Halloween Lemon Layer Cake

While lemon isn’t typically a fall harvest or Halloween flavor, it certainly is tasty!

Enjoy this super simple white lemon loaf cake, with layers of vanilla buttercream frosting, and festive orange sprinkles for your pre-trick-or-treating Halloween snack!! 🧡🎃👻💀🕷

Halloween Lemon Layer Cake

Lemon Cake:

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

1 heaping Tbs. lemon zest (about 2 lemons)

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

 

Preheat oven to 350°.

 

Grease and flour a loaf pan.

 

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. 

 

Set aside.

 

Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. 

 

Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. 

 

Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. 

 

Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed.

 

With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients just until combined. 

 

With the mixer still running on low, add the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix just until combined. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be thick.

Pour batter into the loaf and bake for around 21-26 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. 

 

Allow cake to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. The cake must be completely cool before frosting and assembling. 

 

Buttercream Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 cup butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature

4 ½ cups powdered sugar

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

sea salt

 

 

In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. 

 

Add the cream cheese and beat until completely smooth and combined. 

 

Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract with the mixer running on low. 

 

Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. 

 

Add more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin, more lemon juice if frosting is too thick, or add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. (I always add a pinch of salt).

 

Using a large, serrated knife, slice the loaf cake (after inverting) into thin layers and frost each layer with the buttercream.

 

Sandwich each frosted layer together and dust with decorative candy sprinkles.

 

Chill before serving.