Spring Naked Cake Lemon (Printable)

Elegant layered cake featuring lemon curd, whipped cream, and vibrant edible flowers for a fresh spring touch.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Sponge Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
10 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Lemon Curd

11 - 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - Zest of 2 lemons
13 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
14 - 4 large egg yolks
15 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed

→ Whipped Cream

16 - 2 cups heavy cream, cold
17 - 1/3 cup powdered sugar
18 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Decoration

19 - 1 to 2 cups edible flowers such as pansies, violets, marigolds, or nasturtiums
20 - Lemon zest curls, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract and lemon zest until combined.
05 - Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk lemon juice, zest, sugar, and egg yolks. Cook, whisking constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in cubed butter until smooth. Cool completely.
09 - Beat cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until assembly.
10 - Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread with half the lemon curd, then a layer of whipped cream. Repeat with the second layer. Top with the third cake and a thick layer of whipped cream.
11 - Decorate with edible flowers and lemon zest curls immediately before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cake stays moist for days, so you can bake ahead and actually enjoy your guests instead of panicking in the kitchen.
  • Edible flowers turn an ordinary dessert into something Instagram-worthy without requiring a pastry degree.
  • Lemon curd from scratch tastes nothing like the jar version—tangy, buttery, and somehow both elegant and comforting.
02 -
  • Verify your edible flowers are truly pesticide-free—ask the grower or farmer directly, because "edible" without pesticide confirmation is just a pretty flower with poison on it.
  • Chilling the assembled cake for at least an hour before serving makes it sturdier to slice cleanly and gives flavors time to meld together into something more cohesive than the sum of its parts.
03 -
  • Bring all ingredients to room temperature before starting—cold eggs and buttermilk break emulsions and create dense patches in your cake.
  • The secret to lemon curd that's silky instead of grainy is constant whisking over gentle heat and knowing that if it looks too thick off the heat, it'll set properly as it cools.
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