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Best Lemon Sponge Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

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3.9 from 2 reviews

This Best Lemon Cake Recipe is a moist and fluffy lemon sponge cake topped with a creamy lemon-flavored cream cheese frosting. Perfectly balanced with fresh lemon juice and zest, this cake is light yet flavorful, ideal for celebrations or a delightful dessert treat. The recipe involves creaming butter and sugar, incorporating fresh eggs and lemon, baking to tender perfection, and finishing with a smooth lemon cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

  • 1 Lemon (juice and zest)
  • 280 g Butter (softened)
  • 285 g Caster or Granulated sugar
  • 5 medium Eggs
  • 285 g Self-raising flour (or 285 g all-purpose flour + 2 teaspoons baking powder)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

  • 130 g Full fat cream cheese
  • 65 g Butter (softened)
  • 350 g Icing sugar (powdered sugar)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Lemon extract
  • Additional for decoration: 125 g Butter, 250 g Icing sugar, 1/2 teaspoon Lemon extract, Lemon zest (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preparation: Preheat the oven to 150°C fan (or 170°C conventional). Sift together the self-raising flour and baking powder in a bowl. Butter two cake pans and line them with parchment paper. Zest and juice the lemon, then set aside.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter (280 g) and caster sugar until pale and fluffy, which aerates the batter and creates a light texture.
  3. Add Eggs and Lemon: Break the eggs in one at a time into the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition to combine properly. Add the lemon juice and zest, then whisk the mixture until fully incorporated.
  4. Add Flour: Fold the flour and baking powder mixture into the wet ingredients using a spatula just until combined to avoid overmixing. Then briefly mix with the electric mixer for about 30 seconds to achieve a smooth batter.
  5. Divide Batter and Bake: Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Cool Cakes: Remove the cakes from the oven and let them sit in the pans for 5 minutes. Then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  7. Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting: In a bowl, whisk together 65 g softened butter and 130 g cream cheese for about 1 minute. Gradually add 350 g icing sugar and 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract, whisking until the frosting is light and fluffy.
  8. Frost the Cake: Once the cakes are fully cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly between the layers and cover the entire cake. Optionally, use remaining butter, icing sugar, lemon extract, and lemon zest to enhance decoration or adjust frosting consistency.

Notes

  • Use fresh lemon juice and zest for the best flavor.
  • Do not overmix the flour into the batter to keep the sponge light and tender.
  • Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
  • For a more intense lemon flavor, add a bit more lemon zest to the frosting as decoration.
  • You can substitute self-raising flour with all-purpose flour and add baking powder as instructed.
  • This cake keeps well refrigerated for 2-3 days, stored in an airtight container.

Find it online: https://cookedbysarah.com/best-lemon-sponge-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/