There’s something about lemon cake that just feels like sunshine in dessert form. This one is soft, buttery, and packed with real lemon flavor—thanks to both juice and zest. It’s the kind of cake you can whip up on a lazy afternoon and enjoy with a cup of tea, or dress up for a casual celebration. The best part? It’s super easy to make, no mixer required.

There's something magical about a well-made lemon cake. The bright, tangy flavor cuts through sweetness to create a perfectly balanced dessert that's refreshing yet comforting. This recipe has been refined to achieve that ideal balance—moist and tender crumb with a pronounced lemon flavor that doesn't overwhelm.

A simple lemon glaze drizzled on top adds a sweet-tart finish that soaks into the cake and makes every bite extra good. If you're into desserts that are refreshing and comforting, this one’s for you.

For the best results, use fresh lemons rather than bottled juice. Meyer lemons make a wonderful variation with their slightly sweeter, more floral notes if you can find them in season, but standard lemons work perfectly year-round. The careful balance of ingredients ensures that every bite delivers that sunshine-bright flavor that makes lemon desserts so beloved.

Whisper-Soft Glazed Lemon Cake

A tender and airy lemon cake infused with fresh citrus and finished with a delicate, sweet-tart glaze. This light and elegant dessert is perfect for springtime tea, sunny brunches, or any moment that calls for something a little dreamy.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 100g all-purpose flour
• 2g baking powder
• 90g white sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 25g lemon juice
• 100g softened butter
• 2 egg (room temperature)
• 1 tablespoon honey for butter mix (optional)

For the Lemon Glaze:

• 25g lemon juice
• 140-150g powdered sugar (adjust for thickness)
• lemon zest (optional)

Instructions:

For the Cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 340°F (170°C). Grease and line your chosen baking pan with parchment paper, or simply grease it—whichever you prefer. (For this recipe, I used a 12-cavity non-stick lemon-shape pan, which makes the cake extra fun and perfect for individual servings—but you can use any size or shape pan you like! )
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the softened butter with lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir until smooth.
4. To the egg mix (from Step 2), sift in the flour and baking powder gradually. Mix just until combined after each addition—be careful not to overmix.
5. Add a spoonful of the flour mixture into the butter-lemon mixture (from Step 3) and stir to loosen it slightly.
6. Then, add the butter mixture into the rest of the flour batter (from Step 4). Gently fold everything together until just combined.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s), smoothing the top with a spatula.
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing or serving.

For the Lemon Glaze:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 25g lemon juice, some lemon zest.
2. If the glaze is too thick, add more lemon juice, until it reaches a pourable consistency.
3. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake, allowing it to drip down the sides if using round cakes.
4. Let the glaze set for about 15-20 minutes before serving.

Why Metric?

For clarity and consistency, I use metric measurements in my recipes. It's more accurate (especially for baking), easier to scale up or down, and ensures better results — no guessing whether your "cup" is packed or level. But don’t worry, US equivalents are included below so you can bake with whatever you have on hand.

For the Cake:

For the Lemon Glaze

Storage:

• Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• This cake freezes well! Wrap individual slices or the whole cake (unglazed) in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil before freezing for up to 3 months.

Baking Tips:

• Fresh lemon is key: Don’t skip the zest—it gives the cake its bright, citrusy aroma and depth.
• Softened butter = better texture: Make sure your butter is soft but not melted for the best mix-in.
• Use a light hand when folding in the flour. Overmixing leads to a dense cake.
• For extra zing, add a touch of lemon zest to the glaze too.
• For an extra lemon punch, you can add a lemon syrup to the warm cake. Simply combine 1/4 cup lemon juice with 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan, heat until the sugar dissolves, then brush over the warm cake before adding the glaze.

Thank you for being here as I start this journey. I can’t wait to share more recipes, tips, and stories with you — one crumb at a time.

Stay tuned,
~ Clever Crumbs