Spring Naked Cake Lemon (Printable)

Light layer cake with zesty lemon curd, whipped cream, and edible spring flowers, perfect for elegant occasions.

# What You Need:

→ Sponge Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 teaspoons 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 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Decoration

19 - 1 to 2 cups edible flowers such as pansies, violets, marigolds, or nasturtiums
20 - Lemon zest curls, optional

# Directions:

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 butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and lemon zest.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
05 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Smooth tops and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or 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, whisking constantly, until thickened, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until smooth. Cool completely.
08 - Beat cold cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until needed.
09 - Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread with half the lemon curd, then a layer of whipped cream. Repeat with the second layer. Top with the third cake and a thick layer of whipped cream.
10 - Decorate with edible flowers and lemon zest curls just before serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The lemon curd has this bright, almost dangerous tanginess that cuts through the sweetness in the best possible way.
  • You get to skip the frosting hassle entirely and still have people thinking you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • Watching someone's face when they realize those flowers on top are actually edible never gets old.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter is how you end up with a cake that's tough and bounces back—learn to stop yourself when you still see flour streaks.
  • The lemon curd can break if your heat's too high; keep that water at a gentle simmer and whisk constantly, or you'll scramble the eggs and have to start over.
  • Chilling the caked layers and curd before assembly makes everything more stable and makes the cake easier to slice cleanly.
03 -
  • Chill your cake layers and lemon curd before assembly so everything stays stable and slices cleanly instead of crumbling into chaos.
  • If you want something richer, use mascarpone mixed into half the whipped cream—it adds a subtle tang that plays beautifully with the lemon.
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