Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Icing is a moist, tangy dessert that combines the bright citrus flavor of lemon with the rich, creamy sweetness of cream cheese frosting. This zesty cake makes a perfect treat for any occasion!
Best Lemon Cake
Back in the day, my mom used to make a delicious lemon cake using a box cake mix and some glaze on top. I tried to replicate that and ohmygosh, making it from scratch is SO much better. I wish she was here to taste this one!
It’s no secret that I’m more of a lemon lover and my hubby is all things chocolate. He’d for sure prefer our Chocolate Buttermilk Cake or Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies over lemon desserts. But that’s okay with me because then I don’t have to share. LOL!
Why we Love Lemon Cake:
- MOIST – Melt in your mouth deliciousness!
- LIGHT – Has a super light and springy texture, as opposed to the denseness of my Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake.
- LEMONY – I used both lemon zest and lemon juice in this delicious cake.
- DELICIOUS ICING – I used cream cheese to develop a creamy texture plus fresh lemon juice and a little bit of zest! Perfection.
Ingredients Used:
Most of the ingredients are classic pantry baking staples. Just stock up on lemons in case you decide to make a second cake for the neighbors (because it’s THAT good)!
For the lemon cake:
- Butter – Use unsalted butter and let it come to room temperature.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar is needed here.
- Eggs – Just two eggs.
- Milk – I used whole milk to create richness.
- Lemons – We’re using plenty of fresh lemon juice and zest in this delicious cake.
- Vanilla – A couple of teaspoons of vanilla. We prefer Watkin’s brand.
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour. Cake flour would also be great.
- Baking Soda + Baking Powder – Needed for leavening the cake.
- Salt – Just 1/2 teaspoon is needed.
For the lemon icing:
- Cream Cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese for a thick consistency.
- Lemon – You’ll need 1.5 tablespoons of lemon juice for the icing plus a little zest for the top of the cake.
- Powdered Sugar – Confectioners sugar is needed for this icing.
How to make Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Icing:
Step 1
Prep lemons. Start by rinsing two lemons in cold water. Dry completely. Then zest two large lemons to get about two tablespoons for the cake and a little bit for the icing. Follow up by juicing the lemons for both the cake batter and the icing. Set aside.
Step 2
Make icing. Combine the cream cheese, fresh lemon juice, and powdered sugar in a bowl. Use a hand mixer to combine until creamy. Set aside.
Step 3
Make the cake batter. Combine the butter and sugar in a large stand mixer (or you can use a hand mixer). Mix on low until creamy. Add eggs, milk, vanilla, and lemon juice and lemon zest – and mix again.
Then add dry ingredients – the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix again until dry ingredients are absorbed into the batter.
Step 4
Pour batter into pan. Prepare an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Pour batter into pan, and smooth out evenly to all edges. (You can use a slightly bigger pan if desired but baking time will shorten.)
Step 5
Bake. Bake the lemon cake in a preheated 350-degree F oven until done in the center (approximately 30-33 minutes). Use a toothpick to test for doneness. If it comes out wet in the center, bake a little longer. It’s normal for it to get slightly browned on top!
When done, let the cake sit in the pan for 15 minutes. Then gently remove it (using the parchment paper as handles) to a wire cooling rack. Let cake cool completely.
Step 6
Add icing. When the cake is cooled completely, add the icing. Spread to all sides of the cake and then add fresh lemon zest if desired. Slice and enjoy!
Tips For Making Lemon Cake:
- Use fresh lemon. Always use fresh lemons for this cake. The flavor is SO MUCH better than the bottled stuff you find in grocery stores.
- Zest first. Make sure you remember to zest your lemons BEFORE you squeeze them for juice. I have linked the tools you’ll need below.
- Use listed ingredients. Follow the directions in my recipe for the best lemon cake. If you substitute, your final result may not turn out.
- Bake completely. Make sure you test the cake with a toothpick to be sure it’s done. Under-baking is ok with certain recipes but not this one!
- Adjust icing as necessary. If you’re icing is appearing to be runny, you can add a little bit more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick to spread easily, you can add a few more drops of lemon. Just make sure you adjust as you see fit. Letting the cake cool completely will also ensure that the icing doesn’t run down the sides.
Other Delicious Lemon Recipes:
We have no shortage of lemon recipes and these are some of our other favorites!
Cocktail anyone? Try our Limoncello Mules or Strawberry Lemonade Vodka Slushies.
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Icing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter – at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the icing:
- 4 oz. cream cheese – softened
- 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice – freshly squeezed
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar (180 grams)
- lemon zest – for topping
Instructions
- Prep lemons. Start by rinsing two lemons in cold water. Dry completely. Then zest two large lemons to get about two tablespoons for the cake and a little bit for the icing. Follow up by juicing the lemons for both the cake batter and the icing. Set aside.
- Make icing. Combine the cream cheese, fresh lemon juice, and powdered sugar in a bowl. Use a hand mixer to combine until creamy. Set aside.
- Make the cake batter. Combine the butter and sugar in a large stand mixer (or you can use a hand mixer). Mix on low until creamy. Add eggs, milk, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest – and mix again.Then add dry ingredients – the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix again until dry ingredients are absorbed into the batter.
- Pour batter into pan. Prepare an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Pour batter into pan, and smooth out evenly to all edges. (You can use a slightly bigger pan if desired but baking time will shorten.)
- Bake. Bake the cake in a preheated 350-degree oven, until done in the center (approximately 30-33 minutes). Use a toothpick to test for doneness. If it comes out wet in the center, bake a little longer. It's normal for it to get slightly browned on top!When done, let the cake sit in the pan for 15 minutes. Then gently remove it (using the parchment paper as handles) to a wire cooling rack. Let cake cool completely.
- Add icing. When the cake is cooled completely, add the icing. Spread to all sides of the cake and then add fresh lemon zest if desired. Slice and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Recipe Tips:
- Use fresh lemon. Always use fresh lemons for this cake. The flavor is SO MUCH better than the bottled stuff you find in the grocery stores.
- Zest first. Make sure you remember to zest your lemons BEFORE you squeeze them for juice. I have linked the tools you’ll need below.
- Use listed ingredients. Follow the directions in my recipe for the best cake. If you substitute, your final result may not turn out.
- Bake completely. Make sure you test the cake with a toothpick to be sure it’s done. Under-baking is ok with certain recipes but not this one!
- Adjust icing as necessary. If you’re icing is appearing to be runny, you can add a little bit more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick to spread easily, you can add a few more drops of lemon. Just make sure you adjust as you see fit. Letting the cake cool completely will also ensure that the icing doesn’t run down the sides.
Nutrition
Wednesday #LemonWeek Recipes
- Lemon Crinkle Cookies by Fresh April Flours
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins by House of Nash Eats
- Lemon Cake from Scratch by SueBee Homemaker
- Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Mini Cheesecakes by The Spiffy Cookie
- Lemon Brownies by Lemon Blossoms
- Lemon Forward Margarita by Our Good Life
- Lemon Garlic Rice by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Lemon Doodles by The Redheaded Baker
- Meyer Lemon Vanilla Salad Dressing by Shockingly Delicious
- Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken by Daily Dish Recipes
- Lemonade Vodka Shooters by Our Crafty Cocktails
- Lemon Potatoes /Potato Podimas /Podimas Style by Magical Ingredients
- Lemon Sour Cream Pie by Devour Dinner
- Roasted Potatoes with Lemon, Oregano, and Feta by Cheese Curd In Paradise
Super, you always have fresh ideas!
i like the smell and taste of this lemony flavour sponge cake.
Thanks Sello!
Moist, light and full of lemon. Awesome.