Moist Zesty Lemon Cake (Printable version)
A moist lemon cake bursting with fresh citrus flavor and a tangy glaze for a light finish.
# What you need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from approximately 2 lemons)
09 - ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - ¾ cup whole milk, room temperature
→ Lemon Glaze
12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
# How To:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
05 - Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to the wet mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined to avoid overmixing.
06 - Transfer batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice together until smooth.
09 - Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Let set before slicing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It's moist without being heavy, striking that perfect balance between indulgent and refreshing.
- The glaze adds a professional touch that tastes like you've done something impressive, even though you really haven't.
- It comes together faster than you'd expect, leaving you more time to actually enjoy it with someone.
02 -
- Overmixing the batter after adding flour will develop gluten and give you a dense, tough cake instead of the tender crumb you're after.
- Using room temperature ingredients isn't fussy—it's the difference between a cake that comes together smoothly and one that breaks and curdles.
03 -
- Microplane your lemon zest directly into the sugar before creaming—the sugar's texture helps break down the zest and release more oils into the batter.
- If your kitchen is cold, sit your eggs and milk in warm water for five minutes to bring them to temperature without cooking them.