Evenly divide the cake batter between the two prepared pans, using a spatula to spread it smoothly and tap out any air bubbles.
- Place pans in the preheated oven and bake for 32-35 minutes. Check doneness by gently pressing the cake center – it should spring back immediately and appear golden.
- Remove cakes from oven and let rest in pans for exactly 10 minutes. Carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely for 1-2 hours before frosting.
Notes
- Ensure room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly and create a lighter cake texture.
- Zest the lemon before juicing to maximize flavor and prevent waste of fresh citrus.
- Avoid overmixing the batter, which can make the cake tough and dense instead of tender.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 to 10
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg