My simple lemon cake recipe makes vibrant citrus taste in a easy sheet cake that requires no mixer and bakes in simply half-hour. Excellent moist texture with a 2-ingredient lemon glaze!
There’s one thing magical a couple of good lemon cake (even for a chocolate lover like me). However I normally don’t need to whip up a whole three-tiered layer cake. So with my experience in easy baking, I made a decision to create a easy lemon sheet cake as an alternative.
This recipe rapidly went on to develop into my household’s favourite simple dessert! It’s so fast to whip up, and makes a moist cake with a luscious, tender crumb, drizzled with a zingy 2-ingredient lemon glaze.
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Cake
As somebody who’s spent years growing recipes, I’ve realized that the perfect desserts are sometimes the best. This lemon cake embodies my philosophy of easy baking that delivers most taste. Layer desserts are nice for particular events, however normally I don’t really feel like pulling out the mixer or tools for icing a cake. So once I’m craving citrus, I make this simple lemon cake! Right here’s why I adore it:
- No mixer required: All you want is a whisk and spatula; no want to tug out fancy tools.
- Sheet cake simplicity: It’s baked in a single 9-inch sq. pan, and there’s no layering, filling, or meeting required.
- Fast prep time: Utilizing melted butter means no ready for components to return to room temperature!
- 2-ingredient, 2-minute glaze: The lemon glaze comes collectively in minutes and has a vibrant, zingy taste
5 star reader evaluation
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “It’s AMAZINGLY Scrumptious!! I couldn’t look ahead to it to chill all the best way to have a chunk! The buttermilk makes it style selfmade with love.” -Diane
In creating this recipe, I used to be impressed by easy snacking desserts like this Meyer lemon cake from Sarah Kieffer and this blood orange yogurt cake from How Candy Eats. If you happen to’re on the lookout for a extra concerned layer cake, this one from skilled baker Sally’s Baking Dependancy with cream cheese buttercream appears to be like lovely.
Key Components (And Why They Matter)
This lemon cake is just like my glazed lemon bread recipe. Each recipes use among the similar taste secrets and techniques to realize most zingy lemon taste and a light-weight and fluffy texture:
- Buttermilk for tenderness: Actual buttermilk is the important thing to fast breads, muffins, and desserts with a young crumb. After utilizing it in recipes, I’ve seen a giant distinction within the texture of my baked items! Don’t be tempted to make a substitution.
- Actual lemons (zest and juice): Lemon zest provides a zingy taste to the cake, and lemon juice is used within the icing. By no means substitute bottled juice!
- Lemon extract for a taste enhance: The ultimate key to lemony baked items is utilizing lemon extract. Over time of testing lemon recipes, I’ve discovered {that a} mixture of extract and actual lemon zest makes the very finest lemon taste. It’s simple to seek out within the baking aisle at your grocery retailer subsequent to the opposite extracts.
Professional Suggestions for Lemon Cake Success
Listed here are three fast ideas for baking a lemon cake earlier than you roll up your sleeves and get baking! These notes present slightly little bit of the “why” behind the directions:
- Rub the lemon zest into the sugar. Place the zest within the sugar and use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar. This prompts the important oils within the zest, serving to it to style extra lemony.
- Use an aluminum baking pan for finest outcomes. An aluminum pan bakes extra evenly than ceramic or glass, and it’s my go-to for desserts, cookies, bars, breads, and muffins.
- Use parchment paper to simply take away the cake. Reduce the paper so it’s the width of the loaf pan, then permit it to increase on both facet of the pan to make a “sling” for simply eradicating the cake. This helps it cool quicker, which is useful for the reason that cake have to be cooled absolutely earlier than including the glaze.
For a tip: I like to recommend a 9-inch aluminum sq. pan. You need to use an 8-inch sq. pan as effectively to make thicker slices. Merely improve the bake time by 5 to 10 minutes. (Alter primarily based in your oven and pan.)
Serving Solutions
Since this simple lemon cake is extra like a snacking cake, it’s very versatile! Listed here are some methods to serve it:
- Afternoon snack: Reduce into small squares and serve with tea or espresso.
- Easy dessert: It’s easy and scrumptious: no additional toppings wanted (although it’s nice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, too)
- Brunch desk: The intense citrus taste makes it a pure match for a spring or summer time brunch unfold.
- Costume it up: High with additional lemon zest, recent lemon slices, or a small handful of recent blueberries or blueberry syrup for a pop of coloration.
Storage and Make-Forward Suggestions
This lemon cake stays extremely moist throughout storage, and turns into even moister over time. Listed here are just a few notes on making it forward and storing it:
- Make forward: You can also make lemon cake upfront and retailer refrigerated or at room temperature, lined in aluminum foil. Ice the cake proper earlier than serving.
- Storage: The cake lasts a minimum of 5 days at room temperature wrapped in aluminum foil or refrigerated for 1 week wrapped in foil. Convey it to room temperature earlier than having fun with. You can too freeze un-iced cake for as much as 3 months. (Slice it into items and wrap in plastic wrap then a freezer-safe bag or container earlier than freezing.)
Continuously Requested Questions
I haven’t examined this particular recipe with gluten-free flour, however you possibly can strive substituting a 1:1 gluten-free baking mix. Nonetheless, it typically leads to a drier cake. Take a look at my gluten-free desserts assortment for extra tried-and-true choices.
Actual buttermilk actually makes a distinction within the remaining texture and taste. In a pinch, you can also make a substitute by including 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup of normal milk and letting it sit for five minutes.
I’d suggest utilizing two 9 x 9 sq. pans for doubling this recipe.
This recipe is well adaptable! Strive including 1 cup recent blueberries (tossed with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, so that they don’t sink) for a lemon blueberry variation,.
You may additionally fold in 1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds for a basic mixture.
Simple Lemon Cake
This simple lemon cake recipe has vibrant citrus taste in a easy sheet cake that requires no mixer and takes simply half-hour to bake!
- Prep Time: half-hour
- Cook dinner Time: half-hour
- Complete Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 1x
- Class: Dessert
- Technique: Baked
- Delicacies: Dessert
- Weight-reduction plan: Vegetarian
For the lemon cake
- 1 ½ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest (2 medium lemons)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons recent squeezed lemon juice
- Warmth the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.
- Line the pan with a chunk of parchment paper, reduce in order that it extends on two sides to simply take away it from the pan. Grease the uncovered elements of the pan with butter or oil to stop sticking.
- In a small bowl, whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
- Place the lemon zest in a big bowl with the sugar. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar till it’s aromatic (this prompts the flavour of the zest).
- Whisk within the melted butter till clean. Whisk within the eggs one after the other, then the lemon extract. Swap to a spatula.
- Add the dry components and buttermilk and gently stir till clean. Unfold the batter evenly into the ready pan.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes or till prime is gentle golden brown and a toothpick inserted in heart comes out clear.
- Cool 20 minutes within the pan. Use the parchment paper to take away the cake from the pan and permit to chill to room temperature.
- In the meantime, combine collectively the powdered sugar with the lemon juice, including barely extra if essential to get to a thick however pourable consistency. Pour the glaze over the cake and clean with a spatula.
- Reduce into items with a serrated knife throughout the first jiffy, earlier than the glaze dries. If desired, prime with extra lemon zest or lemon slices. Retailer in a sealed container at room temperature for as much as 3 days or refrigerated for 1 week. (Convey to room temperature earlier than serving.)
Notes
Storage notes: You can too freeze un-iced cake for as much as 3 months. Slice it into items and wrap in plastic wrap then a freezer-safe bag or container earlier than freezing.
Different lemony baked items to strive
I completely love baking up lemony treats in spring and summer time! Listed here are just a few extra baked lemon recipes to strive:
