Easy Lemon Layer Cake

This easy lemon layer cake, sandwiched with lemon buttercream, leans into the naked cakes trend and can be whipped up in no time at all.

Updated 2026 · Originally commissioned by Great British Chefs for Cath Kidston

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Bare or “naked” cakes have been a growing trend for weddings in the past year. Letting the golden colour of a sponge crust show through now looks fresh and up to date compared to cakes smothered in icing or sugarpaste. Decorations too come as nature intended with fresh flowers and fruit replacing sugarcrafted blooms and sculpture. 

Whilst many of the “naked cakes” created for weddings tower in many layers, this paired down version simply decorated in the same style is perfect for afternoon tea.

Icing need not be sculpted beyond the occasional buttercream rosette, being smeared with a knife is fine. This baking trend is perfect for anyone lacking in confidence decorating cakes. With free form buttercream and artfully arranged fresh fruits or foliage, anyone can decorate a naked cake!

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Cakes have been growing taller with smaller bases too. This trend has been made popular by San Francisco bakery Miette and Peggy Porschen in the UK. Using smaller tins, but adding another layer, brings a contemporary proportion to the traditional sponge cake.

My preferred method to make buttercream has always been in the food processor covered with a damp tea towel to stop icing sugar getting everywhere. Buttercream will keep in the fridge for up to a week but return it to room temperature before using to avoid damaging your cake trying to spread it.

Using a baking spray instills confidence the cake will come cleanly out of its tin. Finally, I always use gel food colouring sold in pots such as Wilton or Sugarflair. Supermarket gels in tubes tend to be too runny. 

To decorate this cake I have stuck to edible items but if you want to be more adventurous, this article by Bite Me Bakery has some useful advice about using real flowers on cakes. 

I was inspired by my recent post on naked wedding cakes to present this as a bare cake with edible decoration. I think sugarpaste is officially over!

Print Recipe

Naked Lemon Layer Cake

Servings: 8

Equipment

• 3 x 6 inch non stick sandwich tins lined with baking parchment paper,
• Piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle

Ingredients

For The Sponge Cake:

• 225 g butter unsalted, softened
• 225 g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 225 g self raising flour sieved

F??or The Buttercream:

• 80 g butter unsalted, softened
• 250 g icing sugar sieved
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 dab yellow gel food colouring

For The Decoration:

• lime a few fresh slices
• Greek basil optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 / 180c.  Line the sandwich tins with circles of baking parchment paper.??2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the fat and sugar until extremely soft and fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs one by one followed by the lemon juice. Beat in the flour until smooth but do not over mix.
• Divide the cake batter into the three lined sandwich tins equally. Bake in the centre shelf of the oven for around 20 minutes until a skewer or cake tester comes out cleanly.
• Let the sponge cakes cool for a few minutes before removing them from their tins and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• When the cakes are cool, use a serrated knife to level off the tops and make them flat. ??7. To make the buttercream icing, in a large mixing bowl beat the icing sugar into the butter. When smooth, beat in the lemon juice and gel food colour until you have the desired shade.
• Spoon the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with large star nozzle.
• Of the cooled sponge cakes, choose which has the most level shape and even colour underneath and set this aside for the top layer.
• Take one of the other sponge cakes with the cut surface upper most and pipe buttercream over the surface. Press the second cake on top and pipe buttercream upon that. Press the third cake on top with its base upper most.
• Paste buttercream into any gaps between the layers so it is reasonably even. Decorate the top simply with buttercream roses, lime slices and Greek basil sprigs. Transfer to a plate or cake stand to serve.

If your appetite is whetted for more lemon cake recipes try these too:

My Lemon Sunflower Cake

Greek yogurt mini lemon cakes by Fuss Free Flavours

For another easy flavour variation, try adding poppy seeds to the cake batter and icing, similar to my Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes.

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With thanks to Cath Kidston for sample crockery items.