Lemon Sheet Cake
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Fresh lemons, rich buttermilk and velvety cream cheese frosting come together in this easy Lemon Sheet Cake recipe. And since this recipe only uses the lemon zest, you can still make a batch of lemonade with the leftover lemons.
Lemon Sheet Cake Recipe with Sour Cream Frosting
A decadent yet simple lemon sheet cake with bright, robust lemon flavor and perfectly balanced tart-yet-sweet sour cream and cream cheese frosting.
The lemon cake itself is tender and lush, with a fine, delicate crumb thanks to cake flour and a generous amount of egg yolks. Fresh lemon zest comes through in every bite, bringing a clean, fragrant citrus flavor that balances the richness of butter and cream cheese frosting. The result is a cake that tastes vibrant and buttery at the same time, with a texture that stays moist for days.
You can simply slather with frosting and serve, or garnish with slices of lemon or other favorite summer fruits. The beauty of sheet cakes is in their simplicity and ability to serve a crowd with ease.
Our lemon sheet cake recipe features a moist, buttery crumb flavored with fresh lemon zest and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for a variety of summer occasions, this easy 9×13 lemon cake delivers bright citrus flavor in every slice.
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Sheet Cake
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Sheet Cake- Packed with real lemon flavor from fresh lemon zest in both the cake and frosting.
- Soft, velvety crumb thanks to cake flour, butter and eight rich egg yolks.
- Easy to serve a crowd with no layering, filling or complicated decorating required.
Snackable History Fact: Sheet cakes gained widespread popularity during the mid-20th century because they were practical, easy to transport and ideal for feeding larger groups. The postwar boom brought larger suburban communities, church suppers, school functions, office parties and family reunions. Home cooks needed desserts that could serve dozens of people affordably, and sheet cakes fit the bill perfectly. Recipes for Texas sheet cake, chocolate sheet cake and simple frosted vanilla cakes began appearing regularly in community cookbooks and newspaper food sections throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but fresh lemons are strongly recommended since this recipe relies primarily on zest for its citrus flavor, and bottled juice cannot replicate the fragrant oils found in fresh lemon peel.
Egg yolks contribute richness, moisture and a tender texture. They also create a beautiful golden color and help produce a finer crumb. Save the egg whites for homemade macarons, candied nuts, meringues – or even egg white omelettes.
The unfrosted cake freezes very well for up to two months when wrapped tightly. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting.
A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. The top should spring back lightly when touched.
Lemon Sheet Cake Ingredients
Lemon Sheet Cake Ingredients- Cake flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Oil
- White granulated sugar
- Egg yolks, room temperature
- Salt
- Lemon zest
- Buttermilk, room temperature <– I always have this powdered buttermilk in my fridge to make instant buttermilk whenever I need it.
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Cream cheese, softened
- Powdered confectioner’s sugar
- Sour cream
- Lemon Zest
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: Save the egg whites for homemade macarons, candied nuts, meringues – or even egg white omelettes.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing Bowl
- Electric mixer <– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
- Casserole Dish <– I love these Pyrex dishes with fitted lids for easy transportation to parties or leftover storage
- Offset Spatula
How to Make Lemon Sheet Cake
How to Make Lemon Sheet CakeTo Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper (grease well) and set aside.
- Cream the butter, oil and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg yolks one at a time.
- Mix in the salt and lemon zest, then alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk until a smooth batter forms.
- Bake until the center tests done and allow the cake to cool completely.
- Prepare the cream cheese frosting, spread over the cooled cake and serve.
More Lovely Lemon Desserts
Lemon Cake Recipe Variations:
- Blueberry Swirl Lemon Cake: Gently fold 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter before baking for bursts of fruity contrast.
- Lemon Poppyseed Cake: Add 1 tablespoon of poppyseeds to the batter for a texture boost and a nod to classic lemon-poppyseed pairings.
- Meyer Lemon Swap: Use Meyer lemons instead of regular lemons for a sweeter, more aromatic citrus profile.
- Lemon Curd Layer: After baking, slice the cake in half horizontally and spread a thin layer of lemon curd between before frosting.
- Roasted Strawberry Topping: Roast halved strawberries with a touch of sugar and lemon juice, then spoon over each slice just before serving.
Tips for the Perfect Lemon Sheet Cake
- Bring dairy and eggs to room temperature before mixing. This helps create a smooth batter and promotes even baking.
- Zest the lemons before cutting them. It is much easier to remove zest from whole fruit.
- Sift the cake flour and leaveners together to eliminate lumps and create a lighter crumb.
- Measure cake flour carefully. Scooping directly from the bag can compact the flour and lead to a denser cake.
Pin this Lemon Cake with Sour Cream Frosting:
Pin this Lemon Cake with Sour Cream Frosting:
Printable Recipe Card:
Printable Recipe Card:Grab your free printable recipe card for our Lemon Sheet Cake.
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Lemon Sheet Cake with Sour Cream Frosting
Fresh lemons, rich buttermilk and velvety cream cheese frosting come together in this easy Lemon Sheet Cake recipe. And since this recipe only uses the lemon zest, you can still make a batch of lemonade with the leftover lemons.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 Tablespoons oil
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 8 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Lemon zest from 4 lemons
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups powdered confectioner's sugar
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- Lemon Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper (grease well) and set aside.
- Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
- Beat butter until very creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add oil and sugar and mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition.
- Add salt and lemon zest.
- Add 1/3 of flour and mix until combined.
- Add 1/2 of buttermilk and mix until smooth.
- Add another 1/3 of flour and mix smooth.
- Add remaining buttermilk and once combined add remaining flour.
- Scrape batter into pans and place in oven and bake for 33-37 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a parchment-lined cutting board or cooling rack.
- Once cooled turn upside down onto a serving platter.
- To prepare frosting, mix cream cheese and powdered sugar on lowest speed until completely smooth.
- Add sour cream and lemon zest and combine. Add more powdered sugar, if needed, to achieve your desired sweetness and frosting thickness.
- Frost cake.
- Serve at room temperature and store airtight.
Notes
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 767Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 17gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 197mgSodium: 444mgCarbohydrates: 109gFiber: 1gSugar: 75gProtein: 10g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
For more amazing cakes, check out our full cake recipe collection here:
For more decadent desserts, check out our full dessert recipe collection here:
