Lemon Buttermilk Cake {A Scratch Recipe}

Lemon layer cakes are always a favorite, and today we are happy to share a wonderfully moist and soft Lemon Buttermilk Cake with a whipped Lemon Mascarpone Frosting.

Although we already have a popular Lemon Cake from Scratch, a Lemon Velvet Cake, and even a Lemon Cake from a Mix, there is always room for one more! This lemon buttermilk cake is light, soft, and is sure to become a favorite of the lemon lovers in your life!

Key Ingredients

Here's a quick look at the key ingredients for our Lemon Buttermilk Cake layers! You can find the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Unsalted Butter: We use unsalted butter so that we have more control over the amount of salt in the recipe. (Some brands of unsalted butter contain more salt than others.) If using salted butter, you can eliminate the additional salt in the recipe.

Buttermilk: We recommend whole buttermilk rather than reduced fat. The extra boost of acidity in the buttermilk softens the strands of gluten in the cake batter, making for a more tender crumb.

Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest: This recipe calls for ¼ cup of lemon juice, the approximate amount in one lemon. When zesting lemons, make sure not to go past the yellow peel. The white layer beneath (the pithe) has a bitter taste.

Lemon Extract: It is always best to smell your lemon extract before using. If it has a lemony smell, it is good. Sometimes extracts can go bad, even when the expiration date hasn't passed.

How to Make Lemon Buttermilk Cake 

We based this lemon layer cake recipe on our Vanilla Buttermilk Cake recipe and we were so happy with the result!

This lemon buttermilk cake recipe has also inspired several more recipes, like our Lemon Cupcakes , Lemon Almond Cake and Lemon Cheesecake Cake .

*You can find the full,  printable Lemon Buttermilk Cake recipe below, but here is a quick rundown of our process!

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, grease and flour three 8×2 inch round pans. I love that this recipe makes three fluffy 8 inch cake layers- more room for the whipped lemon mascarpone filling!

• Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest for 30 seconds to evenly mix and aerate. 

• Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil and lemon extract and ¼ cup lemon juice.  

• Butter & Sugar: Next, in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer (and using the paddle attachment), add the butter and mix at medium speed until smooth.

• Gradually add the two cups of white sugar and continue to mix on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy.

• Add the eggs one at a time mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.

• Alternating Dry and Wet Ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of liquid). Mix just until incorporated.

• Fill Cake Pans: Be careful not to mix above medium speed or over-mix-- I divided the cake batter between the prepared pans, scraping the sides with a rubber spatula. (I like to grease, flour, and line the cake pans with parchment paper).

• Time to Bake! Bake at 350 degrees for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just few crumbs attached. The baked layers will pull away ever so slightly from the sides of the pan. Let cool 10 minutes on a wire rack and flip out.

Whipped Lemon Mascarpone Frosting

We used an easy, delicious Lemon Mascarpone Frosting to complement our lemon buttermilk cake layers. Mascarpone is similar to the creamy consistency of cream cheese frosting, but doesn't have the tanginess that cream cheese has. It makes for smooth, delicious, frostings.

This whipped lemon frosting is a fantastic choice if you are looking for something light, and a bit less sweet- it contains much less powdered sugar than buttercream. Keep whipped mascarpone frosting in mind for all sorts of layer cakes, even if just using it as a cake or cupcake filling.

To prepare the recipe, you'll first want to freeze your mixing bowl and beaters 15 minutes before whipping the cream (30 minutes if chilling in the refrigerator). 

• Use the whisk attachment for a stand mixer or beaters if using a handheld mixer.  Beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form.  This can happen very quickly so don't walk away from the mixer.  You are at the stiff peak stage when you lift the beater and the cream stands straight up forming a peak. Keep in the refrigerator while completing the next step.  

• In another bowl combine the mascarpone, confectioners' sugar and extracts.  Beat until very smooth.  Fold the whipped cream into this mixture. Cover and refrigerate.  

Consistency of Whipped Mascarpone Frosting

The consistency of this frosting is much like whipped cream, and the mascarpone gives it a bit more stability. Because of the whipped consistency, I find that it is more difficult to achieve a completely smooth finish when using it to frost cakes.

For this reason, I usually go with more of a swirled or textured look when using this frosting- piped designs would work well too.

For a Smoother Finish

However, if you really prefer a smooth finish to your frostings, your best bet is to freeze the frosted tier for about 15 minutes in the freezer and then glide over the sides with a heated metal bench scraper. This is known as the hot knife method of smoothing.

It may slightly deflate the frosting, but you will have a smoother finish than would be possible otherwise.

Assembling the Lemon Buttermilk Cake

• When it is time to assemble the cake, place the first (cooled or room temperature) cake layer on the cake plate or cake stand.

• Spread the top of the cake layer with lemon mascarpone frosting-- I don't take the filling all the way to the edge-- I stop about ½ inch from the edge of the layer to allow a little wiggle room for the filling.

• Add the next layer and repeat. Top with the final lemon cake layer and crumb coat the cake. You may want to chill your cake in the freezer for about 15 minutes before adding the final coat if you feel the need to firm things up a bit.

Decorating the Cake

• I added another layer of whipped lemon mascarpone frosting and smoothed with a bench scraper. I went back in and added texture here and there with an offset spatula as well as on top of the cake.

• I tinted a bit of the frosting (maybe ½ cup or so) with lemon yellow coloring gel, and piped various sized stars of frosting and rosettes using large and small star tips (2D and 21 piping tips), working my way halfway around the top of the cake. I added a bit of yellow frosting around the base of the cake as well. (See our Star Piping Tip tutorial for details on buttercream piping!)

What Makes Lemon Buttermilk Cake so Moist?

This Lemon Buttermilk Layer Cake recipe is soft and very moist which we love! One of the reasons for this is that the recipe uses buttermilk.

Buttermilk

We love buttermilk as an ingredient in our cakes. We've even made a roundup of our favorite buttermilk cakes!

The acidity in the buttermilk helps to soften the tough strands of gluten, which results in a more tender cake. Buttermilk also helps with leavening as it reacts with the baking soda, creating a fluffier texture. And finally- the hint of tanginess is delicious in any cake but works especially well with our lemon cake! 

Other favorite buttermilk cake recipes that you must try are: Buttermilk Pound Cake, Chocolate Buttermilk Cake, spice cake, and orange cake!

Cake Flour

Cake flour also has a lower protein content than all purpose flour, which results in softer, more tender cakes. If you don't have any cake flour on hand, you can make your own! See the Notes section of our Recipe below.

Just a Hint of Lemon Flavor

This light homemade layer cake does not have an overwhelming lemon flavor. For us, it is just the right amount!

If you prefer even more lemon flavor, you can add lemon curd to the filling (followed by a layer of our whipped lemon mascarpone frosting) for a double dose of lemon!

You could also add even more lemon extract and lemon zest to the frosting to suit your tastes. The oil in the lemon zest is a great way to add an instant boost of lemon flavor!

More Lemon Cakes to Try

Lemon is one of our favorite cake flavors and so we've filled our recipes section with all sorts of delicious lemony cake and frosting recipes over the years.

Don't miss these other great recipes, and keep these popular lemon fillings and frostings in mind as well! Some of our favorites are: Lemonade cake, Lemon Blueberry Cake, Limoncello Cake and Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting!

You can find our full roundup of favorite lemon cakes, lemon fillings, and lemon frostings here: The BEST Lemon Cakes, Frostings, and Fillings.

This cake has become one of our favorite birthday cake recipes, and is perfect for so many other celebrations as well.

Lemon Buttermilk Cake {A Scratch Recipe}

BY Melissa and Bebe

This moist and delicious Lemon Buttermilk Cake with Whipped Lemon Mascarpone frosting is so light, moist, and flavorful!

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 18 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: 15 servings

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 ½ sticks (170g) unsalted butter, softened (Holds its shape but easily dents when pressed.)
• ▢ 2 cups (400g) sugar
• ▢ 3 eggs, room temperature (If in a hurry, place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes)
• ▢ 3 cups (342g) cake flour . (If not using a digital scale, lightly spoon flour into measuring scoop and level.)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon (3g) baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups (296g) buttermilk (If needed, see substitution below.)
• ▢ ¼ cup (57g) lemon juice (Approximate amount of juice in one lemon.)
• ▢ ¼ cup (54g) vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon (10g) Lemon Extract
• ▢ Zest of two lemons

For the Whipped Lemon Mascarpone Frosting

• ▢ 16 oz mascarpone softened. (We used two 8 oz packages.)
• ▢ 2 cups (230g) powdered sugar (sift, then measure)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 teaspoons (8g) Lemon Extract
• ▢ 2 ½ cups (605g) heavy whipping cream
• ▢ Zest of one Lemon

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour three 8×2 inch round pans.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and zest for 30 seconds. Set aside
• In another bowl, add the buttermilk, oil and lemon extract and lemon juice.  Set aside..
• In the bowl of your mixer, add the butter and mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.
• Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of liquid).
• Do not mix above medium speed or over mix the cake batter
• Divide batter between three prepared 8 inch cake pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just few crumbs attached. Let cool 10 minutes and turn out.

For the Whipped Lemon Mascarpone Frosting

• Freeze your mixing bowl and beaters 15 minutes before whipping the cream (30 minutes if chilling in the refrigerator. 
• Use the whisk attachment for a stand mixer, beaters on your hand mixer.  Beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form.  This can happen very quickly so don't walk away from the mixer.  You are at the stiff peak stage when you lift the beater and the cream stands straight up forming a peak. Keep in the refrigerator while completing the next step.  
• In another bowl combine the mascarpone, powdered sugar and extracts.  Beat until very smooth.  Fold the whipped cream into this mixture. Cover and refrigerate.  If you are piping this frosting and it becomes too soft, just refrigerate the filled piping bag for a short while.  

Notes

Substitute for Buttermilk: No Buttermilk? Here is a substitution: To a measuring cup, add 1 Tablespoon plus one teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice. Add milk to the 1 ¼ c. mark, stir. Wait 5 minutes and it is ready to use.

Substitution for Cake Flour: Using all purpose flour (plain in UK) to make Cake Flour: For each cup of flour in a recipe, remove 2 Tablespoons of flour and replace with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour in the UK). This recipe has 3 cups of flour so you will measure out 3 cups of all purpose flour, remove 6 Tablespoons and replace with 6 Tablespoons cornstarch, whisk to blend

Recipe makes approximately 7 ½ cups batter.

*If making standard sized cupcakes with this recipe, bake at 350 for 18-20 .minutes or until toothpick comes out clean (or with a few crumbs attached).

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