Skip to main content
Epicurious
Gourmet

Anytime Lemon Cake

By Andrea Albin

4.4

(34)

A lemon cake topped with powdered sugar with a few slices removed.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

The bright flavor of this lemon cake will lift up any dinner party, at-home brunch, or Tuesday afternoon. A handful of pantry ingredients gives the easy sponge its tender crumb, while brushing the warm cake with a powdered sugar glaze leaves it with a delicate crust that crackles almost like a glazed doughnut. To keep the lemon flavor pleasingly tart, you can skip the final dusting of powdered sugar (or use buttermilk instead of whole milk for even more tang); for a more mellow, lemonade-like flavor, go for that extra garnish.

This single-layer cake is suitable for all occasions, but you do have options: Turn it into a two-layer cake by doubling the batter and separating it between two 8" cake pans. Spread each layer with the lemony glaze and let them cool before sandwiching a swoosh of lemon curd between the layers. You can swap the pan and use this lemon cake recipe to make approximately 12 cupcakes (line the pan with baking cups) or one 8x4" lemon loaf cake. Baking times will vary, so check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center. Finish any of these options with that simple shower of powdered sugar, or opt for vanilla buttercream or cream cheese frosting for a bit of contrast.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
5-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake
Yes, it's a shortcut in a microwave. It's also a gooey, fudgy, wildly good chocolate cake.
Super-Moist Yellow Cake With Rich Chocolate Frosting
This easy yellow cake recipe yields a cake that’s remarkably fluffy and moist.
Cassata Slab Cake
This sheetcake version of Italian cassata houses a booze-soaked spongecake and sweet ricotta under a blanket of green marzipan dotted with candied fruit.
Jammy Grape Galette
We don’t bake with grapes as often as we should. But even the most average supermarket varieties come alive when roasted with a bit of sugar and seasoning.
Cardamom Pancakes With Honey Lime Syrup
Yeasted pancakes mixed with saffron and cardamom (called chebab) are typical of Gulf countries, but I must confess I much prefer these lacy thin crepes.
Almost Cannoli Galettes
Cannoli and sfogliatelle require complex technique—making them is best left to the professionals. But a galette-inspired variation? That’s a snap to do at home.
Mango Bread
This sunny mango bread is ultra-moist and bursting with tropical flavor; the loaf is topped with a tangy mango-lime glaze that sets to a glossy finish.
Black Sesame Tofu “Basque” Cheesecake
There are many things that appeal about a Basque cheesecake—it's crustless (one less job) and is meant to look “rustic” with its wrinkled and jagged sides.