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Easy Lemon Sponge Cake Recipe with Lemon Frosting
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Easy Lemon Sponge Cake Recipe with Lemon Frosting

5 from 6 votes
I've got a recipe that's as easy as pie (or cake, in this case) and as tasty as a sunny day picnic. Introducing my Easy Lemon Sponge Cake Recipe with Lemon Frosting.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time28 minutes
Total Time1 hour 13 minutes
Servings: 16 servings

Equipment

  • 1 Electric mixer
  • 2 8-inch baking pans
  • 2 sheets parchment paper

Ingredients

Lemon Sponge Cake

  • 1 ¾ cup cake flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 2 lemons zest
  • 1/2 cup sour cream room temperature
  • 1 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled

Lemon Buttercream

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 4 ½ cups powdered sugar spooned and leveled, then sifted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large lemons and edible greenery for garnish

Instructions

Lemon Sponge Cake

  • Start by pre-heating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lining the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Don't grease the sides of the pan.
  • Measure, then sift your dry ingredients, and set them aside.
    1 ¾ cup (414 ml) cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
  • In a large bowl of a stand mixer or using an electric hand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, yolk, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until they triple in size, which takes about 5 minutes.
    It's important not to overbeat the eggs; just whip them to the right volume for best results. If the mixture becomes too stiff, the cake won't rise properly.
    Lift the whisk from the batter and make a figure-eight with the dripping batter. If the figure-eight stays on the batter, it's good to go.
    4 large eggs, 1 large egg yolk, 1 ¼ cup (250 g) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Add fresh lemon juice and lemon peel to the cake batter and mix.
    3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 lemons zest
  • Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the flour into the egg mixture until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep the batter light and fluffy and prevent popping the air bubbles created by whipping the eggs. This will ensure an airy cake.
  • In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and melted butter together.
    1/2 cup (115 g) sour cream, 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter
  • Fold in the sour cream and melted butter mixture the same way you did with the flour. These ingredients will help achieve a moist lemon cake. Pour the batter into the pans, dividing it equally between the two, and immediately place them in the oven to bake.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the cake looks golden brown.
  • Remove the sponge cakes from the oven, place them on a wire rack, and let them cool for 5 minutes. You can loosen the sides by inserting a knife between the cake and the pan.
    Invert both cake tins onto the cooling rack and remove the parchment paper from the bottom.
    Leave the cakes to completely cool upside down on the wire rack for around 2-3 hours.

Lemon Buttercream

  • Over a large mixing bowl and using the whisk attachment, cream butter for 2 minutes on medium-high speed, or until light and fluffy.
    1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter
  • Sift your powdered sugar. Turn to low speed and gradually add your sifted icing sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and lemon juice until just combined. Turn the speed to high and beat for an additional minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure all of the ingredients are well mixed. Frosting should look light and fluffy.
    4 ½ cups (540 g) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
  • To assemble your cake, Put one cake layer on a serving plate. This will be the bottom layer.
    Using an offset spatula, apply a layer of frosting on top of the first cake layer. Make sure to spread it evenly across the surface.
    Place the second layer on top of the frosted first layer.
  • Apply a thin layer of frosting around the entire cake. Don't worry if some of the cake is showing through; this is intentional for the naked cake look.
  • Add whole, half, quartered lemons, lemon slices, and edible greenery on top of the cake.
    3 large lemons and edible greenery

Notes

What is the secret of sponge cake?

  1. Skip greasing the sides: instead, line the bottom with parchment paper. Leaving the sides ungreased helps the cake climb up for a light and fluffy texture. 
  2. Use room temperature eggs: Ensure your eggs are at room temperature before using them in the recipe. This promotes better whipping, creating a stable and voluminous egg foam crucial for achieving a light and airy texture in your sponge cake.
  3. Don't over-mix your eggs: perform a figure-eight test with the batter, allowing it to stay for 10 seconds. If it holds the figure-eight, it's good; otherwise, beat it a bit more for a spongy texture.
  4. Fold in flour and butter gently: When incorporating flour and butter, use a gentle folding motion to mix them into the wet ingredients, preventing air bubbles from popping and the cake from deflating. 
  5. Bake immediately: Preheat the oven and have your cake pan ready before starting, ensuring you bake immediately. This quick action prevents air bubbles from popping and safeguards against the cake deflating as it bakes. 
  6. Avoid opening the oven: During baking, avoid opening the oven door frequently, to stop the cake from sinking; only check for doneness near the end of the baking time.
  7. Cool Inverted: After baking, cool the sponge cake by inverting it onto a cooling rack. This prevents it from collapsing as it cools.
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