Easy Lemon Cake Recipe: Bright, Moist & Perfect Every Time
Learn how to bake a moist and tangy lemon cake at home. This simple lemon cake recipe delivers bright citrus flavor with a tender crumb. Perfect for desserts and gatherings.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.75 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 0.75 cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Lemon Glaze:
- 1.5 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a 9-inch round cake pan with butter and parchment paper on the bottom
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, and eggs until well combined and slightly thickened
- Add lemon zest and vanilla extract to the egg mixture and stir until evenly distributed
- Add one-third of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir until just combined
- Add one-third of the buttermilk and stir until combined
- Repeat step 5 and 6 with the remaining flour and buttermilk, alternating and ending with flour
- Gently fold in the fresh lemon juice until the batter is smooth with no visible streaks
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs
- Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes
- Turn the cake out onto a wire cooling rack and cool completely at room temperature
For the Lemon Glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth
- Whisk in melted butter until fully incorporated
- Drizzle the glaze evenly over the completely cooled cake
- Allow the glaze to set for 10 minutes before serving