Far from being a trend of the past, the Naked Cake has become a staple for minimalist, romantic weddings and gatherings. Its simplicity—not to mention its delicate flavor—is part of the charm, making it the true showstopper.
To put it in few words, this type of cake is known for its rustic layers and little-to-barely-there buttercream on the sides. Given that’s a no-fuzz cake in terms of decoration, you’d need to make sure the texture, flavor, and overall look is perfect, which means focusing on high-quality ingredients—including pure vanilla, buttermilk, and olive oil—as well as the correct mixing technique. We want this cake to be firm, to support the weight of the layers, yet soft and crumbly to the mouth.
As it is naked to eye—pun intended! —you can glam the cake up to your liking. From fresh berries, to natural, edible flowers that go along with your party decor. Finally, as important as the cake is, let’s not forget the frosting! Below you’ll find a recipe for lemon cream for a summery, refreshing flavor. However, you can switch things up by simply adding vanilla extract, powdered dried strawberries, a splash of bourbon, and even a lemon curd filling.
Take this Naked Cake as the most sublime canvas for your imagination!
Ingredients for Making Naked Cake
This simple cake relies on high-quality ingredients. Here's what you need to make Naked Cake.
- Flour, Baking Soda, and Baking Powder: Check the expiration dates on these so you're using fresh ingredients. Old baking powder and baking soda may be less effective in a recipe, and expired flour is safe to use, but it may have an off taste or texture.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil is used in baking recipes to replace butter and other fats, and it also helps create a tender, moist texture.
- Lemon: This recipe uses both lemon juice and zest for flavor.
- Buttermilk: This gives the cake a tender, fluffy texture.
- Vanilla: Use good-quality vanilla to add subtle flavor to the cake.
Ingredients
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2 eggs
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1 cup (189 grams) sugar
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2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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⅔ cup olive oil
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4 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
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½ cup lemon juice
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½ cup buttermilk
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1 teaspoon vanilla
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Edible flowers and/or berries, to decorate (optional)
Directions
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Prepare the Pans
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 6 x 2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper; grease the paper. Set pans aside.
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Beat Eggs and Sugar
In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer about 5 minutes or until pale and thick ribbons form.
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Whisk Dry Ingredients
In another large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
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Combine Wet Ingredients
In a medium bowl combine the olive oil, lemon peel, lemon juice, and buttermilk.
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Mix the Batter
Beat the vanilla into beaten egg mixture on low speed. With mixer on low speed, add the dry and wet ingredients in three additions, starting with dry and ending with wet. After the last addition, turn mixer off and whisk until combined. Divide batter among prepared pans, filling each half full (1 2/3 cups batter each).
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Bake
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean and cakes are golden and pull away from sides. Remove and cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely.
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Assemble the Cake
To assemble: place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread top of cake with 1/2 cup of the cream. Place another cake layer on top. Spread with another 1/2 cup cream. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread with another 1/2 cup cream. Spread 1/2 cup frosting on the sides of cake to make a light crumb coating. Spread any remaining frosting atop of cake. Use cake spatula or bench scraper to thin out frosting on sides for the "naked" look, then decorate as desired.
Lemon Cream
In a large bowl beat 1 cup ice-cold whipping cream, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon peel, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice with an electric mixer or large whisk until soft peaks form. Cover and chill up to 4 hours ahead. Whisk before serving.
To Decorate
Remove peel from 1 to 2 meyer lemons using a vegetable peeler. Cut the peel into thin strips. Place in a small bowl. Sprinkle with 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar; toss to coat. Let stand for 1 to 4 hours, tossing occasionally. Pile lemon peel strips atop cake just before serving.
2-Layer Cake
Divide batter between 2 8x1 1/2-inch round cake pans, filling about each about 1/2 full. Bake in a 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near centers come out clean. To assemble, place one cake layer on serving platter. Spread with 1 cup of the whipped cream mixture. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread sides with 1/2 cup of the cream, forming a light crumb coating. Spread any remaining cream atop the cake. Garnish with lemon peels, if desired.
To Store
Loosely cover and store frosted cake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. OR wrap unfrosted baked cake layers and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw and frost as directed above.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 343 | Calories |
| 21g | Fat |
| 36g | Carbs |
| 4g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 12 | |
| Calories 343 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 21g | 27% |
| Saturated Fat 7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol 59mg | 20% |
| Sodium 371mg | 16% |
| Total Carbohydrate 36g | 13% |
| Total Sugars 20g | |
| Protein 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin C 6mg | 7% |
| Calcium 61mg | 5% |
| Iron 1.3mg | 7% |
| Potassium 81mg | 2% |
| Folate, total 45.8mcg | |
| Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg | |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
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