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by Emily Hutchinson
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My Naked Lemon cakes have become a very desired recipe so I’m going to share this recipe that my family LOVES! It’s so easy that you are going to be shocked! In the ingredients for my lemon cake you will see that I’m using Betty Crockers boxed lemon cake mix which I doctor up. I also love to cover my Lemon cakes with buttercream frosting!
You may be thinking….”OH MY GOSH The Hutch Oven is using box cake mix?” but let me tell you, this lemon cake is so yummy, moist and fluffy that you must try it. I am not a snob to doctored box mixes. This is still homemade and you are putting as much into baking this cake as you would if you made one completely from scratch. Give yourself a break sometimes 😉
I like to use Wilton bake even strips on my cake rounds for even baking and a flat tops. You may need to trim a little off to make your cake flat. You will want to thinly slice your lemons and use any kind of greenery. You may have the greenery you need right in your back yard 😉
You can use any buttercream recipe but here is a link to mine on my Hallmark Home and Family segment
I added a video at the bottom to show you how easy it was to assemble my lemon naked cake. You can fully frost your lemon cake like the first photo I used or keep it naked. Either way, it’s lemon so…
Pin for later 😉
Lemon Cake
Moist and fluffy Lemon Cake that is so easy you will want to make this all the time. You will see I used a doctored Betty Crocker box cake mix. Hands down one of the easiest and yummiest recipes I use.
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Servings 16
Ingredients
- 1 box Betty Crocker lemon cake mix
- 1 cup milk
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 4 egg whites
Instructions
Pour milk and vinegar together and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour two 8 inch cake rounds. I like to use Bake even strips on the outside of my pans, but you don’t have to use them.
In a mixer, mix egg whites, oil, sour cream, and lemon zest. Then add your milk vinegar (this acts sort-of like a buttermilk substitute).
After that’s mixed you want to mix your lemon cake in, BUT only mix tell incorporated. You can even do this by hand. Please don’t over whip.
Pour evenly into your two cake rounds and bake for 25- 30 minutes or until you gently press on the top of your cake and it springs back up. Or use the clean toothpick method.
Frost cake with buttercream frosting.
Notes
Let milk and vinegar mix sit for up to 30 minutes. I only let mine sit for 20 minutes. The longer it sits the more it turns to act like a buttermilk substitute.
Keyword easy lemon cake, lemon cake, lemon cake recipe
I get excited just thinking about how delicious these cookies are. A little back story, YEARS ago I developed what my family and I consider the best Chocolate chip cookie and I hand wrote it on a 5 x 7 note card and kept it among others in my cupboard. I baked this recipe frequently…
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Reader Interactions
Comments
- Christin
If you are doing the naked cake, does it take your full buttercream frosting recipe? I just don’t want a ton left over and wasted. Thanks!
Signature Buttercream recipe
Ingredients: ⠀
– 1 1/4 cup butter
– 1 1/4 cup shortening
– 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
– 1 2lb bag of confectioners’ powdered sugar or about 7 1/2 cups
– 4 to 5 tablespoons milk- Emily Hutchinson
I like to use the full recipe so I have enough. I don’t think half the recipe could be enough.
- HeidiSee AlsoLemon Pound Cake {With Cake Mix}
Emily, when you are baking, for this or any cake/baked good, if the recipe says “milk”, does it matter what percent fat milk you use? Can skim or 2% still always produce the same result?
- Emily Hutchinson
I would suggest using whole or 2% milk. I should have been more specific. Thank you
- Lauren
This sounds so yummy! Would adding poppyseeds affect the mixture, do you think?
- Emily Hutchinson
Hi Lauren, I’ve never tried that but it sounds delicious 🙂
- Rebecca
This was SO good! I actually doubled the recipe and used to 10 inch pans. Turned out great and they came out pretty flat already so I didn’t have to trim much off before layering them. I used a lemon buttercream to frost. Thanks!!!
- Emily Hutchinson
Oohhhh I’m so happy you loved it as much as we do. Thank you for your sweet comment Xoxoxoxox
- Amanda Wicke
Are you whipping the egg whites until peaked or just mixing everything together?
- Emily Hutchinson
Hi Amanda,
I’m just mixing everything in 🙂 don’t over mix
- Laura
Can I use 1 cup of buttermilk instead of the substitute? Thanks!
- Emily Hutchinson
Yes 🙂
- Erika Casarin
Hi Emily! Would you advise I cut the recipe in half if I’m using three 6″ pans? And when you’re adding the lemon cake mix it’s only the dry mix, correct?
- Emily Hutchinson
Keep the recipe as is, just evenly distribute to the 3 6inch pans 🙂
- Anne
Could I use this recipe to make cupcakes ?
- Emily Hutchinson
You sure can, just reduce the cooking time 🙂
What does ? BUT Only mix tell incorporated mean? Number 4 in instructions to make the cake.
- Emily Hutchinson
It means to not over mix 🙂
- Thomas
Can’t wait to make it this weekend. Lemon is my favorite.
Can I add more lemon juice? I like it tangy - Ally
Can I use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream? Thanks!
- Gina
Can I use Bundt pan?
- Emily Hutchinson
Hi Gina,
Shoot, I haven’t made this recipe in a bundt pan.
- Kelly
You should have said pour the milk & vinegar together and set aside for 20-30 mins! I missed that part 😬
- Emily Hutchinson
Yes I should have just put that in the notes. It should have done its job regardless 🥰🥰
