Sour Cream Lemon Cake with Lemon Buttercream Icing {A Lovely Easter Dessert}

I was over at my friend’s place on Saturday night and she was telling me about this awesome cake that she’d made using lemons and sour cream. It just so happened that I had a container of sour cream at home that I’ve been trying to use up. Sometimes I just can’t find enough recipes to use a whole tub of sour cream, and when I heard that I could use it to make a cake…I was in! I got up on Sunday morning and got right to work making it.

This cake is rich, and very sweet. If you don’t like this too sweet, I would cut back on the sugar in the cake recipe, especially if you going to make it with the lemon buttercream icing. I made it into a layered cake, but it would also be great as a bundt cake with a lemon glaze or even made into a couple of loaf cakes.

We had it for dessert with Sunday night dinner, and it would make a great finale for an Easter lunch too. The lemony flavour is fresh and reminds me of spring.

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Sour Cream Lemon Cake with Lemon Buttercream Icing

Yield: 1 cake

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Ingredients

• Sour Cream Lemon Cake:
• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 cup Butter, room temperature
• 2 cups Granulated Sugar
• 3 eggs
• Zest from one lemon
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• Lemon Buttercream Icing:
• 1/2 cup Butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup Shortening
• 2 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Lemon Zest
• 3-4 cups Confectioners Sugar, sifted
• Optional Topping: Additional Lemon Zest

Instructions

Preheat oven for 325°F. Grease and flour two cake pans. 

In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Beat at high speed until the mixture is very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the side frequently. Blend in the lemon zest. Add flour mixture to the cream mixture, alternating with the sour cream, until well mixed.

Pour batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the centre comes out clean. You can also use a bundt pan, baking it for 55-65 minutes.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a baking rack to completely cool.

To make the icing:

In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Mix in lemon juice and zest. 

Gradually add in confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, beating well. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. If the icing is dry, add more juice or milk until light and fluffy. 

Once the cake is completely cool, place the first layer on a cake plate. Spread a thick layer of icing on the top. Take the other cake layer and place directly on top. Spread icing on the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle additional lemon zest onto the top, if desired.

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Preheat oven for 325°F. Grease and flour two cake pans. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Beat at high speed until the mixture is very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the side frequently. Blend in the lemon zest. Add flour mixture to the cream mixture, alternating with the sour cream, until well mixed.

Pour batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the centre comes out clean. You can also use a bundt pan, baking it for 55-65 minutes.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a baking rack to completely cool.

To make the icing:
In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Mix in lemon juice and zest. 

Gradually add in confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, beating well. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. If the icing is dry, add more juice or milk until light and fluffy. 

Once the cake is completely cool, place the first layer on a cake plate. Spread a thick layer of icing on the top. Take the other cake layer and place directly on top. Spread icing on the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle additional lemon zest onto the top, if desired.