Description
This luscious Lemon Cake is a delightful balance of tangy and sweet, featuring a moist yogurt-infused batter, soaked with a fragrant lemon syrup, and topped with a zesty lemon glaze and thinly sliced lemon half-moons. Perfect as a refreshing dessert or an elegant tea-time treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest (from 2–3 lemons)
- 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Lemon Syrup
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 lemon (very thinly sliced into half-moons for topping)
Instructions
- Prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan thoroughly, line the bottom with a parchment paper circle, then dust the pan with flour, tapping out any excess to ensure the cake doesn’t stick.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Flavor the sugar: In a large mixing bowl, rub the fresh lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingertips until the sugar turns pale yellow and releases a fragrant lemon aroma. This step maximizes lemon flavor infusion.
- Combine wet ingredients: To the lemon-scented sugar, whisk in the whole-milk yogurt, vegetable oil, room temperature eggs, and pure vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and homogenous.
- Combine wet and dry: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep the batter light and airy.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the cake is deeply golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Make lemon syrup: While the cake bakes, in the last 5 to 10 minutes, heat the granulated sugar and fresh lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved but do not allow the mixture to boil.
- Syrup soak: Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, use a skewer or toothpick to poke holes all over the cake surface. Slowly drizzle the warm lemon syrup evenly over the hot cake to soak in flavors. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
- Cool and unmold: After cooling in the pan, invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature, ensuring a firm texture for glazing.
- Prepare lemon glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice until the glaze is thick yet pourable. Drizzle this over the cooled cake.
- Decorate and set: Optionally, arrange the thin lemon half-moon slices attractively on top of the cake, then drizzle with the lemon glaze. Let the glaze set for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs to ensure a smooth batter and better rise.
- For more intense lemon flavor, consider adding an extra teaspoon of zest or substituting part of the yogurt with lemon curd.
- Ensure the syrup does not boil to prevent crystallization and maintain a smooth soak.
- Make sure the cake is cooled completely before applying the glaze to avoid melting it.
- This cake keeps well stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Lemon Cake, Lemon Dessert, Yogurt Cake, Citrus Cake, Moist Cake, Lemon Glaze, Homemade Cake
