Zesty Lemon Cake with Lemon Meringue Buttercream

Zesty Lemon Cake with Lemon Meringue Buttercream - The most lemony cake that you will ever taste, so delicious and easy to make and will wow any guest with its incredible lemon taste.

Zesty lemon cake recipe

There really is nothing better than a lemony lemon cake. Do you know what I mean? Not one that just looks a little like it could be a lemon cake or one that tastes a little like lemon flavouring.

But rather one that tastes like LEMON. Like serious lemon! That is what this Zesty Lemon Cake with Lemon Italian Meringue Buttercream is.

It is pure lemony goodness. The cake has a beautiful soft lemon taste, the filling is my absolute favourite lemon curd, and the Italian meringue buttercream is a perfect balance of sweetness and delicious sourness from the lemon.

Oh, I have had dreams about this cake. And if I was any better with my words I would write poems about this cake. It is simply perfect. There really isn't anything more I could say about this cake.

I love it because it truly tastes like lemon, and it is incredibly light and oh-so refreshing. When you feel like a delicious slice of cake, but you aren't really in the mood for something decadent and creamy like a chocolate cake then this Zesty Lemon Cake with Lemon Italian Meringue Buttercream right here is exactly what you need in your life right now.

Lemon curd cake filling

The cake recipe is fairly easy to make as long as you follow all the steps. And then for the lemon curd, I made my own because it just tastes so much better. You can get the recipe for the lemon curd over...here.

But if you are a little lazy (as I so often can be) or if you're in a bit of a rush then you could very easily swap out the homemade lemon curd for a delicious store-bought version.

Lemon Meringue Buttercream

Last, but definitely not least, the Lemon Italian Meringue Buttercream. I love Italian meringue buttercream, it is just so beautifully soft and smooth and somehow less sweet than regular buttercream.

Add a little lemon curd into that all-time favourite and bam! you have pretty much the best frosting you will ever taste. You will be licking the plate clean with this cake... that's a guarantee.

Zesty Lemon Cake with Lemon Italian Meringue Buttercream

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Ingredients

For the Lemon Cake:

• ▢ ¾ Cup Soft Butter
• ▢ 2 Cups Sugar
• ▢ 2 Cups Flour
• ▢ 6 Eggs separated
• ▢ 4 tablespoon Lemon Juice
• ▢ ½ Cup Lemon Curd
• ▢ Zest of 2 Lemons
• ▢ 2 teaspoon Vanilla
• ▢ 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• ▢ 1 Cup Greek Yoghurt

For the Filling:

• ▢ 1 Cup Lemon Curd

For the Lemon Italian Meringue Buttercream:

• ▢ 220 g Egg Whites
• ▢ 2 ¼ Cups Sugar
• ▢ 120 ml Water
• ▢ 2 ¼ Cups Cold Butter cubed
• ▢ 2 teaspoon Vanilla
• ▢ ½ Cup Lemon Curd

Instructions 

For the Lemon Cake:

• Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF.
• Grease and line 3 20cm round cake tins.
• Cream the butter and 1 Cup of the sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Add the egg yolks, vanilla, lemon juice, greek yoghurt, lemon zest and lemon curd and continue mixing.
• Then, add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix well.
• Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whip the egg whites and the remaining sugar until stiff peaks.
• Fold the egg white into the batter.
• Divide the batter between 3 pans and bake for 25min or until golden brown.
• Allow to cool slightly, then remove from cake tins and transfer to wire rack to cool further.

For the Lemon Italian Meringue Buttercream:

• Combine the water and 2 cups of sugar in a saucepan and place over high heat.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow it to simmer for about 15min, until it reaches the soft ball stage.
• Meanwhile, whip the egg whites and ¼ Cup of sugar until in reaches the soft peak stage.
• When the sugar has reached the soft ball stage, gently pour it into the the mixer with the whipped egg whites while the mixer is on high speed.
• Continue to whip the mixture on high speed until it reaches body temperature (you can hold your hand against the bowl of the mixer).
• Then add the butter in cube by cube while the mixer is mixing on medium speed.
• Continue until all the butter is incorporated, then add the vanilla and lemon curd and mix until just incorporated.

To Assemble:

• Place one layer of cake on a plate, then add half the lemon curd filling into the center of the cake and spread it out a little.
• Place the second layer of cake on top of the filling and repeat the process.
• Place the last layer of cake on top then spread a thin layer of the frosting around the cake, just so that the crumbs are all secured.
• Place the cake in the fridge for 10-15min.
• When the crumb coat is cooled and set, spread the remaining frosting around the cake.
• Use a cake scraper or palette knife to smoothen the cake.
• If you have remaining frosting, pipe little dollops on the top and sprinkle with some extra lemon zest.
• Have fun with decorating the cake and do whatever feels right.

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Recipe adapted from the amazing Sweetapolita

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