Description
This Zesty One-Bowl Lemon Cake is a quick, bright, and delicious dessert featuring a moist, tangy cake bursting with fresh lemon flavor. Combining simplicity and vibrant citrus notes, it uses just one bowl and a handful of fresh ingredients to deliver a perfectly balanced sweet and tart treat that’s easy to prepare and perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Start by heating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and greasing or lining your baking pan to ensure the cake releases perfectly once baked.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and lemon zest. This evenly distributes your raising agent and citrus flavor throughout the cake.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, vegetable oil, milk, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract directly into the dry ingredients. Mix gently until the batter is smooth and free of lumps, being careful not to overmix.
- Bake: Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps the cake set perfectly for slicing.
Notes
- Fresh lemons matter: Always use fresh lemon juice and zest for the brightest flavor compared to bottled alternatives.
- Measure flour carefully: Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level off to avoid a dense cake caused by too much flour.
- Don’t overmix batter: Stir the batter just until combined for a tender crumb avoiding toughness.
- Try room temperature ingredients: Eggs and milk at room temperature help the batter come together more smoothly and bake evenly.
- Check early for doneness: Ovens can vary, so begin checking your cake earlier than the recommended time to avoid overbaking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of cake)
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
Keywords: lemon cake, easy lemon cake, one-bowl cake, quick dessert, citrus cake, zesty lemon, simple lemon cake
