Lemon Sheet Cake

Lemon Sheet Cake is light, fluffy party-sized cake full of lemony flavor in every bite. Easy homemade cake with lemon cream cheese frosting in an hour!

Sheet Cakes like Banana Sheet Cake are some of the best and easiest Cake Recipes for a party or a potluck. These large single layer cakes are baked and frosted in the same pan, perfect for an on-the-go dessert.

LEMON SHEET CAKE

This Lemon Sheet Cake is packed with real lemon flavor in every bite. No bottles of lemon extract or boxed cake mix filled with artificial flavoring. Just like our Lemon Roll Cake, this cake has fresh lemon juice and lemon zest for maximum lemony goodness. The bold citrus flavor in this cake is everything you want in a spring or summer dessert!

You can make a Lemon Sheet Cake for a weeknight dessert or bring it to your next potluck. One of the best things about this kind of cake is you prepare it in one bowl and one baking dish. You can store Lemon Sheet Cake in the pan too, so talk about minimal dishes! That’s the best kind of dessert for busy nights or last minute events. 

Lemon Sheet Cake is a great cake to make ahead. The cake stays moist without getting soggy for up to a week in the refrigerator. Lemon Sheet Cake tastes best at room temperature so leave it on the counter for at least 30 minutes before serving. You don’t want to keep it out all night though if it’s frosted, since the cream cheese needs to be refrigerated.

Make this Lemon Sheet Cake extra super lemony! Before topping with the Cream Cheese Frosting, spread a thin layer of Lemon Curd over your Lemon Sheet Cake. To make frosting easier, pop the cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up the lemon curd and keep frosting at room temperature (for up to 2 hours).

This delicious Lemon Sheet Cake goes perfectly with cream cheese frosting but you could use Buttercream Frosting too. If you want to make this cake for brunch, or just keep it super simple, serve unfrosted or lightly dusted with powdered sugar. For a summery dessert top warm Lemon Cake with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream!

MORE DESSERT LEMON RECIPES:

Lemon Curd

Creamy Lemon Crumb Bars

Shaker Lemon Pie

Lemon Cake Roll

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VARIATIONS ON LEMON SHEET CAKE

• Berries: Lemons and berries are a perfect pair in baking. Sprinkle a cup of blueberries, raspberries, or chopped strawberries over your batter before baking.
• Meyer Lemons: If they are in season (December to May), you should definitely try sweeter, less tart Meyer lemons in Lemon Sheet Cake.
• Citrus: Easily make this a Key Lime Sheet Cake or an Orange Sheet Cake by substituting key limes or oranges for the lemons. You could also do a Lemon-Lime Sheet Cake by adding the juice and zest of one regular lime.
• Yogurt: Make this cake extra moist and tangy with 1/2 cup greek yogurt, buttermilk, or sour cream for 1/2 cup whole milk.
• Cupcakes: This is a larger cake batter recipe so you should get about 36-40 cupcakes. Pour batter into a lined muffin tin and bake for 18-22 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

EASY, CLASSIC CAKES FOR ANY OCCASION

Easy Chocolate Cake

Classic Yellow Cake

Classic Carrot Cake

Red Velvet Cake

HOW TO STORE LEMON SHEET CAKE

• Serve: You can keep unfrosted Lemon Sheet Cake, wrapped with plastic, at room temperature for up to 4 days. Cakes with a dairy frosting need to be refrigerated after no more than 2 hours at room temperature.
• Store: Cover your Lemon Sheet Cake with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate up to 1 week. Leave cake at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving.
• Freeze: Wrap your cake pan tightly with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil before freezing for up to 3 months. Remove plastic wrap and defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Serve at room temperature.

5 from 4 votes

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Lemon Sheet Cake

Lemon Sheet Cake is light, fluffy party-sized cake full of lemony flavor in every bite. Easy lemon cake mix with lemon juice and lemon zest made in an hour!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Lemon Sheet Cake

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 20

Calories 404 kcal

Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups Cream Cheese Frosting

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper.

2. Combine the milk and lemon juice. Set aside.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
5. Reduce mixer speed to low speed. Add the flour mixture in 3 portions, alternating with 2 portions of the milk mixture. Mix just until combined.

6. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to get rid of large air pockets.

7. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or the cake is golden brown and a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

8. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.

Nutrition Facts

Lemon Sheet Cake

Amount Per Serving

Calories 404 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Cholesterol 59mg20%

Sodium 258mg11%

Potassium 98mg3%

Carbohydrates 61g20%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 43g48%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 361IU7%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 41mg4%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.