An easy buttermilk cake with big lemon flavor!! Soft, fluffy, and foolproof if you like puckering up!! This is the easiest from-scratch lemon cake EVER!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Cooling Time1 hourhr
Total Time1 hourhr45 minutesmins
Course: Cakes & Cupcakes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon buttermilk cake, lemon cake from scratch, lemon glaze for cake, lemon sour cream cake
Servings: 9
Calories: 297kcal
Author: Averie Sunshine
Ingredients
Cake
1 ¼cupsall-purpose flour
¾cupgranulated sugar
2teaspoonsbaking powder
pinchsaltoptional and to taste
1tablespoonlemon zest
1large egg
½cupbuttermilk
⅓cupsour creamlite is okay (plain Greek yogurt may be substituted)
¼cuplemon juice
3tablespoonscanola or vegetable oil
2teaspoonslemon extractvanilla extract may be substituted
Glaze
2cupsconfectioners’ sugar
⅓cuplemon juiceor as necessary for consistency
1tablespoonlemon zestor to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
For the Cake:
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, optional salt.
Whisk in zemon zest; set aside.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk*, sour cream, lemon juice, oil, and lemon extract.
Add the wet mixture to the dry, mixing lightly with a spoon or folding with a spatula until just combined. Small lumps will be present, don’t overmix or try to stir them smooth.
Turn batter out into prepared pan and bake for about 28 to 31 minutes, or until center is set and not jiggly, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
Place pan on a wire rack and allow cake to cool. While cake cools, make the glaze.
For the Glaze:
In a medium bowl, add 2 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1/3 cup lemon juice, and whisk until smooth. As necessary, add additional lemon juice (or sugar) to reach desired glaze consistency. I used slightly over 1/3 cup lemon juice. Glaze should be easily pourable.
Evenly pour glaze over cake (doesn’t have to be fully cooled), smoothing it lightly with a spatula if necessary, but glaze will likely just slide into place.
Allow cake to cool in pan uncovered for at least 1 hour (or overnight and cover with a sheet of foil) before slicing and serving so glaze can set up. Cake will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Notes
*This lemon buttermilk cake should be made with real buttermilk for the best results.You could sour regular milk with 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar mixed with 1/2 cup of 2% or whole milk, let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes, and then use it in the recipe.You can use powdered buttermilk instead and prepare it as instructed on the package.