If you are like me, and you love cake like I do, you have made loads of cake recipes. Some are better than others, but it’s only once in a great while do you find one that is “phenomenal”!
I love, love, love lemon. I even love the color yellow. It’s such a happy color. So when I saw this great recipe in the Yankee Magazine, I knew I had to make it. It is described as having a “soft, velvety texture” and a “tangy, bright citrus-y flavor”. This cake fills the bill in all of those departments. Very soft and velvety, and loaded with citrus flavor!
You can even make this cake in smaller loaves gift giving. The icing dries perfectly so wrapping is easy.Â
This recipe is super easy to make, super delicious and satisfying, and will be a keeper in your recipe box for years. 
What equipment do I need to make this recipe? Â
Electric Mixer (Stand or Hand)
Stand Mixer Bowl or Large Bowl
Silicone Spatula
8-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ loaf pan
Parchment Paper
Non Stick Cooking Spray
Cake Tester
How easy is this to make?Â
Whisk egg yolks, egg, sour cream and lemon juice until smooth and set aside.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer, and mix on low until combined.Â
Add the butter and cream cheese until fully incorporated and the dry ingredients resemble damp sand.
Increase speed to medium and beat for 1-1/2 minutes. Â
With the mixer on low, add half of the egg mixture. Increase speed to medium high and beat for 30 seconds. Add the rest of the egg mixture. Beat for 30 seconds.Â
Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake.Â
For the syrup, add ingredients to a small pan on the stove and cook on medium high until the sugar melts.Â
When cake is done baking and cooling, brush the top several times with syrup to let it soak in.Â
For the icing, whisk ingredients together ingredients until desire consistency. Spoon icing over fully cooled cake. Let icing set before serving.Â
For The Cake
Ingredients
- 2 egg yolks from large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk and white
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
- 1-1/2 cups plus 1 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon zest, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature cut into tablespoons
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly coat an 8½-by-4½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper, letting the excess parchment hang over the long sides of the pan (about 2 inches on each side). Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, egg, sour cream, and lemon juice until smooth and set aside.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, sugar, and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on low until combined.
- With the mixer on low, add the butter and cream cheese, a few pieces at a time and mix until fully incorporated and the dry ingredients resemble damp sand.
- Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 1½ minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. With the mixer on low, add half of the egg mixture. Once it is mostly combined, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl once more and add the rest of the egg mixture. Beat for 30 seconds. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan using a silicone spatula and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the cake center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 50 to 55 minutes. (If the top seems to be browning too quickly,tent with foil.)
For The Syrup
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp salted butter
Instructions
- While the cake is baking, make the lemon syrup. In a small saucepan combine the sugar, lemon juice, and butter. Place over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- When the cake is finished baking, remove from the oven and set the pan on a cooling rack. Generously brush the top of the cake with the syrup. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, glazing the top a few more times while it cools. Run a knife between the edges of the cake and the pan, then lift the cake from the pan using the parchment paper sling. Remove the parchment paper and set the cake on a cooling rack set over a piece of aluminum foil to catch drips. Let cool completely.
For The Icing
Ingredients
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1-2 Tbsp milk or cream
- Pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- To make the icing, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice. Add 1 tablespoon of milk or cream and whisk until smooth, then add by the teaspoon until you reach the desired consistency. Add salt to taste.
- Spoon the icing over the completely cooled cake, using the back of the spoon to gently smooth it over the top of the cake and letting it drizzle a bit down the sides. Sprinkle with lemon zest. Allow the icing to set before serving. Cover and store any leftover cake for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
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