Lemon desserts are known for their refreshing tang, but the lemon cheesecake cake elevates that tartness to new heights. With alternating layers of soft lemon cake, creamy Bavarian filling, and tart lemon curd, this dessert harmoniously balances sweetness and zing. The smooth buttercream frosting adds a final touch of elegance to this multi-layered treat. Perfect for celebrations or as a showstopper dessert, this cake will impress any guest with its bright flavors and intricate textures. It’s a cake that doesn’t just taste great but also makes a stunning centerpiece at any event.

Ingredients Breakdown

This recipe brings together several components, each contributing to the cake’s complex flavor and texture. The cake layers are light yet rich, with a delightful citrus aroma. To achieve the best possible outcome, it’s essential to use fresh lemons. The juice and zest deliver an unmistakably fresh, tangy flavor that bottled alternatives simply can’t replicate. Softened, unsalted butter allows for a more controlled flavor, while room-temperature eggs help the batter come together more smoothly, creating a tender crumb in the cake layers.

The buttercream is equally important. By creaming room-temperature butter with sugar and a hint of lemon juice, you’ll achieve a velvety consistency that’s not too sweet, allowing the lemon flavor to truly shine. The lemon curd provides a tart contrast to the sweet components, and it’s worth taking the extra time to make it from scratch to enjoy that true lemon punch. Finally, the lemon Bavarian cream adds a light, fluffy layer of sophistication, enhancing the cake’s creaminess without overpowering the palate.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Lemon Cheesecake Cake

The journey to crafting this cake is not just rewarding but also a great opportunity to refine baking techniques.

Preparing the Lemon Cake Layers
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (176°C) and preparing your cake pans. Mix your dry ingredients separately this ensures that the baking powder and soda are evenly distributed, preventing any uneven rises in your cake layers. Creaming the butter and sugar creates the foundation for a tender cake crumb, and it’s essential to beat them together for the recommended time. This step incorporates air into the batter, which will result in light, fluffy layers. As you alternate adding the dry ingredients with the wet ones (milk, lemon juice, zest), make sure to scrape down the bowl to incorporate all ingredients evenly.

Making the Lemon Buttercream
The key to a good buttercream lies in the consistency of the butter. It should be softened but not too warm. Adding powdered sugar slowly will prevent the mixture from becoming grainy. Don’t rush this process; take time to beat it until you achieve that smooth, spreadable texture. The addition of lemon juice adds freshness and keeps the buttercream from being overly sweet, while the zest boosts the citrus aroma.

Crafting the Lemon Curd
Lemon curd may seem daunting, but it’s quite simple as long as you whisk constantly and keep the heat low. You’ll know it’s done when it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Don’t skip the step of covering it with plastic wrap directly on the surface, as this will prevent a skin from forming. The lemon curd provides bursts of tartness that will contrast beautifully with the sweeter elements of the cake.

Creating the Lemon Bavarian Cream
The Bavarian cream requires careful attention to detail, particularly when tempering the eggs. Slowly incorporating the hot cream into the eggs prevents them from scrambling, which is critical for achieving a smooth texture. Whipping the cream separately and folding it in gently ensures that the final product is light and airy just what you need to balance the rich buttercream and dense cake layers.

Recipe Tips

Always start with room-temperature ingredients to ensure a smooth batter and even baking.
For flat cake layers, use cake strips or bake your layers at a slightly lower temperature for a longer time.
Whip the buttercream thoroughly after each addition of sugar to prevent graininess.
When making lemon curd, cook it low and slow. Rushing will lead to scrambled eggs instead of smooth curd.
Chill the assembled cake after applying the crumb coat. This makes the final frosting layer much easier to apply smoothly.

How to Assemble and Decorate Your Lemon Cheesecake Cake

Stacking and decorating this cake is as fun as it is rewarding.

Layering Techniques
To assemble, it’s vital that your cake layers are completely cool. If they’re still warm, the fillings will melt, and you’ll end up with a lopsided cake. Start with the first layer and pipe a buttercream dam around the edge. This dam will prevent the Bavarian cream or lemon curd from spilling over the sides, giving you neat, defined layers. Repeat this process with alternating fillings until all six layers are assembled.

Piping and Dams
When piping the dam, don’t worry about perfection the goal is functionality. The buttercream will be smoothed out later. Just ensure the dam is thick enough to hold the fillings in place.

Decorating with a Watercolor Effect
The watercolor effect is a simple yet elegant way to finish the cake. Use a small amount of yellow gel color, adding blobs of tinted buttercream here and there on the frosted cake. Then, with a frosting smoother or offset spatula, lightly drag the colors together to create a soft, blended look. This technique is forgiving, so don’t worry about precision the goal is an organic, artistic finish.

For added flair, pipe additional buttercream around the edges or top the cake with lemon slices, edible flowers, or zest for a vibrant presentation.

What to Serve With This Recipe

The bright, zesty flavor of the Lemon Cheesecake Cake pairs wonderfully with a variety of beverages and side dishes. A refreshing herbal tea, like mint or chamomile, will complement the tanginess without overpowering it. For a more indulgent pairing, serve with sparkling lemonade or a light white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, which has citrus notes to echo the flavors of the cake.

For a dessert spread, consider pairing the cake with lemon sorbet for a double dose of lemon or serve alongside buttery shortbread cookies. A fresh fruit salad made with berries would also add a pop of color and a healthy option to the table. The cake’s complex layers make it versatile enough to stand alone or be part of a larger dessert offering.

Lemon Cheesecake Cake

A zesty Lemon Cheesecake Cake with layers of lemon cake, curd, and Bavarian cream, finished with lemon buttercream for a refreshing, creamy dessert.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 1 45

Cook Time: 1 10

Servings:

Author: Jessica Harmon

Ingredients

For the Lemon Cake

1 1/2 cups 336g unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 egg whites
1 1/4 cups 300ml milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp lemon zest
2 cups 414g sugar
3 cups 390g all-purpose flour
2 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Lemon Buttercream

2 1/4 cups 504g unsalted butter, softened
9 1/2 cups 1093g powdered sugar
2 –3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
Yellow gel icing color

For the Lemon Curd

1/3 cup 69g sugar
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup 60ml lemon juice (about 1–2 lemons)
2 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp 28g salted butter

For the Lemon Bavarian Cream

3 tbsp 26g sugar
1 1/2 tsp powdered gelatin
1 tbsp lemon zest
4 1/2 tbsp 68ml lemon juice
3 egg yolks
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup 420ml heavy whipping cream, divided
1/2 cup 58g powdered sugar

Instructions

Prepare the Cake

Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (176°C). Line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper, and grease the sides thoroughly.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside for later use.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until you achieve a light, fluffy consistency—about 2-3 minutes. Add in the egg whites and vanilla extract, mixing well until everything is fully incorporated. Make sure to scrape the bowl’s sides as needed.
Gradually add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients (milk, lemon juice, and zest) in alternating stages. Begin with about one-third of the flour mixture, followed by half of the milk and lemon mixture, beating on medium speed until everything is combined. Continue alternating between the dry and wet ingredients, ensuring each addition is well mixed. You should end with the dry ingredients.
Distribute the batter evenly among the three pans. Bake the cakes for 25-30 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center, which should come out clean. If the tops are slightly browned, this is completely normal.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 1-2 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Prepare the Lemon Buttercream

Beat the butter in a large mixing bowl until smooth and creamy. Gradually add half of the powdered sugar, blending until fully incorporated. Then, mix in the salt, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Continue to add the rest of the powdered sugar, ensuring a smooth, consistent buttercream. If the mixture seems too thick, add a little more lemon juice to adjust the texture.

Prepare the Lemon Curd

In a double boiler or a heatproof bowl placed over simmering water, whisk together the lemon juice, zest, sugar, and egg yolks. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens and reaches 170-180°F, or until it coats the back of a spoon.
Transfer the lemon curd to a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled and firm.

Prepare the Lemon Bavarian Cream

Sprinkle the gelatin over the lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside.
In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks. In a saucepan, heat 3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest over medium heat until warm. Slowly whisk this heated cream mixture into the egg yolks to temper them, then return everything to the saucepan. Cook on medium heat until the mixture thickens slightly, about 160°F, and coats a spoon’s back.
Stir the gelatin mixture into the warm custard, ensuring it’s well combined. Pour the custard into a bowl and place it over ice to cool it to room temperature.
While the custard is cooling, whip the remaining heavy cream and powdered sugar to stiff peaks in a mixer. Gently fold this whipped cream into the cooled custard to create a light, airy Bavarian cream.

Assemble the Cake

Once the cake layers have fully cooled, level the tops if necessary by trimming off any domes. Slice each cake layer in half, creating six layers total. Retrieve the lemon curd and Bavarian cream from the fridge, stirring them until smooth. If needed, give the Bavarian cream a quick whisk to smooth out any lumps.
Start with one cake layer on your serving platter. Pipe a small dam of buttercream around the edges and fill the center with one-third of the Bavarian cream. Place the next cake layer on top. Repeat the process, alternating between Bavarian cream and lemon curd as fillings, until all six layers are stacked.
Apply a crumb coat of frosting to the outside of the cake and refrigerate it for at least 2-3 hours to firm up.
Once chilled, frost the cake with the remaining buttercream, creating a smooth finish. For a decorative, watercolor effect, mix the remaining frosting with a bit of yellow gel color and spread blobs of the tinted frosting across the cake’s surface. Gently smooth it out to achieve a blended look.
Refrigerate the cake until you’re ready to serve. For best results, store it in an airtight container and enjoy within 3-4 days.