Lemon Glaze Recipe (With Video and Step-by-Step)

Yield:

Makes 3/4 cup

Our delicious lemon glaze is, well, the icing on the cake. It couldn't be quicker or easier to make. Simply stir fresh lemon juice into confectioners' sugar until the glaze is thick yet pourable. The glaze is easy to adjust: If you like a thicker glaze, add more sugar; for a thinner glaze, add more lemon juice.

This two-ingredient wonder makes the perfect finishing touch for all kinds of baked goods. It adds contrast to the top of a cake and delivers flavor without overwhelming the cake. Drizzle it over our Glazed Lemon Pound Cake, or try it on other pound cakes, cupcakes, cookies, scones, or cinnamon rolls. It's just right for any baked good that needs a simple finishing touch.

What Is a Glaze?

A glaze is a simple way to finish a baked good. A basic glaze contains confectioners' sugar and a liquid. More liquid is added to make the glaze thinner. More confectioners’ sugar is added to make it thicker. The most common liquids used for glazes are water or milk. Our lemon glaze uses lemon juice. Other types of glaze can be made by using sugar and liquid with melted chocolate, vanilla, almond, or other extracts, or jams.

How to Glaze a Pound Cake

For the best coverage, pour the glaze over baked goods that are completely cool. An alternative technique is to pour the glaze over the cake while it is slightly warm so that it soaks in slightly and spreads. Note that if the cake is too warm when you add the glaze, it will run off or soak into the crust and create a soggy cake.

Set cooling rack with cakes over a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
Pour glaze over cakes, letting it run down the sides
Let dry, about 30 minutes before slicing.

The glaze will harden as it sets. Depending on the consistency, this typically takes about 30 minutes.

Directions

Combine ingredients:

Place confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup; stir in 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Add remaining tablespoon if glaze is too thick—glaze should be thick, yet pourable).

Brie Goldman
Add more sugar or lemon juice if needed:

Add more sugar or lemon juice, as necessary, to achieve desired consistency.

Brie Goldman

Variations

Swap the lemon juice for orange, lime, grapefruit, or Meyer lemon for a different easy citrus glaze.
Zest the lemon before you squeeze it and add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the glaze for more lemon flavor and a little texture.

How to Store and Keep Lemon Glaze

Store any leftover glaze in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

To use the refrigerated glaze on a future dessert, let it come to room temperature and whisk to recombine, or heat it in a microwave until it has a pourable consistency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you glaze a cake hot or cold?

You should glaze a cake once it is cool. The general rule is to cool a cake or any baked good completely before glazing or icing. If baked goods are still warm, the glaze will either be absorbed into the cake or slide off.
Do you have to refrigerate cake with glaze?

No, you do not need to refrigerate a cake with glaze. Since the glaze doesn't contain perishable ingredients, the cake can be stored at room temperature. In fact, it's best to leave it out of the refrigerator so it doesn't dry out.
What can you use for glaze if you don't have confectioners' sugar?

If you don't have confectioners' sugar for glaze, you can use powdered sugar instead. If you don't have confectioners' or powdered sugar, there are some less optimal sugar swaps you can try. One is making your own powdered sugar from granulated sugar and cornstarch, and combining them in a high-speed blender to make a fine powder. Try 1 teaspoon cornstarch to 1 cup granulated sugar.
How is lemon syrup different to lemon glaze?

Both lemon syrup and lemon glaze are made with sugar and lemon juice, but the types of sugar used are different: Lemon syrup uses granulated sugar, lemon juice, and water, and is thin and runny, while lemon glaze uses confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and is thicker in consistency and more opaque. Lemon syrup is brushed onto baked goods to moisten and flavor them, such as between layers in a cake. Lemon glaze is used on top of baked goods to finish them.