Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes Easy Lemon Cake 3.5 (4) Whole lemons are the secret to this easy, bright tasting dessert. Prep Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 50 mins Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Servings: 10 Jump to recipe Our easy lemon cake gets serious citrus flavor from two whole lemons—rinds and all—plus an extra splash of fresh lemon juice. The rest of the ingredients are simple pantry and fridge staples including flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. You will need some buttermilk for this recipe, but we’ve got a tip for making your own (hint: it involves more lemon juice). After some easy mixing and a quick stint in the oven, you’ll be rewarded with a moist, sunshiney cake that needs only a dusting of confectioners’ sugar before it’s ready for slicing. How to Store Lemons So They Stay Fresh Credit: Jake Sternquist Equipment Needs for Easy Lemon Cake You'll need a few pieces of basic kitchen equipment to whip up this super citrusy cake, including: Cutting board: Use a sturdy cutting board to slice the lemons on before boiling (Either a wood or plastic cutting board will work equally well here). To keep it from sliding around as you work, lightly dampen a kitchen towel or a few paper towels and lay it flat on the counter, then place your cutting board on top. Chef's knife: For even, thin lemon slices, use a sharp chef's knife. Not only will a sharp knife make prep work more efficient, but it's so much safer than a dull knife, which can slip as you're applying pressure and cause injury. Saucepan: You'll need a medium (2- to 3-quart) saucepan to boil the lemons. It should be large enough to hold the sliced fruit plus 3 cups of water. Food processor: After boiling the lemons, they are pureed into a paste in a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, you can use a blender. Mixing bowls: You'll need two mixing bowls for this recipe: one small for combining the dry ingredients and a larger one to build the batter in. Glass, ceramic, or stainless steel bowls all work well for this recipe. Electric mixer: We call for an electric mixer for this recipe to cream the butter and sugar, which helps incorporate air into the batter for a lighter, more tender end result. It will also help incorporate the other ingredients evenly throughout the batter. You can use either a hand-held mixer or a stand mixer. If you don't have one, cream the butter and sugar together by hand using a whisk; just make sure the butter is very soft (but not melted) before you start. The finished cake may not be as tender, but it will still be delicious. Cake pan: Use a 9-inch round cake pan for this cake. If you don't have one, opt for an 8-inch square pan instead. Waxed Lemons Most commercially available lemons are coated in a food-grade wax which helps prevent moisture loss, keeping them fresher for longer. Whenever you are ingesting the rind—whether you're zesting it for a citrusy salad or pureeing the whole fruit, like in this recipe—it's best to remove the wax first. Luckily, this can be done in two easy steps: First, run the fruit under very hot water to melt the wax. You can also soak the lemons in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes (which is helpful if you're working with several at once).Use a vegetable brush to scrub off the melted wax, then rinse it once more under hot water before using. Making buttermilk: If you can't find buttermilk for this recipe, you can make your own using two basic ingredients.Stir together 1/2 cup milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar, and let it sit for 5 minutes.The milk should look slightly curdled after sitting, then it is ready to be used. How to Make Easy Lemon Cake Ahead You can make this lemon cake up to one day before you plan to serve it. After letting it cool completely on a wire rack, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving. Directions Credit: Jake Sternquist Preheat oven and prep pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep). Cook lemon slices, drain, and puree: In a medium saucepan, cover lemon slices with 3 cups water. Add pinch of salt, cover, and bring to a boil over high. Boil lemons, partially covered, until very tender, 15 minutes. Drain in a colander and transfer to a food processor, along with lemon juice; process until smooth. Set aside. Credit: Jake Sternquist Credit: Jake Sternquist Combine dry ingredients; beat butter and add sugar gradually: In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter on medium, 2 minutes. Gradually add granulated sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Credit: Jake Sternquist Add eggs one at a time; add flour mixture alternating with buttermilk: Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of buttermilk. Beat in vanilla, then fold in lemon mixture. Credit: Jake Sternquist Credit: Jake Sternquist Place batter in prepared pan and bake: Transfer batter to pan and bake until deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Credit: Jake Sternquist Cool, dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve: Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 20 minutes. Remove cake from pan and let cool completely on rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with raspberries and cream, if desired. Credit: Jake Sternquist How to Store Leftover Lemon Cake Store any leftover lemon cake at room temperature for up to four days. Be sure to wrap it tightly in plastic or keep it in an airtight container so it stays moist and tender. We don't recommend refrigerating this cake as that can cause it to dry out and harden. Freezing The cake can also be frozen for up to three months. Wrap it tightly in plastic then in a layer of foil or pop it into a freezer bag before storing. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours before enjoying. How to Serve This Easy Lemon Cake This simple cake needs nothing more than a light dusting of confectioners' sugar before it's ready to be devoured. If you'd like to dress it up further, however, consider topping each slice with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream and a couple of raspberries or sliced strawberries. You can also drizzle it with an easy, two-ingredient lemon glaze to bring even more sweet-tangy flavor to the party. 5 More Lemon Dessert Recipes to Try Lemon-Date Bars Upside-Down Lemon Meringue Pie Lemon Cornmeal Cake Meyer-Lemon and Hazelnut Tart Glazed Lemon Cookies Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.