Oh, friend, do you ever just crave a taste of pure sunshine? That bright, zesty tang of lemon combined with something wonderfully sweet and utterly creamy? Well, today, I’m absolutely thrilled to share a recipe that brings that exact feeling right to your kitchen: my Heavenly Lemonade Cream Cheese Layer Cake!
This isn’t just any cake; it’s a hug in dessert form, a memory of warm summer days, and a showstopper that’s surprisingly easy to whip up. Seriously, if you’ve ever felt intimidated by layer cakes, this one is here to change your mind. We’re talking vibrant lemon flavor, a tender, moist cake, and the dreamiest cream cheese frosting that just melts in your mouth. It’s quick enough for a weeknight treat, but impressive enough for any special occasion. Trust me, once you try this, you’ll be making excuses to bake it again and again!
Why You’ll Love Heavenly Lemonade Cream Cheese Layer Cake
- Fast
- Easy
- Giftable
- Crowd-pleasing
Ingredients
Gathering your ingredients is the first step to baking bliss! Here’s what you’ll need to create this lemony masterpiece, along with a few friendly notes:
- For the Lemonade Cake:
- 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened, full-fat preferred: Make sure it’s at room temperature for a smooth batter. Full-fat just gives you the best richness!
- 1 ½ sticks (168g) unsalted butter, softened: Again, room temp is your best friend here.
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar: Sweetness balance is key with that lemon tang.
- 4 large eggs, room temperature: Helps everything emulsify beautifully into a cohesive batter.
- 3 cups (342g) cake flour: This is what gives the cake its incredibly tender, delicate crumb. Don’t swap for all-purpose if you can help it!
- 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder & ½ teaspoon (3g) baking soda: Our dynamic duo for a perfect rise.
- ½ teaspoon (3g) salt: Enhances all those lovely flavors.
- ½ cup (175g) milk: Adds moisture and richness.
- ½ cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed: This is where that amazing lemonade flavor truly shines!
- ¼ cup (54g) vegetable oil: For extra moisture and a tender crumb that lasts.
- Zest of one lemon (optional): Highly recommended for an extra punch of fresh lemon aroma and flavor.
- 1 tablespoon lemon extract: Boosts the lemon flavor without adding too much liquid.
- Yellow food coloring gel (optional): For that vibrant, sunny look. A little goes a long way!
- For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 3 sticks (339g) unsalted butter, softened: Essential for a creamy, dreamy frosting.
- 16 oz (two 8 oz packages) full-fat cream cheese, softened: Just like the cake, room temp and full-fat are non-negotiable for the best frosting consistency and taste. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could even try making your easy homemade cream cheese!
- 1 teaspoon (4g) vanilla extract: A classic pairing with lemon and cream cheese.
- 1 teaspoon (4g) lemon extract, adjust to taste: Amp up that lemon goodness!
- ½ teaspoon (2g) salt: Balances the sweetness.
- 7 cups (805g) powdered sugar, more or less to taste: The backbone of our sweet frosting. Sift it if you want an extra smooth finish.
- Yellow food coloring gel (optional): To match our sunny cake layers!
- Optional Lemon Glaze:
- Reserved lemonade concentrate: We’ll snatch a little from the cake ingredients for this. It’s a secret weapon for an extra burst of flavor and moisture.
How to Make Heavenly Lemonade Cream Cheese Layer Cake
Alright, let’s get baking! Don’t worry, I’ll walk you through each step just like we’re baking together in my kitchen.
Prepare the Cake
- 1. Preheat Oven & Prep Pans: First things first, go ahead and preheat your oven to a cozy 325°F (163°C). While it’s warming up, grab three 8-inch round cake pans. Give them a good grease and flour, then line the bottoms with parchment paper circles. This extra step ensures your beautiful cakes won’t stick!
- 2. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together your cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Just a quick whisk to make sure everything is evenly distributed. Set this bowl aside for a moment.
- 3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In another bowl (or a large measuring cup), mix your milk, vegetable oil, that ½ cup of thawed lemonade concentrate, lemon extract, and if you’re using it, the fresh lemon zest. Give it a gentle stir and set it aside too.
- 4. Cream Butter & Cream Cheese: Now for the star of the show! In your stand mixer, beat the softened butter and cream cheese on medium speed until they are wonderfully smooth and creamy. This is crucial for a light texture.
- 5. Add Sugar: Slowly add the granulated sugar to your butter and cream cheese mixture. Beat it for about 2–3 minutes until it looks light, fluffy, and almost pale. This incorporates air, making your cake tender.
- 6. Incorporate Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix just until each yolk disappears into the batter. You don’t want to overmix here! If you’re adding yellow food coloring, now’s the time to drop in a little bit to get that cheerful sunny hue.
- 7. Alternate Wet and Dry: With your mixer on low speed, it’s time to bring everything together. You’ll alternate adding the dry mixture and the wet mixture. Start and end with the dry ingredients – so, three additions of dry and two additions of wet. Mix just until combined. Be careful not to overmix, as that can lead to a tough cake.
- 8. Bake Away: Divide your beautiful batter evenly among your three prepared pans. Pop them into the preheated oven and bake for 28–30 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
- 9. Cool Down: Let those golden cakes rest in their pans for about 5–10 minutes. This helps them firm up before you gently turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Patience is a virtue here – don’t try to frost warm cakes!
Make the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
This frosting is so good, you’ll want to eat it with a spoon! It’s the perfect tangy-sweet complement to our lemon cake.
- 1. Beat Butter: In your stand mixer, beat the softened butter until it’s wonderfully soft and smooth.
- 2. Add Cream Cheese: Now, add your softened cream cheese and beat them together on medium speed until they’re fully combined and fluffy. No lumps here! If you love experimenting with cream cheese in your desserts, you might also adore these Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes for another burst of fruity flavor!
- 3. Mix Extracts & Salt: Stir in the vanilla extract, lemon extract (adjust this to your taste – I love a good strong lemon flavor!), and salt.
- 4. Gradually Add Powdered Sugar: With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until it’s all incorporated. Once it’s all in, crank up the speed to medium and beat until the frosting is gloriously smooth and creamy.
- 5. Tint Frosting: If you want that bright lemon look, add a tiny bit of yellow gel food coloring and mix until it’s evenly distributed.
- 6. Adjust Consistency: If your frosting feels a little too thick to spread easily, just add a tiny splash of milk or even a bit more of that reserved lemonade concentrate until it reaches your desired consistency.
Assemble the Cake
This is where it all comes together! Take your time and have fun with it.
- 1. First Layer Down: Place your first cooled cake layer onto your chosen serving plate or cake stand.
- 2. Brush with Glaze: This is my little secret for extra moisture and flavor! Lightly brush the top of this layer with some of your reserved lemonade concentrate. It really makes the lemon pop!
- 3. Apply Frosting: Spread a generous layer of your delicious lemon cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of that first cake layer.
- 4. Repeat Layers: Gently place the second cake layer on top, brush with lemonade, and then spread another layer of frosting. Do the same for your third and final layer.
- 5. Crumb Coat Magic: Apply a thin layer of frosting all around the outside of your stacked cake. This is called a “crumb coat,” and it traps any loose crumbs, so your final frosting layer is perfectly smooth. Pop the cake into the freezer for about 10 minutes to let that crumb coat firm up.
- 6. Final Frosting Flourish: Once the crumb coat is firm, take your cake out and apply the final, thicker layer of frosting. Smooth it out with an offset spatula or create some lovely textures – whatever makes you happy! If you’re looking for another fantastic frosting, you should definitely check out my recipe for Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, which is very similar to what we’re making here!
- 7. Decorate: For a pretty finish, I love using a 1M piping tip to create a decorative border around the top and bottom edges of the cake. It makes it look so professional!
Substitutions & Additions
One of the best things about baking is making a recipe truly your own! Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
- Citrus Swaps: Not a fan of lemon (gasp!) or want to try something new? You could easily swap the lemonade concentrate and lemon extract for limeade concentrate and lime extract for a zesty lime cake. Orange concentrate and orange extract would also be delightful!
- Add Berries: Fold fresh blueberries or raspberries into your cake batter for a burst of fruity goodness in every slice. Or, layer them between your cake and frosting for a beautiful presentation.
- Coconut Kiss: Add a teaspoon of coconut extract to the cake batter and a sprinkle of shredded coconut on top of the frosting for a tropical twist.
- Spice It Up: A pinch of cardamom or ginger in the cake batter can add a subtle, warm complexity that complements the lemon beautifully.
- Poppy Seeds: For a classic “lemon poppy seed” vibe, add 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds to your dry ingredients.
- White Chocolate Drizzle: After frosting, melt some white chocolate and drizzle it artfully over the top for an elegant touch.
Tips for Success
Baking can sometimes feel like a science experiment, but with a few simple tips, you’ll nail this cake every time!
- Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: This is probably the most important tip! Softened butter and cream cheese, and room-temperature eggs, blend together smoothly and evenly, preventing lumps and ensuring a light, uniform cake texture. If your cream cheese or butter isn’t soft enough, you’ll end up with a lumpy batter and a denser cake.
- Don’t Overmix: Once you start adding the flour mixture, mix just until combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to a tough, dry cake.
- Measure Flour Correctly: For cake flour, spoon it into your measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge. Don’t scoop directly from the bag, as this can compact the flour and lead to using too much.
- Parchment Paper is Your Friend: Lining the bottom of your pans with parchment paper ensures that your cake layers will release perfectly every single time.
- Cool Completely: Resist the urge to frost warm cakes! Warm cakes will melt your beautiful frosting, turning it into a runny mess. Ensure your layers are completely cool to the touch.
- Prep Ahead: You can bake the cake layers a day in advance. Once cooled, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. The frosting can also be made a day or two ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge; just let it come to room temperature and re-whip it briefly before frosting.
How to Store Heavenly Lemonade Cream Cheese Layer Cake
This cake is best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers (which is a big “if” in my house!), here’s how to keep it tasting great:
- Room Temperature: Due to the cream cheese in the frosting, this cake shouldn’t be left at room temperature for more than about 2 hours.
- Refrigeration: Store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The cream cheese frosting needs to stay cool!
- Freezing Cake Layers: You can freeze unfrosted cake layers! Once completely cool, wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours before frosting.
- Freezing Frosted Cake: A whole frosted cake can also be frozen, though it’s a bit more involved. Freeze the cake uncovered until the frosting is firm (a few hours), then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Thaw in the refrigerator. The texture might be slightly different, but it will still be delicious!
FAQs
Can I use regular lemon juice instead of concentrate?
While you technically can, I really recommend sticking with the frozen lemonade concentrate. It delivers a much more intense and authentic lemonade flavor that you just can’t get with regular lemon juice alone without adding too much liquid or tartness.
What if I don’t have cake flour?
If you’re in a pinch, you can make your own cake flour substitute! For every cup of cake flour needed, measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons, and then replace those 2 tablespoons with cornstarch. Sift it together a few times to ensure it’s well combined. It won’t be exactly the same as true cake flour, but it’s a good alternative for a tender crumb.
My cake turned out dense. What went wrong?
A dense cake can often be caused by a couple of things: overmixing the batter once the dry ingredients are added (which develops gluten and makes the cake tough), or using ingredients that aren’t at proper room temperature (especially the butter and cream cheese), preventing them from creaming together properly to incorporate air.
Can I make this as cupcakes?
Absolutely! This recipe would make fantastic cupcakes. You’ll need to adjust the baking time; they’ll likely bake for about 18-22 minutes, so keep an eye on them. The recipe should yield around 24-30 cupcakes, depending on how full you fill the liners.
For more delicious baking ideas and kitchen inspiration, be sure to follow us on Pinterest!
Heavenly Lemonade Cream Cheese Layer Cake
A taste of pure sunshine, this Heavenly Lemonade Cream Cheese Layer Cake combines bright, zesty lemon with sweet and utterly creamy frosting. It's a surprisingly easy-to-make showstopper, perfect for any special occasion or a delightful weeknight treat, featuring vibrant lemon flavor, a tender, moist cake, and dreamiest cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Step 1: Preheat Oven & Prep Pans: First things first, go ahead and preheat your oven to a cozy 325°F (163°C). While it's warming up, grab three 8-inch round cake pans. Give them a good grease and flour, then line the bottoms with parchment paper circles. This extra step ensures your beautiful cakes won't stick!
- Step 2: Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together your cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Just a quick whisk to make sure everything is evenly distributed. Set this bowl aside for a moment.
- Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients: In another bowl (or a large measuring cup), mix your milk, vegetable oil, that ½ cup of thawed lemonade concentrate, lemon extract, and if you're using it, the fresh lemon zest. Give it a gentle stir and set it aside too.
- Step 4: Cream Butter & Cream Cheese: Now for the star of the show! In your stand mixer, beat the softened butter and cream cheese on medium speed until they are wonderfully smooth and creamy. This is crucial for a light texture.
- Step 5: Add Sugar: Slowly add the granulated sugar to your butter and cream cheese mixture. Beat it for about 2–3 minutes until it looks light, fluffy, and almost pale. This incorporates air, making your cake tender.
- Step 6: Incorporate Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix just until each yolk disappears into the batter. You don't want to overmix here! If you're adding yellow food coloring, now's the time to drop in a little bit to get that cheerful sunny hue.
- Step 7: Alternate Wet and Dry: With your mixer on low speed, it's time to bring everything together. You'll alternate adding the dry mixture and the wet mixture. Start and end with the dry ingredients – so, three additions of dry and two additions of wet. Mix just until combined. Be careful not to overmix, as that can lead to a tough cake.
- Step 8: Bake Away: Divide your beautiful batter evenly among your three prepared pans. Pop them into the preheated oven and bake for 28–30 minutes. You'll know they're ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
- Step 9: Cool Down: Let those golden cakes rest in their pans for about 5–10 minutes. This helps them firm up before you gently turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Patience is a virtue here – don't try to frost warm cakes!
- Step 10: Beat Butter: In your stand mixer, beat the softened butter until it’s wonderfully soft and smooth.
- Step 11: Add Cream Cheese: Now, add your softened cream cheese and beat them together on medium speed until they're fully combined and fluffy. No lumps here!
- Step 12: Mix Extracts & Salt: Stir in the vanilla extract, lemon extract (adjust this to your taste – I love a good strong lemon flavor!), and salt.
- Step 13: Gradually Add Powdered Sugar: With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until it's all incorporated. Once it's all in, crank up the speed to medium and beat until the frosting is gloriously smooth and creamy.
- Step 14: Tint Frosting: If you want that bright lemon look, add a tiny bit of yellow gel food coloring and mix until it’s evenly distributed.
- Step 15: Adjust Consistency: If your frosting feels a little too thick to spread easily, just add a tiny splash of milk or even a bit more of that reserved lemonade concentrate until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Step 16: First Layer Down: Place your first cooled cake layer onto your chosen serving plate or cake stand.
- Step 17: Brush with Glaze: Lightly brush the top of this layer with some of your reserved lemonade concentrate. It really makes the lemon pop!
- Step 18: Apply Frosting: Spread a generous layer of your delicious lemon cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of that first cake layer.
- Step 19: Repeat Layers: Gently place the second cake layer on top, brush with lemonade, and then spread another layer of frosting. Do the same for your third and final layer.
- Step 20: Crumb Coat Magic: Apply a thin layer of frosting all around the outside of your stacked cake. This is called a "crumb coat," and it traps any loose crumbs, so your final frosting layer is perfectly smooth. Pop the cake into the freezer for about 10 minutes to let that crumb coat firm up.
- Step 21: Final Frosting Flourish: Once the crumb coat is firm, take your cake out and apply the final, thicker layer of frosting. Smooth it out with an offset spatula or create some lovely textures – whatever makes you happy!
- Step 22: Decorate: For a pretty finish, I love using a 1M piping tip to create a decorative border around the top and bottom edges of the cake. It makes it look so professional!
Notes
Substitutions & Additions: Easily swap lemon with limeade or orange concentrate and extract for different citrus flavors. Fold fresh blueberries or raspberries into the batter, or layer them between the cake and frosting. For a tropical twist, add a teaspoon of coconut extract to the batter and sprinkle shredded coconut on top. A pinch of cardamom or ginger can add warm complexity. For a classic "lemon poppy seed" vibe, add 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds to your dry ingredients. Drizzle melted white chocolate over the frosted cake for an elegant touch.
Tips for Success: Room temperature ingredients (softened butter, cream cheese, room-temp eggs) are crucial for a smooth batter and light cake texture. Avoid overmixing the batter once dry ingredients are added to prevent a tough cake. Measure cake flour correctly by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off. Always line the bottom of your pans with parchment paper for easy release. Cool cakes completely before frosting to prevent melting. Cake layers can be baked a day ahead, wrapped tightly in plastic, and stored at room temperature. Frosting can also be made a day or two ahead, stored in the fridge, and re-whipped before use.
How to Store: Due to cream cheese frosting, this cake should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Unfrosted cake layers can be frozen for 2-3 months by wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil; thaw in the refrigerator. A whole frosted cake can also be frozen: freeze uncovered until frosting is firm, then wrap tightly in plastic and foil, and thaw in the refrigerator.