Irresistible Lemon Cake Recipe – To Die For! 🍋🍰✨
This lemon cake is incredibly moist, bursting with fresh lemon flavor, and topped with a luscious glaze. Perfect for lemon lovers and guaranteed to impress!
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2–3 lemons)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the Lemon Glaze
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Optional Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch pan or two 9-inch round pans. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (~3 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Stir in lemon juice, zest, and vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry. Mix until just combined.
- Bake: Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake 30–35 minutes (9×13) or 25–30 minutes (round pans), until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
- Prepare Glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest until smooth. Pour over cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides.
- Optional Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Spread over cake instead of glaze if desired.
- Serve: Slice and enjoy! Garnish with lemon slices, zest, or berries for extra flair.
Details
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Bake Time: 30–35 minutes
- Total Time: ~1 hour
- Servings: 12–15
Tip: For an extra tangy punch, brush the cake with additional lemon juice before glazing!