Name: Easy Lemon Birthday Cake Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter; 1.25 cups granulated sugar; 4 eggs (, large); 1/2 cup oil; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/2 cup lemon juice; 3/4 cup milk; 2.5 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 2 tbsp fresh lemon zest; 1/4 tsp salt; 2 tbsp poppy seeds; 2 cups heavy whipping cream; 1/4 cup powdered sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract

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This easy lemon birthday cake recipe is an extra fluffy and moist layered cake burst with fresh lemon juice, zest, and poppy seeds. And topped with vanilla whipping cream and lemon slices.

I am a big fan of lemon cakes, especially this recipe. I always make it whenever I’m craving something lemony and sweet. It is super easy to make, delicious, and looks fabulous. Enjoy a piece of this lemon poppy seed cake for dessert or an afternoon snack with a drink of your choice.

What's In This Easy Lemon Birthday Cake Recipe?

Butter
Granulated sugar
Eggs, large
Cooking oil
Vanilla extract
Lemon juice
Milk
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Fresh lemon zest
Poppy seeds

Toppings

Heavy whipping cream
Powdered sugar
Vanilla extract

How to Make An Easy Lemon Birthday Cake Recipe?

Preparations: Preheat the oven to 170C.
Line two springform pans or baking pans with parchment paper.

Mixing the wet ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter. Then add the eggs one at a time, along with the vanilla extract. Mix well using the electric whisk. Add oil, milk, and lemon juice, mix well.

Adding the dry ingredients: Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt over the mixture. Mix until combined. Add the poppy seeds and lemon zest, stir.
Distribute the batter between the two springforms.

Baking: Bake for 25-27 minutes. Allow to cool down before getting the cakes out of the springforms.

Making the topping: In a mixing bowl, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract using the electric whisk until it becomes a thick mixture.

Assembling everything together: Spread a generous amount of the cream evenly on top of the first cake then top it with the second cake. After that, cover the top and all the sides of the cake with the rest of the cream (and save some to decorate with if you like).

Decorating: Add two tablespoons of the cream in a pastry bag and make small flowers then sprinkle some poppy seeds over it.

Top Tips!

Use fresh lemon juice and zest in making this recipe to get the best tangy flavour.
If you want extra tangy flavour, you can add two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to the topping ingredients.
An alternative topping to heavy cream would be cream cheese.
Don't skip the lemon zest; use a Microplane to get the lemon zest, not the box grater.
You can make this recipe in a muffin tin or bundt pan. Just adjust the baking time accordingly.

Storing and freezing this lemon cake

This cake can be kept covered, outside the fridge, for two days in room temperature.

To store: Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.

To freeze: This cake freezes beautifully with or without the frosting. However, If you will freeze it without the frosting, wrap the cake in 2 layers of plastic wrap and keep it in the freezer for 1-2 months.

If freezing with the frosting, just cut it and keep each piece or 2 in an airtight container in the fridge until needed.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve this lemon cake as a dessert after a family dinner. Also, serve it with your favourite drink; here are some suggestions.

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Print Pin

5 from 14 votes

Easy Lemon Birthday Cake Recipe

This easy lemon birthday cake recipe is an extra fluffy and moist layered cake burst with fresh lemon juice, zest, and poppy seeds.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Easy Lemon Birthday Cake Recipe, Moist Lemon Cake

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 513kcal

Author Radwa

Equipment

Ingredients

½ cup butter
1.25 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs , large
½ cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup lemon juice
¾ cup milk
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon poppy seeds

Toppings

2 cups heavy whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preparations: Preheat the oven to 170C. Line two springform pans or baking pans with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter. Then add the eggs one at a time, along with the vanilla extract. Mix well using the electric whisk. Add oil, milk, and lemon juice, mix well.
Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt over the mixture. Mix until combined. Add the poppy seeds and lemon zest, stir.
Distribute the batter between the two springforms.
Bake for 25-27 minutes. Allow to cool down before getting the cakes out of the springforms.

Making the topping

In a mixing bowl, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract using the electric whisk until it becomes a thick mixture.
Spread a generous amount of the cream evenly on top of the first cake then top it with the second cake. After that, cover the top and all the sides of the cake with the rest of the cream (and save some to decorate with if you like).
Decorating: Add two tablespoons of the cream in a pastry bag and make small flowers then sprinkle some poppy seeds over it.

Notes

Use fresh lemon juice and zest in making this recipe to get the best tangy flavour.
If you want extra tangy flavour, you can add two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to the topping ingredients.
An alternative topping to heavy cream would be cream cheese.
Don't skip the lemon zest; use a Microplane to get the lemon zest, not the box grater.
You can make this recipe in a muffin tin or bundt pan. Just adjust the baking time accordingly.