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Lemon Cake is the bright, sunny sheet cake that tastes like a slice of summer, a tender lemon crumb under a thick layer of creamy lemon buttercream. I made this for a *backyard birthday in June* and the whole pan was gone before the candles cooled, the same crowd pleasing dessert energy as our strawberry earthquake cake.
One bowl batter, a simple 9 by 13 sheet pan, and a dreamy lemon buttercream make this the easiest lemon cake you will ever frost.
Lemon Cake Quick Look
- 🕐 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🍴 Cook Time: 30 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 50 minutes
- 🍽 Serving: 15 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 489kcal
- 🌶 Flavor Profile: Bright, sweet, and tangy lemon with a fluffy crumb and creamy lemon buttercream
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our strawberry earthquake cake
Quick Answer
Cream softened butter and sugar until pale, then beat in eggs, fresh lemon juice and zest, and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder, and milk just until combined, pour into a greased 9 by 13 pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool completely, then whip a lemon buttercream of butter, lemon juice, zest, and powdered sugar and spread it over the cooled cake.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Creaming the butter and sugar builds the crumb. Beating softened butter and sugar for a full 3 minutes whips in air that gives the cake its light, tender, fluffy texture instead of a dense brick.
- Fresh lemon juice and zest do the heavy lifting. Real lemon juice brings the tang and the zest holds the fragrant oils, so the cake tastes like bright lemon, not artificial extract.
- A sheet pan bakes fast and even. A 9 by 13 pan gives you a thin, evenly baked cake in just 30 minutes with no layering or leveling required.
- Cooling completely before frosting is non negotiable. Buttercream melts and slides off a warm cake. A fully cooled cake holds that thick, swooshy layer of frosting perfectly.
- Powdered sugar added gradually makes silky buttercream. Beating in the powdered sugar one cup at a time keeps the frosting smooth and lump free instead of grainy.
- Lemon in the frosting doubles the flavor. Lemon juice and zest in the buttercream echo the cake so every bite is bright lemon top to bottom.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is the easiest lemon cake ever. A simple one bowl batter and a single sheet pan means no fussy layers, no leveling, just mix, bake, and frost.
- Bright, fresh lemon flavor. Real lemon juice and zest in both the cake and the buttercream make it taste like sunshine. The same fresh citrus love as our lemon blueberry poke cake.
- Feeds a crowd. A 9 by 13 sheet cake cuts into 15 generous squares, perfect for birthdays, potlucks, spring brunches, and summer cookouts.
Key Ingredients
- Fresh lemons: You need both the juice and the zest from a couple of lemons. The zest holds the fragrant oils that give the cake its real lemon flavor, so do not skip it.
- Butter: Softened butter both creams into the cake batter and whips into the buttercream. Real butter, not margarine, gives the best flavor and texture.
- Granulated and powdered sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the cake and helps cream in air, while powdered sugar makes the buttercream silky smooth.
- All purpose flour and baking powder: The structure and the lift. Baking powder is what gives the sheet cake its light, even rise.
- Milk and eggs: Milk keeps the crumb moist and tender, and eggs bind it all together for a rich, soft cake.
- Vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla rounds out the lemon and adds warmth, the same finishing touch we use in our classic buttercream frosting.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
- Add berries. Fold a cup of fresh blueberries or raspberries into the batter for a lemon berry cake. Toss them in a little flour first so they do not sink.
- Make a lemon glaze instead. Skip the buttercream and drizzle a simple lemon powdered sugar glaze over the warm cake for a lighter finish.
- Add a poppy seed crunch. Stir 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds into the batter for a classic lemon poppy seed cake.
- Use a cake pan. Bake it in two round pans for a layered lemon cake, adjusting the bake time down to about 22 to 25 minutes.
- Top with whipped cream. Swap the buttercream for our stabilized whipped cream for a lighter, airier topping.
How to Make Lemon Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 by 13 pan. Cream the softened butter and granulated sugar in a stand mixer for 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, fresh lemon juice and zest, vanilla, and salt. Beat for 1 minute until well combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and milk and beat on low for about 30 seconds, just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9 by 13 sheet pan and smooth the top into an even layer.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- For the buttercream, beat the softened butter, lemon juice, zest, and salt in a clean bowl for 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating well between each addition until smooth.
- Beat for 2 more minutes until pale and fluffy, then spread the lemon buttercream over the cooled cake and slice to serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use room temperature ingredients. Softened butter, room temp eggs, and milk cream together smoothly for the lightest, most even crumb.
- Zest before you juice. It is much easier to zest a whole firm lemon than a squeezed one, so always zest first, then juice.
- Do not overmix the batter. Beat just until the flour disappears. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough instead of tender.
- Cool the cake completely. Warm cake melts buttercream. Let it cool fully, or even chill it, before frosting for clean, thick swooshes.
- Adjust the buttercream texture. If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of lemon juice or milk; too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Garnish with lemon slices. Thin fresh lemon slices or twists on top make the cake look bakery beautiful in seconds.
- Make it ahead. The cake layer can be baked a day ahead and frosted the next day, just like our buttercream frosting tips.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Lemon cake is the perfect bright ending to a spring or summer meal. Serve a square with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a few fresh berries, or plate it alongside our lemon blueberry poke cake for a citrus dessert table.
For a brunch or baby shower spread, cut the sheet cake into smaller squares and arrange them on a tiered tray with candied grapes and a pitcher of batch mojitos. The pop of yellow makes the whole table feel like sunshine.
This cake keeps beautifully, so it is a great make ahead dessert for birthdays and potlucks. A square with an afternoon cup of tea or coffee is pure comfort, and the leftovers somehow taste even better the next day.
Lemon Cake FAQs
The secret to a bright lemon cake is using both fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest in the cake and the frosting. The zest holds the fragrant lemon oils that give real lemon flavor, while bottled juice or extract alone tastes flat.
Yes, you can bake the lemon cake layer a day ahead. Cool it completely, cover it tightly, and store at room temperature, then make the buttercream and frost it the day you plan to serve.
Use a frosting that complements the bright lemon, like the lemon buttercream in this recipe, a cream cheese frosting, or a simple lemon glaze. A vanilla buttercream or whipped cream also pairs beautifully.
Lemon cake is usually dry from overbaking or overmixing the batter. Bake just until a toothpick comes out clean, and mix the flour in only until it disappears to keep the crumb soft and moist.
Store frosted lemon cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days because of the buttercream. Let slices come to room temperature before serving for the softest texture and best flavor.
Yes, lemon cake freezes well. Freeze the unfrosted cake wrapped tightly for up to 3 months, or freeze frosted squares on a tray then transfer to a container. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature before serving.
Other Recommended Easy Cake Recipes
If this Lemon Cake brightened up your table, drop a star rating and tell us how lemony you made yours. Snap a picture of that buttercream swoosh for Pinterest so everyone can taste the sunshine.
Craving more easy sheet cakes, our strawberry earthquake cake brings the same crowd pleasing 9 by 13 magic with gooey cream cheese pockets and a fudgy strawberry crumb, the perfect next bake when you want to feed a hungry crew.
For a coconut spin, swap the buttercream for our coconut frosting on this cake.
For a breakfast treat, pair a slice of this cake with our tall, moist pistachio muffins.
Lemon Cake
Ingredients
Lemon Cake:
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- Juice and zest of 2 lemons
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups milk
Lemon buttercream:
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°c. Grease a 9 x 13 sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with a flat beater attachment on a medium-high speed for 3 minutes, or until pale and creamy.3/4 cup butter, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- Add the eggs, lemon juice and zest, vanilla extract and salt to the stand mixer bowl. Beat for 1 minute or until well combined, scraping the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula as necessary.4 large eggs, Juice and zest of 2 lemons, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and milk to the stand mixer, and beat for 30 seconds on a low speed, or until combined.3 cups all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 cups milk
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Allow to cool completely in the tin.
- To make the lemon buttercream, add the softened butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt to a clean stand mixer bowl.3/4 cup butter, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Beat with a flat beater attachment on a medium-high speed for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar to the bowl, 1 cup at a time, beating well between each addition.4 cups powdered sugar
- Beat for 2 minutes on a medium-high speed until pale and fluffy.
- Spread the lemon buttercream over the cooled sheet cake before serving.
Notes
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Let your unsalted butter, eggs, and whole milk warm up. It mixes better in the bowl of a stand mixer!
- Zest Smart: Use a citrus zester for the lemon zest—just the yellow part, not the bitter white stuff.
- Mix Gently: After adding the dry ingredients, beat on low speed until smooth. Overmixing makes it tough—yuck!
- Test It: Poke the center of the cake with a toothpick. If it’s clean, it’s done—no gooey messes!
- Prep the Pan: Grease your cake pans or prepared pan with nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper. No sticking here!
- Frosting Fix: If the lemon buttercream is too thick, add a splash of lemon juice. Too runny? More powdered sugar to the rescue!
Nutrition
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If you love a fruity cake, our light strawberry angel food cake is a must bake.
