This cake is quite possibly the lightest, softest cake I've ever eaten and is bursting at the seams with citrus flavor. The cake includes whole lemons that are blended right into the batter for a fresh lemon flavor like nothing you've ever experienced.
This is a very juicy cake.
Including the fruit and zest from 4-6 lemons in the batter allowed me to use less sugar because the fruit is helping to do sugar's job: all that fresh lemon adds flavor, locks in moisture, and creates a soft and tender texture.
Less sugar means the cake is not overly sweet, so you can drench it in elderflower syrup with abandon, with no concern that it will become cloying.
Covered in a thick layer of lemon cream cheese buttercream and decorated with candied lemon slices, this cake is sassy and elegant with every creamy lemon and elderflower drenched bite.
SUMMARIZE AND SAVE THIS RECIPE ON:
Ingredients needed to bake this cake
- Several whole, fresh lemons
- Unsalted butter
- Virgin coconut oil: The combination of butter and coconut oil in this cake creates a softer texture that stays moist for longer than using butter alone.
- Granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- Cake flour: Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, which gives this cake an impossibly soft and tender texture. If you don't have any cake flour, substitute 2 tablespoons of cornstarch for every cup of all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Milk or buttermilk
- Pure vanilla extract
- Lemon oil or lemon extract: For the most part, I think lemon oil has a much better flavor than lemon extract. Also, because lemon oil is so concentrated, you only need to use a little bit to achieve a strong lemon flavor. The brand I like to use is Boyajian Lemon Oil.
- Cover this cake with lemon cream cheese frosting and decorate with candied lemon slices.
Pro tip! For this cake, important to use virgin coconut oil, which is solid at room temperature, rather than refined coconut oil, which is liquid at room temperature.
To measure virgin coconut oil, use the back of a spoon to pack it down into a measuring cup, doing your best to press out any pockets of air so you get a full ½ cup.
Additions and substitutions
- Instead of lemon: This recipe can be used to create any kind of citrus flavored cake you like. Use the same amount of grapefruit, lime, orange, or tangerine, or any combination of citrus fruit you like!
- To make this cake gluten free: Substitute a one-to-one gluten-free flour for the cake flour in this recipe. My favorite brands are Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flour and King Arthur Gluten Free Flour.
- Instead of lemon cream cheese frosting: There are many great frosting options for this cake! Here are my favorite options...
Two other cakes that include whole fresh fruit stirred right into the batter:
Mix and match: More frosting options for this cake
This cake is delicious covered in a thick layer of lemon cream cheese frosting but here are four other delicious frosting recipes that pair beautifully with this cake:
Step-by-step photos and instructions
The first step in making this cake is to make a few candied lemon slices. The sweet-tart slices are optional, but the process is super easy and involves little more than slicing up a couple of lemons and letting them simmer in sugar water.
The main advantage to making candied citrus slices is that you get two for the price of one:
- You'll have some pretty and delicious candied citrus slices with which to decorate your cake.
- AND you'll have the citrus drizzle syrup, which you can use for cocktails and other beverages, or other desserts!
If you decide to make candied lemon slices, be sure to make them at least 24 hours before you want to bake this cake because they need time to dry.
Step #2: Prep the lemons for the cake batter.
Use a zester to zest the fruit. You want about 2 tablespoons of lemon zest.
Use a sharp knife to cut the ends off the fruit, allowing you to set it on a flat surface without it rolling around. Cut the peel, including the white part (the pith), from the fruit.
Then use your knife to cut the fruit from the membranes that hold each segment.
Continue with as many lemons as needed to get ¾ cup of fruit and juice. Try to contain as much of the juice as you can.
Step #3: Make the batter
Use an electric mixer to beat the butter, coconut oil, sugar, and zest until the mixture is very light and aerated.
Add the eggs to the bowl one at a time, beating well to fully incorporate one egg into the butter and sugar mixture before adding another one. Stop every once in a while to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a separate bowl and use a wire whisk to mix them together.
Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and blend on low just until the flour is barely incorporated.
Stir the vanilla extract and lemon oil (or lemon extract) into the buttermilk, then add it to the batter. Mix on low speed just until barely incorporated.
Add the fruit and juice into the batter and mix on low speed until blended.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing out the top of the batter into a flat, even layer. Bake the cake in the center of the oven for 50-60 minutes.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then gently flip it out onto a baking rack. This cake is so full of fruit, it will actually jiggle. 🙂
Drizzle half a cup of elderflower syrup over the cake, allowing it to soak in completely.
Flip the cake over onto another baking rack and drizzle the other side with the remaining half cup of elderflower syrup.
Allow the cake to cool completely, then cover with a generous layer of lemon cream cheese frosting.
Decorate with candied lemon slices that have been coated with sugar and a few sprigs of rosemary, if desired.
Make ahead and storage instructions
This cake will stay just as fresh as the day you baked it for at least 48 hours and will still be soft, moist, and delicious for up to 5 days. If you've covered it in lemon cream cheese frosting, it's best to store the cake in the refrigerator. The unfrosted cake can be wrapped well and stored at room temperature.
Unfrosted, this cake will also keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to wrap it well to prevent freezer burn. I usually wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil.
Allow the cake to defrost overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then frost and serve as desired.
SAVE THIS RECIPE
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
This site is protected by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to rate this recipe and leave a comment for me.
Happy baking!
📖 Recipe
Elderflower Lemon Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream
This elderflower and lemon cake includes whole lemons blended into the batter for a fresh lemon flavor and soft texture like nothing you've ever experienced.
Ingredients
- Candied lemon slices, optional
- Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4-6 lemons, so that you have ¾ cup (175 grams) fruit and juice
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons, 113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup (60 grams) virgin coconut oil (to measure, use a spoon to pack it into a measuring cup)
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ¾ cup (210 grams) cake flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, OR ¾ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ cup (57 grams) milk or buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract or 1 teaspoon lemon oil (more to taste)
- 1 cup elderflower syrup
Instructions
- Prep an 8-inch by 3-inch round cake pan: Coating the inside of the pan with vegetable shortening or butter, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, grease the top of the parchment paper with shortening or butter, then shake some flour around inside the pan so the bottom and sides are coated. Here are more instructions on preparing a cake pan so the cake will not stick.
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees F (163 degrees C).
- Zest the lemon so you have approximately 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. Cut the peel and the pith from the lemons then cut the fruit segments from the membranes until you have ¾ cup of fruit and juice. *See the photos above for reference.
- Add the butter, coconut oil, sugar, and zest to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is very light and aerated, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs to the bowl one at a time, beating well to fully incorporate one egg into the butter and sugar mixture before adding another one. Stop every once in a while to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to another bowl and use a wire whisk to mix. Add this mixture to the butter, sugar, and egg mixture and mix on low just until the flour is barely incorporated.
- Stir 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon lemon extract (or ½ teaspoon lemon oil) into the buttermilk and add this to the batter. Mix on low speed just until barely incorporated.
- Add the fruit and juice into the batter and mix on low speed until incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing out the top of the batter into a flat, even layer. Bake the cake in the center of the oven for 50-60 minutes. When done, the cake will be pulling away from the side of the cake pan. If you poke a toothpick into the center of the cake and remove it, there will be no signs of raw batter on the toothpick.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes then gently flip it out onto a baking rack. Drizzle ½ cup of elderflower syrup over the cake, letting it all soak in. Gently turn the cake over onto another wire baking rack and drizzle the other side of the cake with the remaining ½ cup of elderflower syrup.
- Allow the cake to cool completely then cover in a thick layer of lemon cream cheese frosting and decorate with candied lemon slices.
Notes
Mix and match: Other frosting ideas for this cake
The cake you see in these photos was covered with lemon cream cheese frosting. Here are a few more frosting recipes that pair well with this elderflower and lemon cake:
FREE 63 page ebook with a mix-and-match chart:
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 600Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 779mgCarbohydrates: 83gFiber: 2gSugar: 45gProtein: 7g
Sonia says
This recipe calls for virgin coconut oil and unfortunately I don’t like coconut. Are you able to taste it in the cake and if so, can I use regular shortening?
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Sonia! You won't be able to taste any coconut in this cake. But, using vegetable shortening will work just as well, so if you'd rather not risk it go ahead and use that instead. Let me know if you have any other questions! And I'd love to hear what you think of this cake after you make it!
Sonia says
What about the elderflower syrup? I see there are several different types. I did find one locally but it has agave nectar in it. I am wondering how that will make it taste?
Rebecca Blackwell says
I'm sure the syrup you found will work out well. All Elderflower syrup use some kind of sweetener and agave nectar is one of my favorite sweeteners to use. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
KDW says
Do you think you can use St. Germain Elderberry Liqueur instead of the syrup?
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi there! You can use Elderflower Liqueur, but you won't want to add as much. I'd drizzle no more than 1/2 of a cup of liquor over the cake in place of elderflower syrup. Much more than that and the alcohol in the liquor will start to take over. You can also stir some elderflower liquor into simple syrup (add 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a saucepan; bring it to a simmer, cook just until the sugar is melted, then let it cool to room temperature). Adding elderflower liquor to simple syrup will create a similar flavor to elderflower syrup. If you do that, you can use an entire cup of syrup to drench the cake just as instructed in the recipe. Please let me know if you have any questions! And, I'd love to hear what you think of this cake after you make it!