Homemade Lemon Cake Recipe

Last Updated on December 18, 2020 by Diane Hoffmaster

Doesn’t this homemade lemon cake recipe just scream ‘spring’ to you? With the beginning of spring (YAY!) and the arrival of warm weather, I am craving all sorts of fresh flavors this week.  I absolutely love the taste of lemon and with it’s bright color and fresh flavor, it is the perfect addition to my spring menu.  I love making cakes rather than cookies because they are SO much less work!  Who wants to sit around rolling out dough or dropping balls of batter on cookie sheets?  This lemon cake is just mix, dump in the pan and bake!  I made  a simple glaze to go on top but you can certainly skip the glaze and the cake is just as tasty.  I highly recommend you skip the boxed cake mixes and try this homemade lemon cake recipe instead.  It is amazingly easy and you know exactly what the ingredients are!

NOTE:  This is a dense cake…think pound cake rather than something light and fluffy.  It is not overly sweet but the icing on top adds tons of flavor and sweetness!

Homemade Lemon Cake Recipe

Yield: 8 to 10 pieces

Homemade Lemon Cake Recipe

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This homemade lemon cake recipe has a deliciously fresh flavor and is so simple to make!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cups of sour cream
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• FOR THE GLAZE
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
• 4 TBSP lemon juice

Instructions

2. In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
6. Stir in half the flour mixture until combined
7. Add the buttermilk and mix
8. Add the remaining flour mixture and stir just until combined
9. Pour batter into a greased bundt pan and bake at 325 for 60 to 70 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
10. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes
11. MAKE THE GLAZE
12. Mix the 1/4 cup softened butter with the 4 TBSP lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Add more powdered sugar if needed to reach desired thickness.
13. GLAZE THE CAKE
14. Remove cake from pan and spread half the glaze over the warm cake.
15. Let cool
16. Drizzle remaining glaze over the cake right before serving

Love lemon cake recipes?  Try this lemon zucchini cake!