Lemon Sparkle Cake
Lemon. Sugar. Need I say more?
Chances are good that if you offer up cake in variety to me, I’m going for lemon. (Side note, cake in variety sounds amazing right now, am I right?). I love the bright zing and subtle tartness that lemon adds, and the sparkling crystalized topping on this one is what makes it.
I first made it for my own baby shower, tweaking multiple recipes I’d found online until I had turned them into my own little slice of lemony perfection. Since then, I’ve made it several times, and this Lemon Sparkle Cake is something that is always a hit! It also has to be one of the easiest, quick to slap together recipes out there – which is perfect for any occasion.
Lemon Sparkle Cake is a mash-up of multiple lemon cake recipes I had stored away. I didn’t want a traditional loaf style cake, which only gets a bit of glaze along the top. The concept of baking it in a flat shallow dish means there’s more sparkle to cake ratio, and trust me, you’re going to thank me for it! While some cake recipes involve multiple bowls, mixing dry and wet together, beating eggs etc, this one is a one and done mix it all together and toss it in a dish kind of recipe! It means less time, less mess,
This cake ends up being soft, tender and subtle in lemon flavour. It’s important not to skip the lemon zest because the flavour really all comes from it. The sparkling sugar glaze gives it a punch of sweet lemon as well as a slightly crispy texture that is just oh so good.
Lemon Sparkle Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter at room temp
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 lemons zested (set juice set aside)
- 4 eggs
- 4 tbsp Milk
- TOPPING:
- Juice from the lemons
- 2/3 cup sugar
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 355 F
2. Grease 9x13 glass pan with butter, then line with parchment paper (letting paper overhand so can be used as a handle to lift cake after baking)
3. Put all cake ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat for approx 2 minutes until well combined.
4. Pour into greased pan and spread to the corners for a level top.
5. Bake for approx 30 minutes or until the corners have shrunk away slightly and a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Leave cake to cool in pan for 5 minutes and poke holes with a toothpick generously over the top of cake.
7. Use 1/3 of the lemon juice to pour over cake while still in the pan.
8. Make glaze with remaining lemon juice, and as much sugar as needed for a runny glue-like texture.
9. Transfer cake in the parchment to a cooling rack or board.
10. Generously drizzle cake with glaze, allowing to set for a few minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days, or if you want to freeze, I would do so before adding the glaze, and add it to the defrosted cake a few hours before serving.
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Are you a lemon lover?
What is your favourite type of cake, loaf or dessert to bake?
