Lemon Buttermilk Cake {A Scratch Recipe}
This moist and delicious Lemon Buttermilk Cake with Whipped Lemon Mascarpone frosting is so light, moist, and flavorful!
Servings: 15 servings
Equipment
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).