Top Italian Lemon Cream Cake (Print)

Elegant vanilla cake layered with lemon cream and whipped topping for a zesty, melt-in-your-mouth treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vanilla Cake Layers

01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1½ cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs
07 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup buttermilk

→ Lemon Cream Filling

09 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
10 - 1 cup powdered sugar
11 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream

→ Topping

14 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream
15 - ¼ cup powdered sugar
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Optional Garnish

17 - Lemon zest
18 - Powdered sugar
19 - White chocolate curls

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
02 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Mix until just combined.
05 - Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
07 - For the filling, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into the lemon mixture gently.
08 - For the topping, whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Set aside.
09 - Once cakes are cooled, slice each in half horizontally to create four thin layers (optional). Spread the lemon cream between each layer. Top the cake with whipped cream frosting.
10 - Garnish with lemon zest, powdered sugar, or curls of white chocolate. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

# Additional Notes:

01 - Use room temperature ingredients for even mixing.
02 - Don’t overmix the batter—this can make the cake dense.
03 - Always sift your dry ingredients for a light crumb.
04 - Make sure your cream cheese is fully softened to avoid lumps in the filling.
05 - Fold whipped cream gently into the filling to keep it airy.

Back