Layer Cake with Lemon Buttercream
A Layer Cake with Lemon Buttercream is a celebratory dessert featuring multiple tiers of moist, tender cake layers separated and coated with a tangy, sweet lemon-infused buttercream frosting. Its typical ingredients include flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk, and fresh lemon zest and juice for the cake, with butter, powdered sugar, and lemon for the frosting. While its origins are rooted in classic American and British baking traditions, it's a popular choice for birthdays and special occasions worldwide.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This dessert is high in carbohydrates and fat, with the buttercream contributing significantly to its saturated fat and sugar content. It provides quick energy from sugars and some calcium from dairy, with a rough calorie ballpark of 450-600 kcal per generous slice.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 480 kcal |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbs | 60 g |
| Fat | 26 g |
| Fiber | 0.5 g |
| Sugar | 42 g |
| Sodium | 180 mg |
| Calcium | 45 mg |
| Iron | 1.5 mg |
| Potassium | 90 mg |
| Vitamin A | 200 IU |
| Vitamin C | 3 mg |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.1 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.1 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.5 mg |
Per 1 slice (120 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Culturally, the layer cake symbolizes celebration and abundance, often serving as the centerpiece for events. Nutritionally, the pairing of lemon's bright acidity with rich buttercream creates a flavor contrast that can make the sweetness feel less cloying, though it remains an indulgent treat.
