Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. With cooking spray, spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans, line the bottom with parchment paper and spray again. Don’t forget to spray the sides of the pan. Set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, oil, and the sugar for 3 minutes on medium-high speed. The color will start getting lighter.

With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and begin to add the egg whites and whole eggs on medium speed, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions. Once all the eggs have been added, beat the mixture on medium-high speed for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the sour cream and the lemon flavoring of your choice and mix on low. If it starts to look a little curdled, don’t stress, once you add the flour, it will smooth out.

Turn the mixer to the lowest speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by half of the buttermilk, repeat, ending with the flour. Remember to be on the lowest speed to prevent over mixing. Scrape the bottom of the bowl, and mix on low for 20 more seconds.

Evenly divide the batter between the pans (about 18 ounces of cake batter into each of the three 8-inch cake pans or 13 ounces in each of the 6-inch pans) and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. Let cool in the pans for about 15 minutes and then transfer the cakes out of the pans and onto a cooling rack. For best results, lightly spray the cooling rack with cooking spray to prevent the cakes from sticking.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light, fluffy and smooth.

Add all of the sifted powdered sugar, and mix on low just until combined.

Once combined, add the lemon extract and salt. Turn the speed up to medium high and beat for 4 minutes.

Before using on your cake, mix the frosting by hand with a wooden spoon to push out the air pockets.

Spread a small dollop of frosting on the middle of a cake board to act as “glue”. Place one cake layer, bottom side down on the cake board. Spread about 1 cup of frosting across the top of the cake layer. To make sure that it is even, get eye level with the cake.

Place the next cake layer on top of the frosting. Gently spread about 1 cup of the lemon cream cheese frosting over it.

Place the final cake layer, top side down, on top. Give the cake a quick crumb coat and chill for 10 to 15 minutes in the freezer before frosting the entire cake.