Little Lemon Layer Cakes

These Little Lemon Layer Cakes are moist, fluffy, and kissed with just the right amount of citrus. They’re filled with a tangy lemon buttercream that’s as easy to make as it is delicious. Whether you’re setting them proudly on your best tiered stand or simply enjoying one with a cup of tea, these little beauties bring instant sunshine to the table. View my short promo video at the end of the recipe for inspiration!

Why You’ll Love Them

Lemon keeps things light and fresh, making these two-tier little lemon layer cakes a crowd-pleasing classic. At just 5 cm (2 inches) across, they bake in under 20 minutes yet deliver maximum impact—perfect sweetness balanced with a lively hit of lemon.

Thanks to a batter enriched with sour cream and butter, they stay beautifully moist, even if made ahead. The buttercream filling (instead of fresh cream) makes them party-proof so they’re able to sit out longer without spoiling.

Make-Ahead Friendly

Both the cakes and the icing can be prepared ahead, so there’s no last-minute rush. Simply garnish up to one hour before serving for that freshly-made look.

You will need to use mini cheesecake pans with a removable base for the cakes. Mini muffin tins will result in sloping sides and you won’t get the look of tiered cakes. See below for a link to the pans I recommend.

I’ve styled them in a few different ways to show how versatile they are. For a minimalist option, I love topping each with a single raspberry—perfect if flowers aren’t your thing or hard to find.

Garnish Inspiration – Mix and match these little lemon layer cakes

Floral: Pansies, violas, cornflowers, mini roses

Herbal: Fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs

Fruity: Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries

These Little Lemon Layer Cakes aren’t just bakes—they’re a mood. Bright, cheerful, and endlessly adaptable, they’ll fit right in at a baby shower, birthday, or your next Afternoon Tea party.

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Pumpkin & Sage Mini Quiche

Little Raspberry Jelly Cakes

Pistachio Brownies with Pistachio Buttercream

What You’ll Need

• Digital scales to ensure accuracy
• Stand mixer with a paddle attachment
• Two x 12-cavity non-stick mini cheesecake pans with removable bases. Visit my Amazon Shop for the same ones I used. (As an Amazon Affiliate I will receive a small commission from any purchases. This helps me to keep my webiste full of free recipes)
• #12 plain round piping tip
• Disposable piping bag
• Plus other equipment (see recipe card)

Ingredients for Little Lemon Layer Cakes

Sugar – Standard granulated sugar is perfect.

Self raising flour – Make sure yours is fresh. If you’ve had your packet for a while, consider replacing it. The baking powder loses it’s effectiveness over time and you won’t achieve the rise and fluffy texture you need for this recipe to be successful.

Unsalted butter – If you only have salted butter on hand then don’t add the pinch of salt.

Sour cream – Use full-fat sour cream. This will ensure that the cakes stay moist for as long as possible.

You will also need full fat milk, vanilla bean extract (not essence), a pinch of fine table salt, a large egg and some canola spray for the tins.

How to make Little Lemon Layer Cakes

Preheat the oven to 160 C (fan) / 325 F (fan). Spray two mini cheesecake pans with removable bases with canola spray then place them on a baking sheet and set aside.

Measure out the sugar, self-raising flour, lemon zest, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer.

Soften the butter in a microwave safe bowl (20 to 30 seconds on high at 900W) and place next to the stand mixer together with a tablespoon.

Measure out the sour cream and milk in a microwave safe jug, stir, then microwave on high for 30 seconds 900w. Stir thoroughly to distribute the heat then add the egg and vanilla extract and stir again thoroughly.

Place the bowl with the dry ingredients on a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the butter and mix on low until the mixture resembles a breadcrumb-like texture.

Scrape the sides of the bowl. Re-start the mixer on low then slowly add the sour cream mixture. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds until light and fluffy. Do not overmix or else the batter will have a dense texture when baked.

Scrape the sides again if necessary and give a quick mix to incorporate. Fill a small ice cream scoop (39 mm / 1.5 inch) ¾ full and divide the batter equally between the 24 cavities. It’s important to get this as accurate as possible so the cakes are all the same height when sandwiched together.

Place the tray of mini cakes in the preheated oven and cook for 17 minutes until they just start to colour on top then remove from the oven. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then tip the cakes out onto a wire rack. Turn right side up and allow to cool completely. Note: They will puff up while cooking then settle nice and flat once cooled.

Store the little lemon layer cakes in a sealable container lined with baking paper in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to a 1 month in a ziplock bag. Defrost overnight in the fridge.

Lemon Buttercream Ingredients

Icing sugar – Use pure icing sugar rather than icing mixture. And don’t forget to sift – it does make a difference.

Unsalted butter – As with the cake batter if you only have salted butter on hand then omit the pinch of salt.

Lemon juice – Use freshly squeezed juice. Once you’ve zested the lemon for the batter you can then cut it in half and use the juice for the icing.

Pinch of salt – Fine table salt is perfect.

Garnishes: Edible flowers (Pansies, violas, cornflowers, mini roses), fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries. Try these ones from Harris Farm Markets.

Make the lemon buttercream

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl until lump free.

Beat the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy. It’s only a small amount of butter so it won’t take too long!

With the motor running, add half the sifted icing sugar one dessertspoon at a time so you (and the bench and floor) don’t get covered in an icing cloud.

Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add half the lemon juice and salt then restart the mixer and beat again on medium speed, adding the rest of the icing sugar one dessertspoon at a time until all incorporated. Add the remaining lemon juice and beat on medium for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

While you wait for the icing, remove the mini cakes from the container and level the tops with a sharp knife.

Match up pairs of equal size on a tray or large plate.

Pipe the little lemon layer cakes

Place a #12 size plain round piping tip in a medium disposable piping bag and cut off the end. Place the bag inside a tall glass and turn over the top third.

Using a spatula, fill the bag with the lemon icing, pressing it down as you go. Once full, remove the bag from the glass holder, squeeze it a little to pop any air bubbles, then twist until the icing comes out of the tip. 

Take a pair of cakes. Place the piping tip just above the surface of one cake and squeeze out a blob of icing in the centre then pipe five blobs on the outside (see pic).

Top with the other cake, check it’s even, then pipe the icing on top in exactly the same way you piped the bottom layer.

Repeat with the remaining cakes.

Garnish the finished cakes

Top with your choice of garnish (fruit, edible flowers, herbs etc) and place in a sealed container and refrigerate up to 1 hour before serving. If you are serving the cakes later than this don’t add the flowers and herbs until closer to serving time.

Do ahead: You can make the cakes and freeze them un-iced for up to one month. Cool completely then place them in a zip lock bag or bags and freeze.

You can make the buttercream and freeze it in a sealed container for up to 2 months. Bring it back to room temperature overnight on your kitchen bench then re-whip it in your stand mixer for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.