| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 1 hr 30 min |
| Prep: | 30 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 2 (8-inch) loaves |
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.
- Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
- For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 400 |
| Total Fat | 13 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 9 grams |
| Cholesterol | 86 milligrams |
| Sodium | 235 milligrams |
| Carbohydrates | 66 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 grams |
| Sugar | 47 grams |
| Protein | 5 grams |
Reviews
Can this be made with oil instead of butter?
I’ve been making this recipe for over ten years now! Truly there is no better lemon cake. Make this if you really like TART lemon flavor!! So many “lemon cakes” and desserts just taste like vanilla with a hint of lemon. This is not one of those. As a lemon lover, this one takes the cake!
The cake was excellent and I used Bob’s Redmill GLUTEN FREE FLOUR. It was moist and fluffy, not always an easy textire to translate to gf. It needed additional baking time (as gf always does) but when brown and golden it was absolutely perfect and delicious in flavor and texture. Will make again and again, will throw a bunch of blueberries into the next one.
I made this only because I love lemon. This did not disappoint. Will make again when guests come in from Ohio…yummers!
This recipe was really easy and it was delicious especially the next day. I feel like the flavor was even better.
Love this recipe. I did it the second time in a Bundt pan. The hardest part for me was zesting 8 lemons. lol
They just came out of the oven. Very lemony, moist and delicious. I did add 2 1/2 Tablespoons of poppy seeds and I did not make a glaze; just the syrup. I think the people who had problems did not read the directions regarding divided ingredients. It’s a keeper
I absolutely hated this recipe… which sucks cause I love to bake cakes but this recipe was so tedious to make which was fine because I love lemon cakes especially for the spring time, but the end result was not great! I took the cake out of pans after 10 minutes like the recipe said and it just fell apart completely had no chance to even try and save it was so disappointing…. will not be making this recipe again if I could I would honestly give this recipe zero stars sorry not sorry
This cake was amazing! We ended up putting in a bunt cake pan and it it turned out great! 10/10
A perfect light and yummy treat! My almost 2 year old keeps asking for more and he’s a very picky eater!