Go Back Email Link
–+ servings
square cake with slice of lemon
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Lemon Sheet Cake With Fresh Lemon Buttercream

A from-scratch sheet cake that's moist and fluffy, topped with a classic buttercream with the irresistible taste of fresh lemon.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
cooling1 hour
Total Time2 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon cake with lemon buttercream, lemon sheet cake, Spring
Servings: 16 pieces
Calories: 111kcal
Author: Katie

Equipment

  • stand mixer or hand mixer
  • Large mixing bowl
  • saucepan
  • rimmed jelly-roll pan

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1¼ cups + 2 tablespoons flour
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 ¼ cups sugar
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons butter room temperature, cut into tablespoon pieces
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest
  • ¾ tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 drops lemon food coloring optional

Lemon Buttercream

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature (1.5 sticks)
  • 3 ⅓ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 ½ tablespoons heavy cream
  • pinch salt
  • additional lemon for garnish

Instructions

Make the Cake

  • Prep. Preheat oven to 325 degrees with a baking rack in the center. Prepare a rimmed jelly roll pan with non-stick spray.
  • Combine eggs and sugar with dry ingredients. Beat the eggs and sugar (yes, just the eggs and sugar!) on medium-high speed with the whisk attachment for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is very light and fluffy. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined, scraping down the sides if needed.
  • Add milk butter, and lemon. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until just beginning to simmer. Remove from the heat and add the vegetable oil and butter. Stir until the butter melts. Pour the warm milk mixture into the batter. Beat until combined. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest (and food coloring if using) and stir by hand with a spatula.
    heating milk and pouring into cake batter.
  • Bake. Pour batter into rimmed pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. The cake will look a little weird and spongy. That's normal. Allow to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
    baked cake in jelly roll pan

Make the Lemon Frosting

  • Make the frosting. Beat the butter, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream using an electric stand mixer. If needed, add the additional 1/2 tablespoon of cream (or more) until frosting is the desired consistency.
  • Assemble. Frost the cake and serve directly out of the pan. Top with thin lemon slices or lemon zest curls. Refrigerate any leftovers.
    finished cake.

Notes

A 10 x 15 pan is ideal but a larger one will work too, just stick to the shorter baking time.
Try layering fresh berries on top of the cake just before serving.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 68IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg