Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (312g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 teaspoons lemon zest packed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup avocado oil (or any neutral-flavored oil)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups water
For the frosting:
- 8 oz dairy-free cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/2 cup dairy-free butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350°F and line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper, spraying the sides with oil.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Make three wells in the flour. In one well, pour in the vanilla and lemon extract, in another, the lemon juice, and in the third well, the oil. Don't mix.
- Pour the water over all the ingredients and then mix well with a fork until combined.
- Divide batter between the pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 33 to 36 minutes. let cool COMPLETELY in the pans.
Frosting:
- Beat the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract and salt and beat again. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar a little at a time until well mixed.
- Your frosting may be a little wet. If it is, refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes until it thickens up a bit as this will make the cake easier to frost.
Assemble:
- Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand, bottom-side up, and spread 3/4 cup of the frosting on top.
- Place the other cake layer on top. Spread a VERY thin layer of frosting over the cake to seal in the crumbs, then chill for 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, frost the rest of the cake. Your cake may sink a TINY bit in the center, this is normal. I tested a few different ways and this tasted the best and was not noticeable at all with frosting.
- Slice and enjoy!
