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Test Kitchen Approved

Lemon Sheet Cake

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Yield: 15 servings

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About

A little bit of crumbly tanginess here. Ahh. A little bit of creamy sweetness there. Mmm. That's what tasting Lemon Sheet Cake sounds like! Get your tastebuds a-tingling as you prepare to experience a slice of the fluffy, creamy frosting atop a sweet, lemony cake. Even better, it's got your favorite sprinkles all over and some citrusy candied lemon slices on top to make even the most mundane days feel like a celebration! Lemon Sheet Cake brings joy to all your senses, but especially to those tingling tastebuds!

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Ingredients

  • For the cake:
  • 2 3/4 cups cake flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest, freshly grated
  • For the frosting:
  • 2 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • sprinkles, to taste, for garnish
  • candied lemon slices, to taste, for garnish

Directions

Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2 -Coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and line it with parchment paper. Then, coat the parchment paper with the spray.

Step 3 -In a bowl, whisk the flour, the baking powder, and the salt together.

Step 4 -In another bowl using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup of the butter and the sugar until it is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Step 5 -Beat the eggs, one at a time, into the butter mixture, until combined.

Step 6 -Beat 2 teaspoons of the vanilla and the lemon extract into the butter mixture.

Step 7 -Add 1/2 of the dry ingredient mixture and the milk to the butter mixture and beat until combined.

Step 8 -Beat the remaining dry ingredient mixture into the butter mixture until it is combined.

Step 9 -Beat the lemon zest into the batter.

Step 10 -Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.

Step 11 -Bake the cake until it is set in the center, about 25-30 minutes.

Step 12 -Let the cake cool completely.

Step 13 -Lift the parchment paper on the edges to lift the cake out of the pan.

Step 14 -In a bowl using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and the remaining butter until it is creamy.

Step 15 -Beat the powdered sugar into the cream cheese mixture until it is combined.

Step 16 -Beat the remaining vanilla extract into the frosting until it is combined.

Step 17 -Frost the cooled cake, cover with the sprinkles, and top with the candied lemon slices.

Step 18 -Slice and serve.

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