Lemon Sheet Cake with Glaze

5 from 11 votes

This Lemon Sheet Cake with Lemon Glaze is perfect for lemon lovers! A supremely lemony and MOIST cake, paired with a bright lemon glaze. It is perfect for summertime, or anytime! This recipe feeds a crowd and is super easy to make.

Prep Time15

Cook Time14

Total Time29

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 322kcal

Author: The Food Charlatan

Ingredients

For the cake

2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
1 & 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons lemon zest from 4 lemons
3/4 cup lemon juice from the same 4 lemons
1/4 cup water
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs

For the glaze

4 & 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
1/2 cup lemon juice from about 2-3 lemons
lemon slices quartered (to garnish)
raspberries to garnish

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a half sheet pan (18x12 inches) with nonstick spray, or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, add the dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 and 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk together, then use a microplane grater to zest 4 lemons into the dry ingredients. You should get about 2 tablespoons. Whisk the zest into the dry ingredients and set aside.
Juice 4 lemons (I love to use an electric juicer), or as many as you need to get to 3/4 cup. Add it to a small saucepan with 1/4 cup water.* Add 1 cup (2 sticks) butter to the saucepan and set over medium high heat. Stir occasionally until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil, with bubbles all across the top.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir or beat until combined.
Add 1/2 cup sour cream and 2 large eggs. Beat until thoroughly combined, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and spread to the edges. Bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes until the edges are light brown and have started to pull away from the edges of the pan. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out with no wet batter on it.
Let the cake cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
When the cake is completely cool, make the glaze. Sift 4 and 1/2 cups of powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup lemon juice and whisk until completely smooth. Add more powdered sugar to get the consistency you like.
Drizzle the glaze over the top of the lemon cake and spread to the edges. Let the glaze set up for about an hour or two, until hardened on top.
Slice and serve! Top each slice with a quarter of a lemon slice and a raspberry, if desired.
Store on the counter for the first 2-3 days, then store in the fridge.

Notes

*If you have slightly less than 3/4 cup lemon juice, that's okay. Just make sure you add a bit more water so that the total liquid amount (lemon juice + water) is one cup.

This cake is perfect for freezing! Seal it well and then let it thaw on the counter when you are ready to eat, in the sealed container.

*The size of your jelly roll pan is a matter of debate. You can make this cake in a 9x13 inch cake pan (thick cake), a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan (thinnish cake) or an 12x18 inch half baking sheet (thinnest cake). I prefer the 12x18. It gives you the perfect ratio of cake to frosting in my opinion.

The thicker your cake is, the longer you will have to bake it. You will have to use your best judgment! The toothpick test works great.

Nutrition

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