Lemon Tea Cake
Light and fluffy and full of zesty lemon lemon flavor, this little tea cake is the perfect summer snack!
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Why you’ll love this Lemon Tea Cake Recipe
Perfect for any occasion - bright, refreshing, and not too sweet!
Simple and timeless elegance - Zesty lemon flavor and light and fluffy texture makes this cake great for serving to guests.
Bright and cheerful - the bright yellow hue offers up spring and summer cheerfulness all year round.
Tips for the best Lemon Tea Cake
It can be difficult to tell when a cake is finished baking. The best way to tell is to stick a toothpick or knife into the center of the cake and if it comes out smooth, it’s all done baking.
Cake is not meant to be undercooked and undercooking a cake won’t help it be moist. Instead the cake will deflate and be noticeably runny in the center.
On the flip side, if you over bake the cake it can become dry and that is no fun either. The trick is to check the cake frequently when it is nearing the end of bake time, that way you catch it as soon as the knife comes out clean and not a second longer.
The texture of cake is meant to be light, airy, and moist, which is exactly what this cake is!
Lemon Tea Cake FAQ
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Lemon cake has a nice balance of sugar and citrus, so it is not too sweet. It’s easy to eat any time - in the morning with coffee or tea, for a light snack or even an evening dessert.
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Try using fresh lemon zest and fresh lemon juice to get a strong or powerful lemon flavor. Add additional lemon zest to make the flavor more punchy.
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There are a few different ways to make sure your lemon cake stays moist.
If the cake is browning too fast in the oven, try placing foil over the top of the pan half way through the bake. This will keep the edges from browning too much thus causing the cake to become dry.
Make sure you remove the cake from the oven as soon as your knife comes out clean, and not a second longer. Overbaking a cake can lead to dryness.
Let the cake sit in the pan to cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove it from the pan. When the cake sits in the pan for a long period of time after it is removed from the oven, it can continue baking because the pan is hot, which can cause it to dry out.
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Absolutely. Once baked and cooled (but not frosted), place the cake in an airtight container and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Once you are ready to serve the cake, remove it from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator 24 hours to thaw prior to adding frosting or drizzle.
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To remove eggs from this cake, all you need to do is mix together 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of vinegar (per egg - if the recipe calls for two eggs, add 2 teaspoons of baking soda and 2 tablespoons of vinegar) and add that to the batter at the same time you would have added the eggs. This is an egg substitute that works well in cakes and other baked goods that rise and are light and airy.
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No. One of the great things about this cake is that it is moist enough on its own, and frosting or icing is just an extra bonus!
I love lemon icing on this cake because it ads a little extra zest without being too sweet.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
8 x 8 inch baking pan
parchment paper
stand mixer with paddle attachment
spatula
measuring cups
measuring spoons
liquid measuring cup
Ingredients
Dough
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
How to make Lemon Tea Cake
PREP
Preheat the oven to 350℉.
Line an 8 x 8 inch pan with parchment paper or grease it.
Make the dough
In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
Add granulated sugar and melted butter to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until combined.
Add eggs, lemon juice, and lemon zest and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Add the flour mixture and and mix until well combined.
Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly to reach each corner.
Bake
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until edges turn light golden brown and the cake looks puffy in the center.
Remove from the oven and let cool competely (for at least an hour) before adding drizzle.
Make the drizzle
In a liquid measuring cup, mix together the powdered sugar and water until all lumps have dissolved. The consistency should run off a spoon at a slow pace.
Pour the drizzle over the cake by tilting the measuring cup very slowly until the drizzle pours out in a small line. Then move the measuring cup back and forth across the cake to form a drizzled look. (I do this diagonally to get a specific look, but you can also do this straight across.)
Let the drizzle harden completely before storing the cake, at least 1 hour but 2-3 hours is better.
How to Store
Store lemon tea cake at room temperature in an air tight container for up to two days, or store in the refrigerator for up to five days. If stored in the refrigerator, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, or pop in the microwave for five to ten seconds to warm to room temperature.
You can also freeze lemon tea cake easily. Just place (fully baked and cooled) in an air tight freezer container and store in the freezer for up to three months. Remove from the freezer and place in the refrigerator 24 hours prior to serving.
Lemon Tea Cake
Light and fluffy and full of zesty lemon lemon flavor, this little tea cake is the perfect summer snack!
Ingredients
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Line an 8 x 8 inch pan with parchment paper or grease it.
- In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
- Add granulated sugar and melted butter to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until combined.
- Add eggs, lemon juice, and lemon zest and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the flour mixture and and mix until well combined.
- Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly to reach each corner.
- Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until edges turn light golden brown and the cake looks puffy in the center.
- Remove from the oven and let cool competely (for at least an hour) before adding drizzle.
- In a liquid measuring cup, mix together the powdered sugar and water until all lumps have dissolved. The consistency should run off a spoon at a slow pace.
- Pour the drizzle over the cake by tilting the measuring cup very slowly until the drizzle pours out in a small line. Then move the measuring cup back and forth across the cake to form a drizzled look. (I do this diagonally to get a specific look, but you can also do this straight across.)
- Let the drizzle harden completely before storing the cake, at least 1 hour but 2-3 hours is better.
*Nutrition is auto-calculated by recipes generator.
