Lemon Sheet Cake from Scratch
Print recipe
| Serves | 28 |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 15 minutes |
| Total time | 30 minutes |
You will not find a box mix that can rival this Lemon Sheet Cake from Scratch! It is so moist and lemony and the cream cheese icing is incredible!!
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. | |
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Kristie says
If I wanted a two layer, doubling the recipe should be sufficient, correct?
Stephanie Brubaker says
This recipe will make a 2 layer cake with 9″ pans very nicely!
Rian says
Why the cornstarch? Could I just use less liquid if I don’t have any?
Stephanie Brubaker says
It helps give the cake a lighter, fluffier texture. You can do without, but the texture won’t be the same.
Karen Lawler says
Lemon cake sounds good trying to find the recipe!
Karen says
Wow….excellent lemon cake. Easy & quick too. I am so glad I chose this one. I’m kinda glad this one won’t last long, because I sure want to try these other sheet cakes. Thank you for posting the delicious cake.
Rita says
Delicious!
Nanette says
I made this lemon sheet cake and it came out more like lemon bars. Not sure if I did something wrong or if this is how it is supposed to be. I was delicious and the frosting was amazing.
Nanette says
Can this lemon sheet cake be made as a regular cake like 9 x 13 pan? How would cooking time be adjusted?
Stephanie Brubaker says
I have not made this exact cake in a 9×13 pan so I can’t give a specific bake time. I would try 30 minutes and keep a close eye on it from there. Hope you enjoy!
Julie says
I made this in a 9x13x1 inch pan. (I’m sure a standard 9×13 would work, too) Baked for 25 minutes. This is more of a bar than a cake as it doesn’t rise very much and it’s fairly dense. However, it is a wonderful lemon bar, one of the best I’ve had.
I cut the frosting recipe about in half and it was just right for my taste and smaller surface area of the 9×13 pan. This can’t be made as a layer cake in two pans, unless you want a really, really thin cake.
Excellent recipe! Thank you!
Ashley says
Can this be made in a 9×13 pan? If so, how long would it need to be baked? This cake looks delicious! My son want’s a lemon cake for his birthday with strawberry filling. I’m hoping I can use this recipe for the cake!
A says
I just made this and the batter was so funny. Is that how is suppose to be? And if so the First 15 min came close to done. Was that a typeo? I sooooo want this to work cause the batter is really good. Please help did I do something wrong?
Stephanie Brubaker says
It is a fairly runny batter, and mine was done in 15 minutes. It’s a thin cake so it doesn’t take long to cook. I hope you enjoy it!
shereen says
hi there. what is the size of the pan used? i want to try this for a christmas party. thanks.
Stephanie Brubaker says
18×13″ Hope you enjoy the cake! Merry Christmas!
Ellen Conley says
congrats on your upcoming new baby, your recipes look awesome
Caryn says
Since cream cheese is sold in 8 oz. blocks and one stick of butter is 8 TBSP, I’m going to increase to those amounts. I will then try 4-1/4 cups conf. sugar and 3-1/2 TBSP lemon juice. I figure the worst that can happen is a bit more icing on the cake, and no little dabs of cream cheese of butter leftover. 🙂
Stephanie Brubaker says
Hey, more icing is never a bad thing, haha! Enjoy!
Peachy @ The Peach Kitchen says
I love anything lemon! This is my kind of cake.. bookmarked!
Colleen (Souffle Bombay) says
Congratulations!! Nothing better than a baby…feel better soon! As far as the cake – YUMMMM! Pinning this one…I am all over lemon…anything!
Ashlyn @ Belle of the Kitchen says
This cake is absolute perfection! I need a big ole slab of it. 😉 And congratulations on your pregnancy!!!
Susan | LunaCafe says
Sheet cakes are so versatile; love them. And what better way to celebrate the good news. Congratulations! 🙂
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic says
Congratulations!! Baby #5 is so exciting! We stopped at four, so I give you total props for going one more. I’m sure that everyone wanted more of this sheet cake. The lemony frosting sounds amazing.
Nutmeg Nanny says
Congratulations on the little one! I’m sure they would love a slice of this cake for their 1st birthday 🙂
Martha @ A Family Feast says
Congrats on the new baby! I grew up in a large family of 6 kids – it was so fun!
Nora @ Savory Nothings says
Awww congratulations! Hope you can enjoy the rest of your pregnancy sickness-free!
Ever since I became a mom I’ve been in love with sheet cakes! They’re so simple but always so delicious – this one looks amazing!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
Congrats! 5? My hands are full with 2.
I bow to your greatness.
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
Congratulations!! And this cake – love everything about it!
Kate @ Diethood says
Awwww! Congratulations!!!!! YAY! Now you can eat all the delicious lemon cake that you want!! hehe 😉
Cookin Canuck says
Congratulations! That’s fantastic news! I now I think you deserve a big slice of this cake to celebrate.
Samantha says
Congrats! What wonderful news! PS. that cake..it looks luscious!
heather @french press says
Congratulations ! Sorry you have not been feeling well, but hopefully it will pass soon enough. and I am embarrassed to admit I have never made a sheet cake – but trust me this lemon one will be first when I do
Sara says
Congratulations! You are amazing to have 5 kids, I feel like I can barely handle my three most of the time ;). The cake looks delicious
Joanie @ ZagLeft says
Congratulations!!!!! We have five children too and although life gets busy, it’s so much fun too – never ever a dull moment. This lemon cake looks so refreshing and easy too, perfect for us busy moms 🙂
Marye says
Congrats! I love hearing that whooshy heartbeat and feeling the first flutters. I have 8 and each is such a blessing. Lemon sheet cake? Yes please! I think this looks fantastic!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
Love the cake but OMG YAY!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations!!
Beth says
Woohooo!!!! Let’s celebrate baby #5 with lemon cake!!!! Congrats to you and your family!
Nikki @ Nik Snacks says
CONGRATULATIONS! YAY! Hooray for sheet cake, but awww… Baby #5! Yay!
The Food Hunter says
congratulations! I see a lemon cake in my future
Sue Lau says
This looks so good! I love lemon anything! Congrats on your upcoming birth. You must be very excited! 😀 😀 😀
Kacey @ The Cookie Writer says
Congrats!! What a great time to share the amazing news! I figured I would see more posts like this one 🙂 This sheet cake looks really good, and I know my dad would love it (my mother is a picky eater, haha.) Continue a nice and healthy pregnancy!