This easy Lemon Sheet Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting is made from scratch and better than a box mix! You will LOVE this moist, vibrant lemon dessert!
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Ahhhh, lemon dessers! They are my favorite (after chocolate), and they get me all excited for warm weather and sunshine! This lemon sheet cake packs a vibrant citrus punch, and the lemon cream cheese frosting is lip smacking good!
I first made this lemon sheet cake almost 2 years ago when I was pregnant with our 5th baby. I am always extremely sick during my pregnancies, and I didn’t have it in me to repeatedly test the recipe to make sure it was solid. I made it, it was wonderful, and I even brought it to a party and it was a hit. I knew it was good, but I wanted to play around with it to make it AMAZING!
My whole family loves lemon desserts, so they were pretty excited to help me perfect this recipe. You can make it in a jelly roll pan for a thin sheet cake, or use a 9×13″ pan for a thicker cake. The choice is yours – just don’t leave off the frosting!! My daughter, who doesn’t really like frosting (?!?!), said this frosting was SO good, she liked it more than the cake!!! The cream cheese keeps it from being overly sweet, and we just can’t resist that pucker from the lemon juice and lemon zest!
This cake is a winner, guys. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
And if you love sheet cakes, be sure to try my recipe for The Best Ever Texas Sheet Cake, and my Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake with brown butter cinnamon icing!!
Lemon Sheet Cake from Scratch
Print recipe
| Serves | 28 |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 15 minutes |
| Total time | 30 minutes |
Ingredients
Cake
- 3/4 cups unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
Icing
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 8oz softened cream cheese
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
- lemon zest
Directions
| Cake | |
| Step 1 | |
| Preheat oven to 350 In a large saucepan melt butter over medium heat, stirring often. Turn off heat and whisk in lemon juice and sugar. Stir in yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Add baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and flour, mixing until well combined. Pour into greased jelly roll pan and bake 15 minutes or until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean. (Or for a thicker cake bake in a 9x13" pan for 25-30 minutes) | |
| Frosting | |
| Step 2 | |
| In a mixing bowl beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Mix in powdered sugar and 2 TBS lemon juice. If too thick, add more lemon juice and beat until fluffy. Spread over cooled cake and top with lemon zest. | |
Gabi says
Oh my-lanta!!! THIS was amazing…
I am on no way shape or form a good Baker… cooking yes baking no…
This turned out perfect
Everyone was in heaven
I added vanilla bean to the mix and frosting.
Huge hit
Thank you for giving me the tools to finally make a great dessert
Bonnie says
This looks great and I’d like to try it for an upcoming party for 20 people. I’d like to make a square layer cake; think I could make two sheet cake sizes and cut into 4 and stack the layers with a thick layer of the icing in between each layer? What’s your best suggestion? Or would this translate to making a 9″ round layer cake cut into 4 layers total?
Stephanie Brubaker says
Hi Bonnie! This recipe makes a pretty thin sheet cake – about 1/2″ thick. So if you make 2 of them you would end up with 4 thin layers. And this icing is amazing!! But it’s not good for decorating, like buttercream. It will work perfectly for pouring over the cake, but you can’t really pipe with it. Hope this helps you! Enjoy 🙂
Sandy says
I have several sizes of jelly roll pans. What do you recommend as far as size goes?
Stephanie Brubaker says
So sorry, I’m just seeing this comment. I use an 18×13″ jelly roll pan for my sheet cakes. They come out thin, so if you want a thicker cake use a smaller pan. Just make sure the sides are deep enough – at least 1″ or more 🙂
Jaci says
I was just gifted with some lemons, yesterday – they are not common in the groceries in Cuenca, Ecuador. Limes… more than you can imagine, but lemons are usually a private tree kind of thing.
I was wondering what things to make. This will have to be one of them.
Jamie Gotts says
Question do you have to put cake with the frosting in the fridge?
Stephanie Brubaker says
It’s ok to let it sit out for the day, but any longer than that keep it in the fridge to stay fresh 🙂
Betty says
I do not have a jelly pan is it possible to use a 9 by 13 cake pan or two round 9 inch pan
Stephanie Brubaker says
Yes! A 9×13″ pan would work perfectly. You will just need to add 10-15 minutes to the bake time. Enjoy!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
This looks absolutely divine! I love anything with lemon. Such a gorgeous cake and perfect for this time of year!
Renee - Kudos Kitchen says
You had me at lemon. Off to check out your recipe. Click.
Des @ Life's Ambrosia says
I love the combo of lemon and cream cheese frosting! This looks like summer in a pan!
Cookin Canuck says
Lemon desserts just scream, “Springtime!” to me. Such a pretty cake!
katerina @ diethood.com says
Such a gorgeous cake!! Perfect for spring!
Amanda | The Chunky Chef says
I can’t get over how amazing this cake looks!!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Gosh this is so wonderful!
Krista says
I can devour anything lemon! I love this so much!