Italian Lemon Cream Cake
This Italian Lemon Cream Cake is a perfect dessert for any occasion. It’s a light and refreshing treat that will satisfy your sweet tooth.
Have you ever tried the Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake? If so, this is the perfect copycat to make this sweet cake at home. We love this light and fluffy cake recipe.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It tastes just as good as your Italian restaurant’s favorite dessert but costs much less.
- You only need simple ingredients so you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make this cake.
- It’s a simple recipe so even beginners can make it.
🛒Ingredients
Pick up these ingredients on your next trip to the grocery store so that you can enjoy this Copycat Olive Garden Italian Lemon Cream Cake with your friends and family.
- butter softened
- sugar
- eggs
- vanilla
- lemon zest
- fresh lemon juice
- cake flour
- baking powder
- salt
- whole milk
Filling
- heavy cream
- powdered sugar
- lemon extract
- lemon curd
Icing
- heavy cream
- powdered sugar
- lemon extract
See the recipe card below for quantities.
🔪 How to Make This Lemon Cream Cake Recipe
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this lemon cake recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, taking time to thoroughly incorporate each egg before continuing on. Add in the lemon juice, zest and vanilla and mix.
In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Alternate adding the flour and milk, starting and ending with the flour mixture, scraping the bowl each time to make sure all ingredients are well mixed.
Divide between 2 – 9” cake pans (either non-stick or well greased). Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out cleanly. Remove and let cool completely.
To make the filling, place the heavy cream, powdered sugar and lemon extract in a large bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Use a spatula and gently fold in the lemon curd.
Start to stack the cake by placing the bottom layer upside down in the center of a cake stand. Cover the top of it with the filling and stack the top layer, right side up, centering on top of the bottom layer.
To make the icing, place the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and lemon extract in a large bowl and beat until stiff peaks form.
Using a spatula spread it over the top of the cake and use a small amount on the sides to achieve a barely frosted look. Scrape most of the excess of the sides and level off the top of the cake as evenly as possible.
Dust with powdered sugar when ready to serve (it will be absorbed if standing too long). Garnish with extra lemon slices, and or mint if desired.
🥄 Equipment
This is a list of the equipment that you will need to make this lemon cream cake recipe.
- mixing bowls
- electric mixer
- 9″ cake pans
- spatula
🥫 Storage
Storage – Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. We like to store it on a cake plate to keep it fresh.
Freezing – You can also freeze slices of this cake in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying.
Serve With
This delicious cake goes well with a cup of your favorite coffee or a glass of milk. You can also serve it with one of these Crazy Good Recipes if you want to serve it with a tasty meal.
💭 Tips
Here are a few tips that you can use to ensure that this copycat lemon cake recipe turns out perfectly for you when you make it.
- Make sure to use room temperature ingredients so that you can a light and fluffy cake batter.
- Don’t overmix the cake batter, mix until it is just combined. Mix for no more than two minutes.
- Use baking spray or grease and flour your cake pans to prevent the cake from sticking.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Cake flour has been sifted with cornstarch to make it lighter. This helps you get a less dense cake.
🍽 More Lemon Recipes
Do you enjoy lemon? If so, try these delicious recipes:
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Italian Lemon Cream Cake
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- 9″ cake pans
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 tablesppon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk
Filling
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- ¼ cup lemon curd
Icing
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- Plus extra powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, taking time to thoroughly incorporate each egg before continuing on.
- Add in the lemon juice, zest and vanilla and mix.
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together.
- Alternate adding the flour and milk, starting and ending with the flour mixture, scraping the bowl each time to make sure all ingredients are well mixed.
- Divide between 2 – 9” cake pans (either non-stick or well greased). Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out cleanly.
- Remove and let cool completely.
- To make the filling, place the heavy cream, powdered sugar and lemon extract in a large bowl and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Use a spatula and gently fold in the lemon curd.
- Start to stack the cake by placing the bottom layer upside down in the center of a cake stand.
- Cover the top of it with the filling and stack the top layer, right side up, centering on top of the bottom layer.
- To make the icing, place the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and lemon extract in a large bowl and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Using a spatula spread it over the top of the cake and use a small amount on the sides to achieve a barely frosted look. Scrape most of the excess of the sides and level off the top of the cake as evenly as possible.
- Dust with powdered sugar when ready to serve (it will be absorbed if standing too long).
- Garnish with extra lemon slices, and or mint if desired.
