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A moist and fluffy homemade lemon cake with fresh lemon zest and juice, lemon syrup brushed on warm, and a tangy lemon glaze on top.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest (freshly grated)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk plus 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar as a substitute)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (for syrup, about 1 lemon)
  • 3 tbsp powdered sugar (for syrup)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (for glaze)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (for glaze)
  • 1 tbsp milk (for glaze)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×5-inch or 8×4-inch loaf pan well or line with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt; set aside.
  3. Using a mixer, beat softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy (4-6 minutes), scraping bowl sides often.
  4. Lower speed; add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract and 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice. Briefly increase speed to combine.
  5. On low speed, add one-third of the dry flour mixture; mix just until almost combined. Pour in half the buttermilk; stir gently. Repeat with next third of flour, remaining buttermilk, and last third of flour. Mix just until blended; do not overmix.
  6. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth surface with spatula.
  7. Bake 45-55 minutes until golden and toothpick inserted comes out with few moist crumbs; begin checking at 45 minutes.
  8. Cool the cake in pan for about 15 minutes.
  9. Mix 1/4 cup lemon juice and 3 tbsp powdered sugar to make lemon syrup; stir until smooth.
  10. Turn cake out onto wire rack; while warm, brush the cake evenly with lemon syrup to lock in moisture.
  11. Allow cake to cool completely before glazing.
  12. Whisk together 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, and 1 tbsp milk to make thick, spreadable glaze. Add more lemon juice if desired for tanginess, keeping glaze thick enough to spread but not runny.
  13. Pour or drizzle lemon glaze over cooled cake and let it set before slicing and serving.

Notes

This recipe serves about 10 people., You can swap lemons for limes or oranges (both zest and juice) for a different citrus flavor., Add 1-2 tablespoons poppy seeds to the batter for lemon-poppy seed variation., Fold in 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (tossed in 1 tbsp flour) for lemon-blueberry cake., Try a cream cheese glaze: blend 4 oz cream cheese with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1-2 tsp lemon juice., Cake keeps fresh covered at room temperature for up to 4 days and refrigerated for up to 5 days., For longer storage, freeze unglazed cake wrapped tightly for 2-3 months; thaw before glazing and serving., To refresh slices, microwave 8-12 seconds or warm in oven at 300°F (150°C) for 8-10 minutes., Use fresh lemon zest and juice for best flavor; bottled juice can be used if needed., Grease pans well or line with parchment to prevent sticking., Check doneness with toothpick inserted in center when top is golden., Opening oven door early or underbaking may cause cake to sink in middle.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://gingerbaking.com/moist-lemon-cake-recipe/