Layered Lemon Cake With Lemony White Chocolate Frosting

My Layered Lemon Cake with Lemony White Chocolate Frosting is proof that good things come in small packages. This 6-inch 2-layer cake has all the flavor and whimsy of a larger dessert but in a miniature format designed for smaller gatherings. 

With a tender crumbed lemon sponge, a drizzle of homemade thyme simple syrup, an icing reminiscent of lemon white chocolate truffles, and a smattering of fresh fruit as filling and decoration, this elegant lemon layer cake recipe is perfect for any springtime celebration!

⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe 

I learned early on that when life gives you lemons, you should absolutely make a luscious lemon cake. When the world at large seems overwhelming, there’s nothing quite like the sweet solace of a baking project. Tender, tart, and terrifically zingy, this pared-down mini layer cake is just what the doctor ordered!

When I think of layered cakes, I think of celebrations — Easter, Mother’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations. But, if you ask me, we could all benefit from celebrating the little wins more often. As the inimitable Oprah Winfrey sagely noted, 

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”

This 2-layer 6-inch lemon cake is the ideal size for commemorating the small things — a personal day of self-care, a long-anticipated release of a new season of your favorite show, or a good grade on a school assignment. Heck, you can even celebrate the fact that you made it to Wednesday or that you made your bed this morning!

Despite looking like a culinary masterpiece, my layered lemon cake is actually quite simple to make. You only need 10 ingredients to make the lemon sponge, and just 3 more to make the sinfully rich lemony white chocolate ganache frosting. Aside from fresh fruit, I’d bet you already have most of the ingredients in your larder.

This adorable white chocolate lemon cake can also be made in stages, meaning you can draw out the anticipation of finally getting to sink your teeth into it. Make the cake layers and freeze them up to a month in advance, and whip up the lemony truffle icing up to a week before. When you’re ready for a certified party in your mouth, all you have to do is assemble it!

🍴Ingredients 

This layered lemon cake with zesty white chocolate frosting doesn’t take many ingredients to make. Here’s some of the important ingredients that you’ll need:

• Unsalted Butter - Butter makes everything better, especially if you start off with better butter. For the best flavor and texture, I recommend reaching for organic, grass-fed, and/or cultured butter. Feel free to swap in your favorite non-dairy substitute if you prefer.
• Sugar - While brown and white sugar are often interchangeable, I recommend sticking to plain white sugar for this recipe.
• Eggs - Let eggs come to room temperature before adding them to your cake batter; they’ll mix in much more easily, preventing you from overmixing and ending up with a tough cake.
• Lemon Extract - I’m a big fan of the puckery perfection of lemon flavors, so I like to double down here. Feel free to swap in a few drops of food-grade lemon essential oil, or simply reach for vanilla extract instead.
• Fresh Lemons - Bottled lemon juice simply can’t hold a candle to fresh citrus. Not only does the juice taste better, but you also get the added flavor of the zest!
• Kefir - Essentially a drinkable yogurt, you can easily swap in regular plain whole-fat yogurt (not Greek). Mexican crema or creme fraiche can also be used. If you are dairy-free, find a suitable unsweetened yogurt alternative.
• Powdered Sugar - Made with just regular granulated sugar and cornstarch, this is a simple thing to make at home if you’ve run out.
• White Chocolate - Make sure to grab high-quality white chocolate that lists cocoa butter as the primary ingredient.
• Vanilla Bean Paste - I love the look of vanilla bean flecks throughout this creamy lemon cake frosting, but you can easily swap in vanilla powder or vanilla extract instead.
• Fresh Fruit - I love an array of colors against the silky white backdrop of this lemon white chocolate cake, so I went all out. Feel free to pick the fresh fruit of your choosing. I suggest berries, citrus slices, and stone fruits.

⚒️ Equipment

Making this mini layered lemon cake might look intimidating, but I promise it’s quite easy if you have the right equipment. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Stand Mixer - While you technically CAN make white chocolate buttercream and your lemon cake layers without one, a hand or stand mixer will make your life so much easier.
• 1x6-inch Round Cake Pans - I love this mini 2-layer 6-inch layer cake look, but you can easily adjust the recipe to fit whatever size pan you have on hand by doing a touch of math. 
• Parchment Paper - The easiest way to ensure your cakes come out flawlessly from the pan is to grease and line your pans with parchment. Just trust me on this one!
• Cooling Rack - Using a cooling rack will help cool the lemon cake layers more quickly, which is of the essence if you want to get down to decorating! If you don’t have one on hand, try using the metal rack insert from your toaster oven.
• Offset Spatula - This is an optional piece of equipment, but it’ll really help in the frosting department. In a pinch, you can just use a bench scraper and a spoon.

📖 How To Make Chocolate Cake Shots — Step-by-Step Instructions

This mini lemon celebration cake will be ready before you know it! Here’s how it’s done:

Make 1x6” Lemon Cake Layers & Thyme Simple Syrup

Step 1: Make the thyme simple syrup. Heat the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the thyme sprigs and let it sit on the heat for 30 seconds. Take the pot off the heat and let the syrup infuse until it cools completely. Drain, transfer the syrup to an airtight container, and leave it in the fridge until you’re ready to use.

Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Step 3: Combine the wet ingredients. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in one egg at a time until the wet ingredients are all mixed together well and add lemon extract and lemon zest.

Step 4: Finish the cake batter. Add half of the dry mixture as well as the lemon juice and kefir to the wet mixture and gently mix. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Step 5: Bake and cool. Pour the batter into prepared cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the lemon cake cool completely before you start assembling and decorating.  Use a serrated knife to cut the lemon cake in half. 

Make Lemony White Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Step 1: Cream butter: In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth with the paddle attachment.

Step 2: Add sugar: Add approximately half of the powdered sugar and beat again. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the rest of the powdered sugar. Continue beating for a few minutes, scraping the sides as needed, until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Step 3: Add white chocolate: Finally, add the melted chocolate, lemon zest, and vanilla - continue beating until the frosting is thick and fluffy. 

Assemble & Enjoy

Now that the lemon cake and white chocolate buttercream are ready, it’s time to assemble and decorate!

Step 1: Drizzle the thyme syrup on top. Use a toothpick to poke small holes all over the top of the cake. Drizzle the thyme simple syrup over the top so it soaks right into the cake.

Step 2: Add the icing. Spread the lemony white chocolate buttercream over the top of the first layer of cake using an offset spatula or spoon. Feel free to spread it on the sides as well!

Step 3: Add fruit. Sprinkle a layer of chopped fruit on the first layer of buttercream, keeping about 1” of clearance from the edges of the cake.

Step 4: Repeat. Add the second layer of cake atop the fruit. Add more frosting as needed, using an offset spatula or spoon to coat the rest of the cake. Garnish the cake with fresh fruit and thyme sprigs. Slice it up and dig in!

Looking to create delicious and homemade garnishes to elevate your creations? Try adding Sugared Flowers, Candied Rose Petals, Dried Orange Slices or Sugared berries!

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips

My layered lemon cake with lemony white chocolate frosting is actually pretty simple to pull off. That said, I just can’t help but share some of my favorite tips:

1. Work in stages. There’s no baking law that says a recipe must be made to completion in one sitting, so give yourself a little grace! Try making the lemon cake layers one day, the white chocolate frosting the next day, and assembling on the third day. Not only will the cake still be delicious, but you’ll also get three solid days with time spent in the kitchen – which is yet another thing to celebrate!
2. Use fresh lemon. You’ll need lots of zest here, so grab about ½ dozen lemons. Be sure to only use the bright yellow part of the zest, as the white pith is quite bitter. Lemons that have been zested but not juiced will keep in the fridge for a few days, but will dry out much more quickly than their in-tact counterparts. To get the most juice from your fruits, give them a firm roll on the countertop for 10-15 seconds before cutting.
3. Use in-season fruits for your garnish & filling. Lemon plays nicely with just about every fruit that I can think of! While I had lots of fun layering on kiwiberries, lemon wheels, thyme, strawberries, plums, and blueberries (so many dazzling colors!!!), feel free to opt for a less bountiful array. Simply decorating with just one or two types of berries and some fresh thyme will still look stunning. Just be sure to reach for peak season produce to get the best flavors possible for this fresh fruit cake recipe.
4. ​For the best results and a rich flavor profile, consider using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour. Cake flour is finer and yields a lighter, softer sponge cake that pairs perfectly with the lemony white chocolate frosting.
5. ​Presentation is key, especially for special occasions. After frosting, consider garnishing the top layer with thin slices of seasonal fruits or a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar. This brightens up the cake visually and offers an added burst of flavor with each bite.

💭 Recipe FAQs

More Springtime Desserts

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