Lemon Cake

This Lemon Cake is a bright, tender sheet cake topped with a thick layer of creamy lemon buttercream. An easy one bowl recipe that feeds a crowd from a single 9 by 13 pan.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Lemon Cake

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 489kcal

Author Jason Decker

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