This perfect party cake is a tender lemony buttermilk vanilla cake layered with a tart and sweet raspberry jam and frosted with a rich lemony buttercream frosting. And then it’s then topped with a little coconut.
Lemon Buttermilk Perfect Party Cake
Everyone has their favorite type of dessert and mine is cake. Sadly, I am the only true cake lover in my house. And my family’s ambivalence towards cake is a bit of a problem for me. Especially since I like to eat cake on my birthday! If there’s any time to splurge and have a slice, it’s your birthday, right?
This year, I decided to take matters into my own hands and try out Dorie Greenspan’s four-layer lemon and buttermilk perfect party cake from her book Baking: From My Home to Yours. This tender, moist cake is a lemony white cake made with buttermilk, layered with a little seedless raspberry jam, and filled and frosted with a rich (very rich) lemony buttercream. It’s then topped with a little coconut.
Fancy, right? It’s actually pretty simple to make. While the base doesn’t rise a lot, it’s easy to cut into layers.
One note, I did tweak the original recipe by changing the frosting to an American buttercream frosting. This frosting has a similar taste to the original but is easier to make (no cooking required)!
Happy birthday to me!
The Perfect Party Cake Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need to make this gorgeous cake!
- CAKE FLOUR
- BAKING POWDER
- SALT
- FULL-FAT BUTTERMILK
- EGG WHITES
- SUGAR + CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR (AKA POWDERED SUGAR)
- LEMON ZEST + FRESH LEMON JUICE
- UNSALTED BUTTER
- LEMON EXTRACT
- VANILLA EXTRACT
- SEEDLESS RASPBERRY JAM
- SHEDDED COCONUT: I used unsweetened coconut
Tips on Making This Lemon Buttermilk Cake:
- USE ROOM TEMPERATURE INGREDIENTS: Make sure to use room temperature butter, buttermilk, and eggs. It’s easy to skip this step but it does help ensure your cake turns out moist and fluffy!
- COOL YOUR CAKE BEFORE FROSTING: Make sure your cake is completely cooled before you start to frost it. If you don’t, your frosting will melt.
- USE A CRUMB COAT WHILE FROSTING: Add an initial, thin layer of frosting to your cake and then let it cool (in the refrigerator) for about 15 minutes before your add the rest of the frosting. This helps seal in the cake’s crumbs and allows you to get a smooth finish.
- USE UNSWEETENED COCONUT: I used unsweetened coconut on top of the cake. The frosting is pretty sweet on its own.
- STORING & FREEZING: This cake tastes best the day it’s made. But you can store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to two days. You can also freeze the cake and it will last up to two months. Make sure to tightly wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. When you’re ready to eat it, let it defrost (wrapped) overnight in the refrigerator.
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Dorie Greenspan’s Perfect Party Cake
- Total Time: 60-75 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
Description
This pretty, lemony white cake with buttercream frosting loves up to it’s name. It’s perfect for any party!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Cake:
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups whole buttermilk (or milk)
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
For the Lemon Buttercream:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 – 5 cups confectioners’ sugar (also known as powdered sugar)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Salt, to taste
To Assemble:
- 2/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves stirred vigorously or warmed gently until spreadable
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
For the Cake:
- PREP: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9 x 2 inch round cake pans with baking spray or butter. Then line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or wax paper and grease again. Put the pans on a baking sheet and set them aside.
- SIFT TOGETHER DRY INGREDIENTS: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- WHISK BUTTERMILK & EGG WHITES: In another medium-sized bowl, whisk together the milk and egg whites.
- ADD LEMON ZEST TO SUGAR: Put the sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer (or another bowl) and rub the mixture together using your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
- CREAM BUTTER AND SUGAR: Add the butter to the sugar mixture and beat with a paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, at medium speed until the butter and sugar are very light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- MIX INGREDIENTS: Start by mixing in the lemon extract, and then add one-third of the flour mixture, keeping the mixer on medium speed. Next, add half of the milk-egg mixture, then add half of the remaining dry ingredients. Mix until incorporated. Then add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until thoroughly combined. And finally, add the last of the dry ingredients. Beat the batter at medium speed for an additional 2 minutes to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.
- BAKE: Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon. And bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean.
- COOL: Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, and remove the cakes from the pan and peel off the paper liners. Cool to room temperature, right side up, on a metal cooking rack. Make sure the cake is cooled completely before frosting.
- The cooled cake layers can also be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months.
For the Lemon Buttercream:
- BEAT THE BUTTER: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- ADD THE SUGAR, LEMON JUICE + VANILLA: Add 4 cups of confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Continue beating on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2 minutes.
- ADJUST TEXTURE: Add up to 1/2 to 1 cup more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin and add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. If the frosting is too thick, you can add a tablespoon or two of cream.
- STORAGE: This frosting can be made ahead of time and stored for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. If freezing, you can thaw in the refrigerator and then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds, so it’s creamy again.
To Assemble:
- CUT LAYERS IN HALF: Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half.
- ADD JAM: Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Spread it with one-third of the preserves.
- ADD BUTTERCREAM: Cover the jam evenly with about one-quarter of the buttercream.
- REPEAT: Top with another layer, spread with preserves and buttercream, and then do the same with a third layer (you’ll have used all the jam and have buttercream leftover). Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top.
- ADD THE COCONUT: Press the coconut into the frosting, patting it gently all over the sides and top.
For Storing:
- LEFT-OVERS: The cake is best the day it is made, but you can refrigerate it, well covered, for up to two days. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
- FREEZE: If you want to freeze the cake, slide it into the freezer to set, then wrap it really well – it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer; defrost it, still wrapped overnight in the refrigerator.
Notes
- This cake would also lend itself to a cream cheese frosting. You can also switch up the filling and go with another fruit flavor like lemon or blueberry.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
7 Comments on Dorie Greenspan’s Perfect Party Cake
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This cake is so delicious! I love the hint of lemon and the coconut topping.
I’m baking this for a birthday party tonight I need it to serve about 12 people. I just pulled it out of the oven and they were so flat! What did I do wrong? The only direction I had to adjust was real lemon juice for the extract? Hard to imagine that would make a difference. I’m off to scour my cookbooks for something that will rise more. The kids cut into the little flat cakes and they are indeed delicious at least.
I’m a professional pastry chef and I had the same results. I like the lemon flavor so I use a wonderfully reliable recipe for Sally’s Baking Addiction, coconut cake. Sub extracts and leave out the coconut from batter. Construct it the same as this. You’ll have a fantastic cake!
Thanks for your feedback. I love hearing ideas on how to tweak a recipe to make it even yummier!
Hi Bonnie!
I am so sorry to hear the layer cake didn’t bake up fluffy for you!! I am not sure what went wrong. But in general, there are a several things that can prevent a cake from rising, including using out-of-date baking powder (or soda), not using room-temperature eggs, butter, and buttermilk, not fully creaming the butter, and even opening the oven door too soon. Hope that helps!
This is not Dorie’s buttercream icing! Hers is, admittedly more difficult, but well worth the trouble!
Hi Jan! Nope, the frosting is not Dorie’s. I tweaked the original recipe by changing the frosting to an American buttercream frosting. The original is amazing! But this frosting has a similar taste and is easier to make (no cooking required).