🍋 Classic Lemon Cake
A soft, moist lemon cake with bright citrus flavor and a simple lemon glaze.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (from 1–2 lemons)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk (or milk + 1 tbsp vinegar)
Lemon Glaze (optional but recommended)
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
1. Prepare oven
- Preheat to 350°F (175°C)
- Grease and flour a 9×13 pan or two 8-inch round pans
2. Mix dry ingredients
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
3. Cream butter and sugar
- Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes)
4. Add wet ingredients
- Beat in eggs one at a time
- Add vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice
5. Combine
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk
- Mix until just combined (don’t overmix)
6. Bake
- Pour into pan(s)
- Bake:
- 30–35 minutes (round pans)
- 35–40 minutes (9×13 pan)
- Cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean
7. Cool
- Let cake cool completely before glazing
🍋 Lemon Glaze
- Mix powdered sugar with lemon juice until smooth
- Drizzle over cooled cake
- Let set for 10–15 minutes
🍰 Tips
- Add extra lemon zest for stronger flavor
- Replace glaze with cream cheese frosting for richer cake
- Brush warm cake layers with lemon syrup for extra moisture