Easy Sourdough Lemon Cake with Buttercream Frosting
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This Sourdough Lemon Cake is the kind of cake you bring to a spring gathering, and everybody asks for the recipe. It is bright, citrusy, and not overly sweet, with a tender crumb and a lemon buttercream frosting that adds another layer of citrus and sweetness on top. Adding sourdough discard to the batter is a simple trick that keeps the cake moist and tender. You won’t taste the tang at all over the sweetness. If you love lemon desserts, you might also want to check out these Sourdough Lemon Bars, as they are just as bright and citrusy. Serve this cake at Easter brunch, bring it to a baby shower, or just make it on a random Sunday afternoon.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Sweet Treat – This cake is bright and citrusy without being overly sweet, and the lemon buttercream frosting adds just enough sweetness to balance the tartness of the lemon. If you love lemon baked goods, you will also want to check out this Sourdough Lemon Loaf. It’s the same bright citrus flavor, shaped differently.
- Great Way to Use Up Discard – If you have sourdough discard sitting in your fridge, this cake is a great way to use it up. You won’t taste the tang at all over the sweetness of the cake. If you are looking for more discard recipes, these Sourdough Blueberry Muffins are another good option.
- Tender Crumb – The sourdough discard keeps this cake moist and tender, which makes a real difference in the texture. If you enjoy baking sourdough layer cakes, this Sourdough Vanilla Cake is worth trying, too.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
Batter:
- All-purpose Flour – Sift it first, then spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife for the most accurate measurement.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – This is a no-wait recipe, and you have these leaveners to thank for the lift.
- Salt: To bring out the sweetness of the cake
- Sourdough Starter Discard – Since the cake is sweet, you won’t taste the tang of a sourdough discard, but it helps to make the most tender cake. I like to use discard that is less than a week old.
- Butter – Adds the rich and creamy flavor to the cake
- Sugar – Granulated or cane sugar will work perfectly for this recipe
- Large Eggs – Brough to room temperature.
- Milk – Use whole milk or your favorite non-dairy milk.
- Vanilla Extract – Adding vanilla to this cake really compliments the lemon flavor.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice is best, as it will give you the purest lemon flavor.
- Lemon Zest – Adds a little extra lemon flavor and a pleasant texture to the cake. Make sure to only zest the yellow part of the rind. The white part underneath can be quite bitter.
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- Butter – For a rich and creamy frosting. Make sure it is softened before you start.
- Confectioners Sugar-Gives the frosting its sweetness.
- Lemon Juice – Adds a bright citrus flavor to the frosting.
- Lemon Zest– Gives the frosting a little extra bite.
- Heavy Cream– Thins the frosting out to the right consistency.
- Salt – Just a pinch to bring out the sweetness of the frosting.
How to Make Sourdough Lemon Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray, then line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper, then spray one more time. This is the most reliable way to get your cake out of the pan cleanly.
Make the Cake Batter:
- First, sift 3 cups of AP flour into a bowl. Then spoon the sifted flour into a measuring cup and level off with a knife. This will give you the most accurate flour measurement.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Set the dry ingredients aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the milk, sourdough discard, and lemon juice until smooth. Set aside.
- With a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the soft butter until creamy on medium speed, about 2 minutes.
- Add the sugar and lemon zest and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl when necessary.
- Add the vanilla extract and then the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each addition. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is fluffy and a pale yellow color, about 3 minutes.
- Now alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients to the mixer. Start with a third of the flour mixture, followed by half of the liquid ingredients. Be sure not to over-mix the batter. This can lead to a tough crumb. Stop mixing once the flour is just combined. Sometimes I will mix the last third of the flour mixture by hand with a rubber spatula.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Tap the pans on the counter to release any air bubbles.
Bake
- Place both cake pans on the middle oven rack and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let them cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting
- With a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the soft butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Stop to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl when necessary.
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, heavy cream, and salt and mix until combined.
- If the frosting is too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. If it is too thin, add up to 1/2 cup of extra powdered sugar until it reaches the right consistency.
Decorate
- Before you start, make sure the cakes are completely cooled. Even slightly warm cakes will cause the frosting to melt into a sugary mess. If the cake is domed on top, slice off a thin piece with a serrated knife so the layers sit evenly when stacked.
- Place the bottom layer on a cake stand. Spread about a cup of the lemon buttercream frosting evenly on top with a flat knife. Place the second layer on top and cover evenly with another cup of frosting. Spread the remaining frosting over the edges.
For decoration, I went with slices of fresh lemons and fresh flowers, but here are some other ideas if you want to get creative:
- Dollops of homemade whipped cream
- Slices of fresh organic lemons
- Slices of dried lemon
- Lemon zest
- Sugared lemon peel
- Fresh berries
- Fresh herbs
- Edible flowers
- Macaroons
- Drizzle of lemon curd
You could also spread raspberry or blackberry preserves between the cake layers for a fruitier version with a nice pop of color.
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Measure your flour carefully. Sift it first, then spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Too much flour will make the cake dry and dense.
- Do not over-mix the batter. Once you start adding the flour, mix only until it is just combined. Over-mixing develops too much gluten and will give you a tough crumb instead of a tender one.
- Make sure the cakes are completely cooled before frosting. Even slightly warm cakes will cause the buttercream to melt. Be patient and let them cool fully on a wire rack first.
How to Store
If you have leftover lemon cake, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Take it out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature before serving. This cake also freezes well. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap, place it in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to serve, bring it to room temperature and decorate.
FAQs
Sourdough Lemon Cake highlights the flavor of lemon in the most delicious way. Freshly squeezed lemon juice brings a citrusy pop to each bite, which is then balanced with a buttery and moist cake. You won’t taste the tanginess from the sourdough discard over the sweetness of this cake, but you will taste a tender and fluffy crumb due to the inclusion of the discard. Don’t forget about the frosting! Extra lemon juice and lemon zest give this sweet buttercream frosting plenty of zip to balance out the sweetness.
I used sourdough discard, which is just unfed starter, to bake this lemon cake, but you can replace it with the same amount of active sourdough starter if you do not have a surplus. I haven’t tested it in this specific recipe, but I have swapped active starter for discard in many other recipes and the results were just as good.
This recipe was tested with all-purpose flour, so results may vary with cake flour. Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose, which typically results in an even more tender cake crumb. If you try it, use the same amount and let me know how it turns out in the comments below.
I tested this great recipe with fresh lemon juice, and that’s what I recommend sticking with. Fresh lemon juice does two things. It adds flavor and brings acidity to the batter, which extract just cannot do the same way. If you do try it, go easy because the extract is a lot more concentrated than fresh juice. Results may vary.
Sourdough Lemon Cake Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
Sourdough Lemon Cake
- 350 grams all-purpose flour, sifted 3 cups
- 6 grams baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 3 grams baking soda 1/2 teaspoon
- 5 grams salt 3/4 teaspoon
- 240 grams milk 1 cup
- 280 grams sourdough discard 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons
- 80 grams lemon juice, freshly squeezed 1/3 cup, about 2 lemons
- 226 grams unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup
- 350 grams sugar 1 3/4 cups
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest about 2 lemons
- 8 grams vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
- 3 eggs room temperature
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- 226 grams unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup
- 540 grams confectioner’ sugar 4 1/2 cups
- 38 grams lemon juice, freshly squeezed 2 1/2 Tablespoons
- 30 grams heavy cream 2 Tablespoons
- 2 tsp zest of one lemon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottom with a circle piece of parchment paper and spray with cooking spray one more time. Set aside.Using parchment paper is a full-proof way of removing your cake from the pans.
Make the Batter:
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Set the dry ingredients to the side.If you are not using a kitchen scale, sift the flour into a bowl. Then spoon the sifted flour into a measuring cup and level off with a knife. This will give you the most accurate flour measurement.350 grams all-purpose flour, sifted, 6 grams baking powder, 3 grams baking soda, 5 grams salt
- In a large bowl, whisk the milk, sourdough discard, and lemon juice until smooth. Set to the side.240 grams milk, 280 grams sourdough discard, 80 grams lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- With a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the soft butter until creamy, about 2 minutes, on medium speed.226 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- Add the sugar and lemon zest and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl when necessary.350 grams sugar, 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
- To the butter/sugar mixture, add the vanilla extract and then the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl between each addition. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is fluffy and a pale yellow color, about 3 minutes.8 grams vanilla extract, 3 eggs
- Now, alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients to the stand mixer. First add a third of the flour mixture, followed by half of the sourdough discard mixture. Be sure not to over-mix the cake batter! This can lead to a tough crumb. Stop mixing once the flour mixture is just combined. Sometimes I will fold in the last third of the flour mixture by hand with a rubber spatula.
- Divide the cake batter into two and pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pans on the counter to release any air bubbles in the batter.
- Place both cake pans into the oven on the middle oven rack. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until it's golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Place the warm cake on a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting:
- With a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Stop to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl when necessary.226 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, heavy cream, and salt and mix until combined.If the frosting is too thick, add up to 1 T of heavy cream. If the frosting is too thin, add up to 1/2 cup of extra powdered sugar. Adjust as needed until it has reached the desired consistency.540 grams confectioner’ sugar, 38 grams lemon juice, freshly squeezed, 30 grams heavy cream, 2 tsp zest of one lemon, pinch of salt
- Frost the cake with the lemon buttercream frosting, slice and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Tips:
- It is best for the ingredients all to be at room temperature.
- Handle the cake with care as it is quite tender.
- Sift the flour before measuring to get the most accurate measurement.
- Be sure to only zest the yellow bits of the rind, the white parts underneath are quite bitter.
- Cool the cakes completely before decorating or you will have a melty sugary mess.
Such a fresh yummy cake! I made it for Easter and it’s the kind of cake that has everyine coming back for more. I loved having a purpose for my sourdough discard, and the frosting in particular is absolute lemony perfection.
What a perfect Easter cake! I love that it kept everyone coming back for more. The frosting really is something special, so I’m especially glad you loved that part. I really appreciate you sharing this!
I have just started my sourdough journey and this was the first cake I’ve made with discard. Wow – it was delicious!! The instructions were clear and easy to follow and it is one I will definitely make again. I used 3 x 7 inch pans and put raspberry filling between each layer. Thanks for a fab recipe.
I love the idea of using three 7-inch pans with raspberry filling—that sounds absolutely delicious! Thank you for the sweet words and I really appreciate you taking the time to leave such a thoughtful comment!
Made this today for my husbands birthday. It turned out tasting a little doughy. I am not sure if I just added too much or too little of something. Any suggestions? I was so excited for this recipe.
I’m so sorry that happened, especially for a birthday cake—that’s always frustrating! A doughy texture is usually from the cake being slightly underbaked, even if the top looks done. I’d recommend checking that a toothpick comes out clean from the very center and, if possible, using an internal temp of about 200–205°F for doneness. It can also happen if the batter was a bit too thick (from extra flour or a thicker discard). I always suggest using a kitchen scale for the most precise bake. I hope you’ll give it another try—I’d love for it to turn out just right for you next time!