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Get ready to pucker up and indulge in the zesty goodness of this lemon sheet cake recipe! Bursting with fresh lemon flavor and topped with a tangy lemon glaze, this light and moist cake is an absolute crowd-pleaser. Whether you’re a die-hard lemon lover or just need to satisfy your sweet tooth, this citrus-infused treat is a surefire way to brighten up any occasion. The melt-in-the-mouth sponge cake gets topped with a lemon glaze for a tangy slap and a yummy finish.
Make this quick and cheerful lemon sheet cake recipe for an easy dessert. Kids and adults will love a slice of sharp and comforting lemon cake.
Lemon poppyseed loaf, lemon cake and lemon posset are also lemon-licious treats! Or how about Bisquick choc chip muffins for the chocolate fans?
Why You’ll Love It
Perfect balance of sweet and tart: The combination of lemon juice and zest provides a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness.
Moist and tender texture: The lemon juice helps to keep the cake moist and tender, giving it a delightful texture.
Crowd-pleaser: The bright lemon taste and moist texture make this cake a favorite among adults and children. It is always a hit at any gathering.
Great year-round: While particularly refreshing in the warmer months, the citrusy flavor of lemon Texas sheet cake can brighten up any season, including the colder winter months.
Ingredients for Lemon Sheet Cake
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Granulated sugar: Use caster sugar for a finer texture but good old granulated sugar is perfect in this recipe.
Butter: Use unsalted butter to control the salt content in the cake.
Sour cream: This contributes to the soft texture.
Lemon extract: This is optional but enhances the lemon flavor.
Baking soda and baking powder: Make sure they’re fresh!
Lemon: Freshly squeezed lemon juice and grated lemon zest gives the best lemon punch.
How to Make Lemon Texas Sheet Cake
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Prepare the wet ingredients: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 13 x 18-inch pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter together. Add the lemon zest and mix well. Stir in the sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla and lemon extract. Add the eggs and the yolk and stir well.
Prepare the dry ingredients: Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl, then stir into the wet ingredients just until combined. This will make a light lemon cake mix. Spread the cake batter out evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake: Bake the cake for 15 to 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes clean. Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice and zest to form a glaze.
Glaze: Pour the glaze over the warm cake. Slice the cooled cake when ready to serve.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free: Swap all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour mixture.
Lemon juice: Switch lemon for fresh orange or lime for a different version.
Lemon lavender: Infuse the batter with 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried culinary lavender. Garnish with lavender sprigs.
Lemon raspberry: Swirl 1 cup of fresh raspberries into the batter before baking. Decorate each slice with a fresh raspberry.
Glaze: Swap the simple glaze for a butter and cream cheese frosting.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizer: Kick off the meal with these crispy stacked potatoes or my Italian-style burrata stuffed tomatoes.
Main: Try Hawaiian barbeque chicken or Crockpot cashew chicken as a main course. These Swedish meatballs are a must-try, too.
Dessert: Serve a slice of freshly baked lemon sheet cake as is or with whipped vanilla cream and thin lemon slices or twirls.
How to Store Lemon Sheet Cake With Glaze
Store: Keep the lemon sheet cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezer: To preserve its freshness for up to 3 months, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing. Slice the cake into portions to freeze.
Thaw: Let the frozen lemon sheet cake thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Reheat: Warm individual slices in the microwave for about 10 seconds for a freshly baked taste.
Top Tips
Light mixing: For a lovely light cake, avoid over-mixing. Overmixing will make the cake chewy as it overdevelops the gluten.
Decorate: For a pretty cake, garnish each slice with a little piece of lemon.
Use room temperature ingredients: This helps them to combine easily.
Check for doneness: Use a toothpick to check if the cake is done; it should come out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
Luscious Lemon Sheet Cake FAQs
To prevent the cake from turning out dense, do not overmix the batter, and make sure your baking powder is fresh. Also, measure your flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off.
For a well-risen cake, make sure your oven is preheated properly, and avoid opening the oven door during baking. You can also tap the filled cake pan on the counter to release air bubbles before baking.
While you can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch, fresh lemon juice will provide a brighter and more natural lemon taste.
Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. The cake is done if it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. If it comes out with wet batter, bake for a few more minutes and check again.
Lemon Sheet Cake Recipe
Lemon Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- 2¼ Cups granulated sugar
- 1 Cup salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 Cup sour cream
- ½ Cup lemon juice
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 Teaspoon lemon extract
- 3 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 2½ Cups all purpose flour
- 1¼ Teaspoons baking soda
- ½ Teaspoon baking powder
- ½ Teaspoon salt
For the Glaze:
- 3½ Cups powdered sugar
- 6 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 13 x 18 inch pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter together, then add the lemon zest and mix well.
- Stir in the sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla and lemon extract.
- Add the eggs and the yolk and stir well.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, soda, powder and salt, then stir into the wet ingredients, just until combined.
- Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice and zest together to form a glaze.
- Pour the glaze over the warm cake.
- You might like to cut lemon slices into pieces and place on the top of each slice of cake.
Notes
Decorate: For a pretty cake, garnish each slice with a little piece of lemon.
Use room temperature ingredients: This helps them to combine easily.
Check for doneness: Use a toothpick to check if the cake is done; it should come out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
Nutrition
This 35-minute lemon sheet cake recipe brings a deliciously vibrant lemon flavor infused into a soft, buttery sponge. The tender cake is finished with a tangy lemon glaze, adding a zesty punch and a fun finishing touch.
Other Cake Recipes To Try
- My coffee mix cake is known to break hearts.
- Carrot cake cupcakes: This recipe is full of all the classic carrot cake recipe flavors we all love.
- How about this 7 Up pound cake?
- Try these easy strawberry lemonade cookies.
- Easy zuccotto cake is a must-try – at least once in your life!
- This soft, gingery old-fashioned gingerbread cake is so delicious.
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
My lemon-loving taste buds are singing in joy. It was divine!!