Can I use lemon juice instead of lemon extract?

i regularly replace lemon extract in cake baking w/lemon zest. it adds a stronger lemon flavor, also adds a bit of texture to the cake (in my opinion zest re-enforces authenticity of a cake from scratch.) And then I use the same lemons I zested and add lemon juice to the cake batter. And then I make a lemon simple syrup to put on top of the cooled cakes before frosting, again to re-enforce the lemon flavor….

Good Luck… post pics!!!

I also think lemon zest is the most effective way of giving lemon flavor, particularly if you process it with sugar from the recipe. but lemon juice is valuable too; i do not agree about it not giving a lemon flavor. i would use both. Lemon oil, on the other hand , is really crummy/artificial tasting imo.

Use the zest, not the juice. The acidic juice may throw off the cake and it will give you a tart flavor, not a lemony flavor. The flavor is in the zest.