Spring Naked Cake Lemon (Printable)

Elegant layer cake featuring zesty lemon curd, pillowy whipped cream, and vibrant edible flowers.

# What You Need:

→ Sponge Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tsp baking powder
03 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
10 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Lemon Curd

11 - 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - Zest of 2 lemons
13 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
14 - 4 large egg yolks
15 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed

→ Whipped Cream

16 - 2 cups heavy cream, cold
17 - 1/3 cup powdered sugar
18 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Decoration

19 - 1 to 2 cups edible flowers
20 - Lemon zest curls, optional

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract and lemon zest.
04 - Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
07 - In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk lemon juice, zest, sugar, and egg yolks. Cook while whisking constantly until thickened, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until smooth. Cool completely.
08 - Beat cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until needed.
09 - Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread with half the lemon curd, then layer whipped cream. Repeat with second layer. Top with third cake layer and a thick layer of whipped cream.
10 - Decorate with edible flowers and lemon zest curls immediately before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The lemon curd is tangy enough to keep the cake from feeling overly sweet, and it comes together faster than you'd expect.
  • Naked cakes are genuinely easier than frosted ones because you can embrace the slightly imperfect layers and make it look intentional.
  • Your kitchen will smell like a spring garden for hours, and guests will think you're a professional baker.
02 -
  • Never assemble this cake with warm curd or you'll end up with a melting, sliding mess—chill everything first if you're not serving immediately.
  • Edible flowers must be genuinely pesticide-free; ornamental flowers from florists are often treated with chemicals and will make you sick.
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale to divide the batter evenly among pans—this is the secret to layers that bake at the same rate and stack evenly.
  • If your edible flowers are slightly wilted when you buy them, mist them gently with water and refrigerate for an hour before using.
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