Layered Lemon Cake With Lemony White Chocolate Frosting

5 from 5 votes

Layered Lemon Cake With Lemony White Chocolate Frosting

My twee 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.

Prep Time45

Cook Time30

Total Time1 15

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Slices (1 Cake)

Calories: 649kcal

Author: Emily Laurae

Equipment

Ingredients

Thyme Simple Syrup

½ Cup Water
½ Cup Granulated Sugar
4 sprigs Thyme sliced into thin circles

Lemon Cake

1 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
⅛ teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ teaspoon Salt
½ cup Unsalted Butter room temperature
¾ Cup Sugar
2 Eggs large
¼ teaspoon Lemon Extract or vanilla extract
4 Lemons zested
⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp Kefir
¼ cup Lemon Juice

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

¾ Cup Unsalted Butter Room Temperature
1 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar sifted
¾ Cup White Chocolate melted and slightly cooled
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste or vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest

Garnish

Fresh Fruit
Sprigs of thyme or edible flowers

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Thyme Simple Syrup

Pour your measured water and sugar into a saucepan and heat on medium
½ Cup Water, ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
Cook, stirring the mixture, until your sugar has completely dissolved.
Add thyme sprigs and continue heating for 30 seconds before removing from heat
4 sprigs Thyme
Allow syrup to infuse for half and hour as the simple syrup cools completely
Strain syrup into airtight container and store in the fridge or until you're ready to use.

Lemon Cake

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sift all your dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl, give it a whisk and set aside.
1 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, ⅛ teaspoon Baking Soda, ¼ teaspoon Salt
Add the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
½ cup Unsalted Butter
Add the eggs one at a time, then scrape the bowl making sure ingredients are mixed well before adding extract and lemon zest.
2 Eggs, ¼ teaspoon Lemon Extract, 4 Lemons, ¾ Cup Sugar
Add ½ the dry ingredients, then add the combined lemon juice and kefir to the batter. Finally add the last half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon Kefir, ¼ cup Lemon Juice
Pour batter into a greased 6-inch cake pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. Make sure to check that the cake is fully baked with a toothpick before removing from the oven and allow to cool completely before assembling.

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth with the paddle attachment.
¾ Cup Unsalted Butter
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.
1 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar
Finally, add the melted chocolate, vanilla, and lemon zest - continuing to beat until the frosting is thick and fluffy.
¾ Cup White Chocolate, 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste, 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest

Assembly

Once you've prepared all the cake components - it's time to assemble your cake! First off, slice the baked lemon cake in two equal layers using a serrated knife. Then, poke many small holes into your lemon cake with a toothpick before drizzling some of your thyme simple syrup over the top of each cake layer. This ensures that it is incredibly moist and bursting with lemon and thyme flavor!
Add half of your white chocolate buttercream on top of the first cake layer and spread evenly. Add some fresh fruit on top before placing the second cake layer. and covering with remaining frosting. Utilizing a spoon or an offset spatula, create swirls and swoops to your liking into the buttercream! I used a small offset spatula to create the swirls you see below.
Add the decoration of your liking on top! I added a couple of different layers of fruits, then a few sprigs of thyme for a pleasing aesthetic.
Fresh Fruit, Sprigs of thyme or edible flowers

Video

Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn this recipe into lemon cupcakes instead of a layer cake? Absolutely! Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and fill each to about the ⅔ way mark. You’ll need to keep an eye on the bake time; I’d suggest starting to check around the 18-22 minute mark.
Can I substitute a different kind of citrus for the lemons? Lemons taste like sunshine, but there’s more than one type of citrus to lean into. Try swapping in Meyer lemons for a less tart cake, or opt for limes to go more tropical.
Can I add food coloring to the lemon white chocolate truffle icing? Sure thing! I’d recommend using gel food coloring for the best, most vibrant colors.
What can I use in place of fresh fruit for my garnish and filling? If you weren’t able to snag any good looking produce from the store, don’t fret. Try using lemon curd or passionfruit curd as your filling, and turn to edible flowers, fresh herbs, sprinkles, or dried citrus wheels as your garnish.
How long does homemade frosting last? You can easily whip up the white chocolate buttercream up to a week in advance and keep it in the fridge. It can also be frozen for up to a month.

Nutrition