The days are getting brighter and warmer, and it’s the time that Alex and I start craving the flavors of sunshine. Here’s a cake recipe I created to match that mood: this easy lemon cake! My expertise as a recipe developer is in simple baking, like sheet cakes, easy muffins, and quick breads. So this new lemon-infused recipe is fast and easy: a moist cake with a luscious tender crumb from buttermilk, drizzled with a zesty 2-ingredient lemon glaze! I gave away pieces from my recipe testing to friends and family, and they all couldn’t stop exclaiming how tasty it was. Jump to the recipe—now.
Why to make this easy lemon cake
This lemon cake fits my vibe in the kitchen: uncomplicated baking. Layer cakes are lovely, but often I don’t feel like pulling out the mixer or attempting to ice a cake. So when I’m craving citrus, I make this lemon cake! Here are the reasons I like to make it:
It’s a sheet cake, made in a square baking dish. No need to stack and layer! There’s no mixer required. All you need are two bowls, a whisk and a spatula. You don’t need to wait for butter to come to room temperature. This one uses melted butter so there’s no need to wait. The 2 ingredient icing is made in 2 minutes. This easy lemon glaze comes together quickly and you can pour it right over the cake.
In creating this recipe, I was inspired by simple snacking cakes like this meyer lemon cake from Sarah Kieffer and this blood orange yogurt cake from How Sweet Eats. If you’re looking for a more involved layer cake, this one from expert baker Sally’s Baking Addiction with cream cheese buttercream looks beautiful.
The 3 key ingredients for this easy lemon cake
This lemon cake is a cousin to this glazed lemon bread recipe I created recently. While they’re not exactly the same, they use some of the same flavor secrets to achieve the best zingy and zesty lemon flavor, along with a light and fluffy texture. Here are the three key ingredients you’ll need to have on hand:
A few quick tips for baking
Here are a three quick tips for baking a lemon cake to understand before you roll up your sleeves and go to the recipe to get the baking! These notes provide a little bit of the “why” behind the instructions: Pro tip: We recommend a 9-inch aluminum square pan. You can use an 8-inch square pan as well to make thicker slices: simply increase the bake time by 5 to 10 minutes (adjust based on your oven and pan).
Make ahead and storage info
This lemon cake stays incredibly moist during storage, and in fact it becomes even moister over time. Here are a few notes on making it ahead and storing it:
Make ahead: You can make lemon cake in advance and store refrigerated or at room temperature, covered in aluminum foil. Ice the cake right before serving. Storage: The cake lasts at least 5 days at room temperature wrapped in aluminum foil or refrigerated for 10 or more days wrapped in foil. For best results, bring it to room temperature before enjoying. You can also freeze un-iced bread for up to 3 months. We suggest slicing it into pieces and wrapping it in plastic wrap then a freezer-safe bag or container before freezing.
More of our favorite lemony baked goods
We absolutely love baking up lemony treats in spring and summer! Here are a few more baked lemon recipes to try:
Bake up Grandma’s classic lemon bars. Try lemon bread or lemon zucchini bread. Mix up lemon blueberry muffins or lemon poppyseed muffins.
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1 ½ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest (2 medium lemons) 1 cup granulated sugar ½ cup unsalted butter, melted 2 eggs 2 teaspoons lemon extract 1 cup buttermilk
For the icing
1 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
