This lemon buttermilk cake is tender, velvety, very sweet, and has the perfect amount of tangy lemon flavor. It has a glaze then a unique lemony-sugar topping in lieu of frosting that it absolutely out of this world! It’s just one of those simple and delicious cake recipes that’s hard to beat.
If you love lemon as much as I do I hope you’ll try my classic lemon pound cake, lemon cream cheese pound cake, and my lemon zucchini bread next!
Let’s bake this cake!
What I Love About This Recipe
- Simple ingredients
- Polished presentation
- Tangy lemon flavor
How To Make Lemon Buttermilk Cake Recipe
-
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a liquid measuring cup combine buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Set aside.
-
In a large bowl add sugar and lemon zest. Using an electric mixer set on medium, beat until mixture is very fragrant 1-2 minutes. Transfer 1/4 cup of the sugar mixture to a small bowl and set it aside. Add butter to the remaining sugar mixture and beat until the mixture is fluffy about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until combined. Add the egg yolk and mix to combine. Set mixer to low speed and add flour mixture in 3 additions alternating with buttermilk mixture. Mix until ingredients are just blended.
-
Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in a pan set on a wire baking rack for 10 minutes.
-
Make the glaze by whisking powdered sugar, lemon juice, and buttermilk together until even and smooth. Spread glaze over warm cake then evenly sprinkle the reserved sugar lemon zest mixture over the top. Cool the cake completely before serving for at least 2 hours. Serve
***See the full instructions below.
Lemon Buttermilk Cake Ingredients + Notes
- Room Temp: For best results, have your buttermilk, butter, and eggs at room temperature. Room temp is different for everyone but in cooking it is quite often between 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Zesting: Be sure to use a shallow hand when zesting your lemon. Try not to remove any of the bitter white pith attached to the lemon. Use a micro planer to zest the lemon.
- Cake Flour: You’ll want to use cake flour rather than all-purpose flour. Cake flour is delicate with a lower protein content which makes it bake up light and fluffy. The cake flour will create a velvety crumb in the cake.
- Why separate wet and dry: Blending wet and dry ingredients separately ensures an even mixture! You don’t want all your flavor in one corner of the cake, all your baking soda in a second, and all your salt in a third!
- Why cream the sugar and lemon zest: This unusual technique infuses the sugar with oil from the lemon peel and intensifies that lemony zing! Blend for two minutes for best results. The lemon sugar really makes this cake stand out!
- Don’t over-mix: Over-mixing this cake (or any cake) batter will result in a dense lifeless product instead of a light and fluffy delight.
- Why cool before serving: If you dig in too soon, the cake will adhere to the knife and your slices may come out a crumbly mess.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
This gorgeous refreshing cake is a cake that is best kept in the fridge. You’ll want to wrap it well to protect it from air and moisture as well as the other food item scents in the fridge. A spaghetti aftertaste kinda’ throws the whole thing off.
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? If you can keep it around this long, your tangy cake will last for up to a week in the fridge. That is, of course, provided that it’s covered well and properly stored.
- Can You Freeze This? Absolutely!! This scrumptious lemon cake freezes really well, and it may be the only way to save yourself some! Simply double-wrap it in foil or cling wrap before sliding it into a freezer-safe bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight and you’re ready to serve.
- Make-Ahead Tips: Making this decadent cake is all about combining the ingredients properly and drizzling the glaze over warm cake. This cake has to be made all at one time, but it takes less than an hour. If you’re prepping ahead, there’s nothing wrong with going the freezer route.
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
More Lovely Lemon Recipes
- Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Lemon Ricotta Cookies
- Lemon Bars
- Lemon Brownies
- Lemon Blueberry Bars
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Lemon Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 ½ cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
- 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
Glaze:
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour (2 ½ cups), baking powder (1 teaspoon), baking soda (1/2 teaspoon), and salt (1/2 teaspoon). Set aside.
- In a liquid measuring cup combine buttermilk (3/4 cup), lemon juice (1/4 cup), and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon). Set aside.
- In a large bowl add sugar (1 ¾ cups) and lemon zest (3 tablespoons). Using an electric mixer set on medium, beat until mixture is very fragrant 1-2 minutes. Transfer 1/4 cup of the sugar mixture to a small bowl and set it aside. Add butter (12 tablespoons) to the remaining sugar mixture and beat until the mixture is fluffy about 2 minutes. Add the eggs (3), one at a time, mixing after each addition just until combined. Add the egg yolk (1) and mix to combine. Set mixer to low speed and add flour mixture in 3 additions alternating with buttermilk mixture. Mix until ingredients are just blended.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in a pan set on a wire baking rack for 10 minutes.
- Make the glaze by whisking powdered sugar (3 cups), lemon juice (3 tablespoons), and buttermilk (2 tablespoons) together until even and smooth. Spread glaze over warm cake then evenly sprinkle the reserved sugar lemon zest mixture over the top. Cool the cake completely before serving for at least 2 hours. Serve
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Room Temp: For best results, have your buttermilk, butter, and eggs at room temperature. Room temp is different for everyone but in cooking it is quite often between 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Zesting: Be sure to use a shallow hand when zesting your lemon. Try not to remove any of the bitter white pith attached to the lemon. Use a micro planer to zest the lemon.
- Cake Flour: You’ll want to use cake flour rather than all-purpose flour. Cake flour is delicate with a lower protein content which makes it bake up light and fluffy. The cake flour will create a velvety crumb in the cake.
- Why separate wet and dry: Blending wet and dry ingredients separately ensures an even mixture! You don’t want all your flavor in one corner of the cake, all your baking soda in a second, and all your salt in a third!
- Why cream the sugar and lemon zest: This unusual technique infuses the sugar with oil from the lemon peel and intensifies that lemony zing! Blend for two minutes for best results. The lemon sugar really makes this cake stand out!
- Don’t over-mix: Over-mixing this cake (or any cake) batter will result in a dense lifeless product instead of a light and fluffy delight.
- Why cool before serving: If you dig in too soon, the cake will adhere to the knife and your slices may come out a crumbly mess.
Nutrition
Source: Adapted From Cook’s Country
Anne says
This cake sounds delicious! I’m wondering though, is it best to make it the same day I’m serving it, or can I make it a day or two in advance? Will it hold up a few days?
Kathleen says
Hi Anne. I prefer this cake the first day it’s baked. That said, in a pinch it’s not bad after a day or so. It just is a bit drier than the first day. Hope that helps!
Anne says
Yes that helps a bunch! Thanks, Kathleen!
Mary says
Kathleen, this an great way to use the rest of the buttermilk I have. The recipe sounds tasty and amazing. Thanks for your help.
Kathleen says
Hi Mary. Hope you enjoy! I adore this simple cake!
Andrea says
This cake is delicious and easy to make. I needed to use up some buttermilk I had. What a tasty cake.
Kathleen says
Hey Andrea I hope you enjoy the cake 🙂
Tara says
This looks AMAZING!!! I think I’m going to make for tomorrow. I’m so excited! I love lemon cake!!! Thank you for posting
Kathleen says
Hope you enjoy Tara!
Insiga says
Hey, I love baking, but not always you can actually eat the cake, which I baked. But today I was baking this one…and it is very VERY delicious, very fluffy…omnomomnom. Thank you very much for this recipe. It is now my favorite one :))
Kathleen says
Hi Insiga, so glad you liked the cake! I wish I had a piece right now!
Sharon Magnin says
Flavor is wonderful, but cake was very heavy with little rise. More like a bar cookie.
Kathleen says
Hey Sharon. That surprises me. Mine wasn’t heavy. Might it be your baking soda or baking powder?
Leah Ann says
Hello Kathleen! I’m am going to make this for tonight’s dessert, and I am wondering, does it need to cool 2 hours before serving at room temperature or in the refrigerator? I can’t wait for my family to taste this!
Kathleen says
Hey Leah Ann. Just cool it at room temp. Enjoy!
Colleen says
This looks absolutely delicious. Went to the store this evening to get the few things I didn’t have. Can’t wait to make this with my grandson tomorrow!
Kathleen says
Hi Colleen. Hope you enjoy!
Tiffany says
I tried to bake is in my metal pan as well and it was still very wet and not done in the center for quite a bit longer. So I suggest changing the cooking time to 35-37 minutes. Smells and looks amazing though can’t wait to try it for dessert tonight.
Kathleen says
Hi Tiffany. Good to know. It’s funny how different everyones ovens run, isn’t it! Thanks for the tip 😉
Betty819 says
Stupid question but I bet I’m not the only person that doesn’t know an easy way to get fresh lemon zest? I bought one of those kitchen gadget tools but never used it so I donated it to a local thrift shop.
Kathleen says
Hi Betty. Thanks so much for asking! It’s actually a really GREAT question 🙂 I have to confess I always use a micro planer to zest all citrus. It makes the job really quick and easy. You can always cut an thin peel from the lemon (NO pith/ white part) and mince it. That would be a very arduous task though. Any chance you can get your micro planer back????
Kathi says
I have found an easy way to zest citrus. I cut the fruit in half and juice. After squeezing the juice from the fruit, I cut the half in half again (so I have cut it in quarters now) and put it in the freezer for 30 -60 minutes while I get the rest of the ingredients together and prepped. It’s so much easier to zest when the peel is frozen, altho you will still need a micro planer. I always freeze citrus peels even if I’m not using them for a recipe right away. That way when I need zest it’s quick and easy to do. Hope this helps.
Kathleen says
Hey Kathi, great tip! Thanks so much for taking the time to share it with us all 🙂 Yes it is very helpful.
Jennifer says
This looks amazing! When you say use a 9×13 pan, is that like a glass Pyrex dish or like a flat metal cookie/jelly roll type of pan? I’m not a very good baker, so I want to get it right. Thanks!
Kathleen says
I use a metal 9X13 pan but you can use a pyrex. It might be cooked a bit faster so it a few minutes before the time suggested.
Wesley WHite says
I wish I had used a deeper pyrex pan. I used metal jellyroll pan and the batter baked over,,, big mess. My cooking time was about 40 minutes. I love the cake and will make it often. Thank you.
Kathleen says
Hey Wesly. I used a 9X13 inch baking dish and it worked really well. No spill over. I’m really glad you loved the recipe!
jackie says
just wondering if you have ever frozen this cake, with or without the glaze?
Kathleen says
Hi Jackie, yes I did freeze it. It froze pretty well. I don’t think I’d necessarily serve it to company. The crunchy topping wasn’t quite as good but I was still pretty happy over all!
darlene says
you could freeze it without the toppings … then when thawed, add the glaze and lemon zest mix … sounds good no matter which way it’s served … tomorrow night …
Kathleen says
I hope you enjoy it Darlene 🙂
Kim Swartz says
I made this cake for a church dinner. It was moist and delicious. The tang of the lemon juice was incredible. Thanks for such a good recipe that was easy to make and scrumptious!
Kathleen says
Hello Kim! You are so welcome. I’m so happy you enjoyed it 😉
Gia says
Hi, this looks abs gorgeous ! I love it already.
I just have one question, u mention keeping
1/4 of the sugar mixture aside but I don’t see
U using it again in the recipe. I’m confused 🙁
Or maybe I missed something ?!?!
Kathleen says
Hey Gia! You sprinkle it after the cake is glazed. It’s in step 7. Let me know if that helps 🙂
Lou Mell says
just took it out of oven. smells so good i could not resist. I cut a piece while still hot. even without the finishing touches of the topping the cake is outstanding. the texture is just beautifully moist without being gummy. First time in a long while have I made a cake from stratch. so good. will make it often as i know it will be a hit with my grown family.
Kathleen says
Yay Lou! So glad you like it! I wish I had some coming out of the oven right now!!!!
Jamie says
Smells unbelievable but after 30 min.. Cake is very very jiggly! I’ll keep checking…
Kathleen says
Hi Jamie, hope you enjoyed the cake!
Maria Farrugia says
It looks very yummy how do I get thesent to me
Kathleen says
Hi Maria. I’m sorry I’m not sure what you’re asking.
Glenda says
Sounds wonderful. I will try this for Father’s Day.
Kathleen says
Hope you like it as much as we did Glenda!!!
Karen @ The Food Charlatan says
This cake looks right up my ally Kathleen! I am so going to make this, I’m obsessed with lemon, PLUS i have a tree in my backyard. Fate! 🙂 Very cute blog!
Kathleen says
Thanks so much Karen! Hope you enjoy the Lemon Cake!
[email protected] says
This looks absolutely amazing, and seems easy to make too! Yum.
Kathleen says
Thanks Rachel! I hope you give this a try!