My straightforward lemon cake recipe makes shiny citrus taste in a easy sheet cake that requires no mixer and bakes in simply half-hour. Good moist texture with a 2-ingredient lemon glaze!
There’s one thing magical a few 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 a substitute.
This recipe shortly went on to grow to be my household’s favourite straightforward 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 most effective desserts are sometimes the best. This lemon cake embodies my philosophy of easy baking that delivers most taste. Layer muffins 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 straightforward 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 come back to room temperature!
- 2-ingredient, 2-minute glaze: The lemon glaze comes collectively in minutes and has a shiny, zingy taste
5 star reader overview
“It’s AMAZINGLY Scrumptious!! I couldn’t watch for it to chill all the way in which to have a chunk! The buttermilk makes it style do-it-yourself with love.” -Diane
In creating this recipe, I used to be impressed by easy snacking muffins like this Meyer lemon cake from Sarah Kieffer and this blood orange yogurt cake from How Candy Eats. When you’re in search of a extra concerned layer cake, this one from skilled baker Sally’s Baking Habit with cream cheese buttercream seems lovely.
Key Substances (And Why They Matter)
This lemon cake is much like my glazed lemon bread recipe. Each recipes use a number of the identical 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 muffins 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 greatest lemon taste. It’s straightforward to seek out within the baking aisle at your grocery retailer subsequent to the opposite extracts.
Professional Ideas for Lemon Cake Success
Listed below are three fast ideas for baking a lemon cake earlier than you roll up your sleeves and get baking! These notes present a little bit 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 greatest outcomes. An aluminum pan bakes extra evenly than ceramic or glass, and it’s my go-to for muffins, cookies, bars, breads, and muffins.
- Use parchment paper to simply take away the cake. Minimize the paper so it’s the width of the loaf pan, then enable 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.
Professional tip: I like to recommend a 9-inch aluminum sq. pan. You should use an 8-inch sq. pan as effectively to make thicker slices. Merely improve the bake time by 5 to 10 minutes. (Modify based mostly in your oven and pan.)
Serving Recommendations
Since this straightforward lemon cake is extra like a snacking cake, it’s very versatile! Listed below are some methods to serve it:
- Afternoon snack: Minimize 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.
- Gown it up: Prime with additional lemon zest, recent lemon slices, or a small handful of recent blueberries or blueberry syrup for a pop of colour.
Storage and Make-Forward Ideas
This lemon cake stays extremely moist throughout storage, and turns into even moister over time. Listed below are a number of notes on making it forward and storing it:
- Make forward: You can also make lemon cake upfront and retailer refrigerated or at room temperature, coated in aluminum foil. Ice the cake proper earlier than serving.
- Storage: The cake lasts at the least 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 may also 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.)
Incessantly 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 usually leads to a drier cake. Try my gluten-free desserts assortment for extra tried-and-true choices.
Actual buttermilk really makes a distinction within the closing texture and taste. In a pinch, you may make a substitute by including 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup of standard milk and letting it sit for five minutes.
I’d advocate utilizing two 9 x 9 sq. pans for doubling this recipe.
This recipe is definitely adaptable! Strive including 1 cup recent blueberries (tossed with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, in order that they don’t sink) for a lemon blueberry variation,.
You possibly can additionally fold in 1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds for a basic mixture.
Simple Lemon Cake
This straightforward lemon cake recipe has shiny citrus taste in a easy sheet cake that requires no mixer and takes simply half-hour to bake!
- Prep Time: half-hour
- Prepare dinner Time: half-hour
- Complete Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 1x
- Class: Dessert
- Technique: Baked
- Delicacies: Dessert
- Weight-reduction plan: Vegetarian
Substances
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
Directions
- Warmth the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.
- Line the pan with a bit of parchment paper, minimize in order that it extends on two sides to simply take away it from the pan. Grease the uncovered components 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 easy. Whisk within the eggs one after the other, then the lemon extract. Change to a spatula.
- Add the dry components and buttermilk and gently stir till easy. 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 easy with a spatula.
- Minimize 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 may also 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 below are a number of extra baked lemon recipes to strive:
- Strive my Grandma’s basic lemon bars with a buttery shortbread crust
- Bake shiny lemon taste into lemon bread or lemon zucchini bread.
- Strive my favourite lemon blueberry muffins or lemon poppyseed muffins
