Description
A bright, tender lemon cake made with fresh lemon zest and juice, soaked in homemade lemon syrup, and finished with a silky lemon glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2.5 cups (300g) cake flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1.5 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon zest, from approximately 3 medium organic lemons
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk or buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (80ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar
- 1.5 cups (180g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2–3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp melted unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or 10-cup bundt pan and dust with flour.
- Combine the granulated sugar and fresh lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Rub together with your fingertips for 1 to 2 minutes until yellow and intensely fragrant.
- Add the softened butter to the lemon sugar and beat with an electric mixer for 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Whisk the fresh lemon juice, sour cream, and milk together in a liquid measuring cup.
- Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients to the butter mixture in three batches, mixing on low speed just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While the cake bakes, simmer 1/3 cup lemon juice and 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan for 2 minutes until dissolved.
- Poke the warm cake all over with a wooden skewer and slowly pour the warm lemon syrup over the cake while it is still in the pan.
- Cool for 20 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
- Whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and melted butter into a thick glaze and pour over the cooled cake.
Notes
Rub the lemon zest into the sugar until intensely fragrant to release the lemon oils. Pour the warm syrup over the warm cake for the best absorption, then cool completely before glazing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 36g
- Sodium: 230mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 90mg