Lemon cake is made by adding lemon zest, lemon juice or lemon extract to a vanilla cake base to create a citrusy flavor to the cake.
Lemon cake can be filled with lemon curd, lemon mousse, raspberry buttercream, and lemon Bavarian cream in between the layers of cake for a delicious succulent cake filling.
You can ice a lemon cake with lemon buttercream, strawberry buttercream, or raspberry buttercream. Adding a fruity flavored buttercream like strawberry or raspberry can add a ton of complimenting flavors to a lemon cake.
Raspberry Buttercream
Raspberry buttercream is a fruity, luscious frosting you can ice in between your cake layers.
Softened butter is beaten until fluffy. Vanilla extract, salt, and raspberry jam are beaten into the butter for the base of the buttercream.
Powdered sugar is slowly added to the buttercream to sweeten the frosting.
Raspberry buttercream is a vibrant pink color frosting that gives a pop of color in between layers of cake.
Lemon cake pairs well with raspberry buttercream, giving it a burst of fruity flavor with each bite of citrusy lemon cake.
White Chocolate Buttercream
White chocolate buttercream is a sweet, buttery frosting you can use to fill the inside of lemon cake, and ice the sides of the cake.
White chocolate has a light chocolate flavor, it’s not heavy at all, making it the perfect addition for lemon cake.
White chocolate is melted, and then added to softened butter. Butter and white chocolate are beat together to infuse the chocolatey flavor into the buttercream.
Powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt are added to the buttercream.
Heavy cream is added at the end to thin out the frosting.
Lemon Bavarian Cream
Lemon Bavarian cream is a citrusy and thick creamy custard.
Gelatin is bloomed with fresh lemon juice and set aside for later.
Heavy cream is heated in a saucepan with sugar, vanilla extract and lemon juice.
Heavy cream is slowly added to whisked egg yolks to temper the eggs. Once the heavy cream has been fully added to the eggs, the entire mixture is heated again in the saucepan to thicken the custard.
Gelatin is added at the end of the cooking process, and then the mixture can cool to room temperature.
Additional heavy cream is beaten together with icing sugar until stiff peaks form, and then the whipped cream is added to the custard by gently folding in the cream.
Lemon Bavarian cream is a thick, and creamy filling for lemon cake.
Lemon Curd
Lemon curd is a concentrated, thick filling for lemon cake.
Fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, granulated sugar, egg yolks, and butter are whisked together over a double boiler until the mixture begins to thicken, taking care not to cook the eggs!!
After the mixture has thickened, it is let to cool and then placed in the fridge to chill until you’re ready to assemble your cake.
Lemon Mousse
Lemon mousse is rich, whipped cream based filling for cakes.
Limoncello and lemon extract are bloomed with gelatin and set aside for later.
Heavy cream is whipped with icing sugar until soft peaks form. Whipped cream is folded into lemon curd to create the base of the lemon mousse.
Since the mousse needs a bit of stability, the bloomed gelatin is heated in the microwave, and then whisked into the lemon whipped cream mixture.
Place lemon mousse in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble your cake.
Lemon Buttercream
Lemon buttercream is a refreshing frosting you can use to ice and fill your cake with.
Butter is softened, and beaten together with powdered sugar, vanilla extract, freshly grated lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and salt.
Taste test lemon buttercream, and see how thick it is. You can thin it out with a bit more lemon juice, or thicken it up with additional powdered sugar.
You can color your lemon buttercream yellow by adding a couple of drops of yellow food coloring to have a vibrant color your cake.
Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream
Lemon cream cheese buttercream is a tangy, zesty buttercream frosting you can use in between layers of cake.
Softened butter and cream cheese are beat together until fluffy.
Icing sugar, vanilla extract, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest are added to the buttercream and mixed together.
Taste test your lemon cream cheese buttercream filling for your cake, and then add more lemon juice or powdered sugar if needed.
Strawberry Filling
Strawberry filling is homemade strawberry puree, which has a burst of concentrated strawberry flavor.
Strawberry filling is made by blending strawberries together, and then heating in a saucepan with granulated sugar, fresh lemon juice, and cornstarch.
Cornstarch will thicken the strawberry puree, and then it can be set aside to cool. Place strawberry filling in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble your cake.
Lemon cake pairs well with strawberry filling, and strawberry buttercream.
You can pipe a ring around the edge of the cake of strawberry buttercream.
Then spoon strawberry filling and spread it evenly over the cake layer.
Strawberry buttercream helps keep the strawberry filling inside the cake, and prevents it from leaking out of the lemon cake.
