Texas Lemonade Sheet Cake

As the saying goes, “everything’s bigger in Texas,” and that includes the bold lemon flavor in this dessert. Texas Lemonade Sheet Cake has fresh lemon zest, as well as fresh lemon juice in both the cake and the frosting. It’s tart, but with the perfect balance of sweetness from the frosting. I can’t wait for you to try this one.

Texas Lemonade Sheet Cake is extra moist with a lemony syrup under the buttercream frosting.

Sheet cakes are great when you need to travel with a dessert, also when you need to feed a small crowd.

Additionally, you cut your piece to any size you want, because we all know that person who says, “oh no, that’s way too big, cut it in half.” Ha ha That person is actually me, but whatever.

Sheet cakes are also fun to decorate, and you don’t have any weird angles or sides to deal with.

So yeah, let’s make a sheet cake.

Fresh lemon zest and juice is used in this delicious dessert.

Making a Texas Lemonade Sheet Cake

Tips before we get started.

  • You’ll need about seven (yes, 7) large lemons for this recipe. You’re going to need the lemons for zesting as well as the juice. I like to keep bottled lemon juice on hand for a couple reasons; 1) my hands get tired from too much squeezing, and 2) I like the tartness of bottled lemon juice vs. the gentle lemon flavor you sometimes get from store bought lemons. Also, just in case the lemons are dry.
  • The frosting recipe makes enough for an even layer across the top, but not enough for decorating. So, if you want to decorate with frosting, you’ll need to make more; probably 1 1/2 times the recipe. Additionally, if you want to pipe-decorate, leave out the lemon zest as it clogs the tip.

Making the lemonade cake.

Start by preheating your oven to 350° and greasing your 17 x 11″ baking sheet. Set aside.

Next, whisk the dry ingredients together; flour, baking soda, and salt, and set those aside, too.

Then, in a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. This takes about three minutes or so. Add the lemon zest and vanilla, scraping the sides as you go so everything is incorporated.

Next, add one egg at a time. Make sure each egg is mixed in thoroughly before adding the next egg.

Why do I have to add one egg at a time?

The short answer is because Mom said.

The long answer is that by adding eggs one at a time, you are allowing the egg’s liquid to properly incorporate with other ingredients, ensuring you have a well-mixed batter and preventing separation. 

In other words, adding all the eggs at once could overwhelm the mixture with too much liquid all at once. You could end up with a clotted mixture, which can lead to tough cookies, lopsided cakes, and flat, dense muffins.

So, use this method of adding eggs to all your recipes.

Ok, back to your regularly programmed recipe.

Texas Lemonade Sheet Cake uses fresh lemons for the zest and juice to give this dessert that tart flavor we love.

Once the eggs are in, mix the buttermilk and lemon juice together in either a small bowl or a 2-cup measuring cup.

Reduce the mixer speed to LOW and start alternating the flour mixture with the buttermilk mixture in batches. Scrape the sides as you go until it’s all in there. Mix just until combined; do not over mix.

Spread the cake batter evenly in the baking sheet and bake for 20 – 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

But hey, don’t sit down just yet…you have to make the lemon syrup while the cake is baking.

Mixing up a lemonade syrup.

In a small microwavable bowl, mix together the sugar, lemon juice, and water. Microwave on HIGH in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the sugar is dissolved. This takes about two minutes.

Once the cake is done, remove it from the oven and poke with a fork evenly over the top of the cake.

Then, spoon the lemon syrup over the top.

Let the cake completely cool in the sheet pan on a wire rack.

Ok, now you can take a quick break.

Two frostings, one with lemon zest, one that is smooth and creamy to pipe with.

Making lemonade frosting.

I recommend using a stand mixer for this frosting recipe, because of the amount you make. Using hand-held beaters may over-work that small motor.

Sadly, I would know. Funeral arrangements will be posted at a later date.

Ok, so beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, then add the lemon zest.

Reduce speed to LOW and gradually add the powdered sugar.

Lastly, add the lemon juice, and increase speed to MEDIUM for a couple minutes.

Spread the frosting over top of the cooled cake. Tart, sweet, and delicious!

Serving a Texas Lemonade Sheet Cake

It has to be the easiest of cakes to cut and serve, because you have so many size options.

I recommend starting with just one cut across, then letting people cut whatever size they want from there.

If you want to precut the whole cake, make the sizes small so everyone gets a piece, and you don’t feel guilty when you go back for seconds, thirds, etc. “But the pieces are so small!” LOL

More Lemons, More Cake

Use the search bar in the top right corner to find anything you’re looking for that hopefully I have for you. Enter “lemon” or “cake” for those searches, or use the drop down menu under RECIPES.

If you tried and love this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment below. Thank you so much.

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5 from 1 vote

Texas Lemonade Sheet Cake

This delicious, lemony dessert is large enough to share with a small crowd. Fresh lemon zest and juice is in the cake and the frosting; tart but perfectly balanced with the sweetness of the frosting. Plus there's a sweet/tart lemon syrup in the middle to tease your taste buds a wee little bit more.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Cooling Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: comfort food, cream cheese, fresh lemons, tart
Servings: 48
Calories: 197kcal
Author: Sweet Ordeal

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 Tbsp. grated fresh lemon peel
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, room temperature (from 3 lemons)
  • 1 cup whole buttermilk, room temperature

Lemon Syrup:

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
  • 3 Tbsp. water

Frosting:

  • 6 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. grated fresh lemon peel
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, room temperature (from 2 lemons)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Grease or spray a 17 x 11" baking sheet. Set aside.

Cake:

  • In medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • In large bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla until combined. Add one egg at a time beating until incorporated.
  • Mix lemon juice and buttermilk together in 2-cup measuring cup. Reduce beater speed to low. Stir in flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately, beating just until combined. Do not over mix.
  • Spread batter evenly in prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 – 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. While cake is baking, prepare syrup.

Lemon Syrup:

  • In small microwavable bowl, mix together sugar, lemon juice, and water. Microwave on HIGH in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until sugar is dissolved; approx. 2 minutes.
  • When cake is done, remove from oven and poke with fork all over top of cake. Spoon syrup over top of cake. Allow to cool completely in the baking sheet on a wire rack. While the cake is cooling, prepare frosting.

Frosting:

  • Beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Stir in lemon zest until combined. With mixer on LOW speed, gradually add powdered sugar until incorporated, scraping sides as you go. Increase speed to MEDIUM and add lemon juice. Spread evenly over cooled cake. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 97mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 256IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @sweetordeal or tag #sweetordeal!

Texas Lemonade Sheet Cake

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Texas Lemonade Sheet Cake is addicting, tart and sweet, and it makes enough for a small crowd.

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5 from 1 vote

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Recipe Rating




2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    So moist. So lemony. So delicious. I made this cake for my husband because he loves lemon desserts. When I say he ate almost the entire cake alone I am not kidding. I know he had a piece at lunch and dinner several days, but I think he may have had it for breakfast too. I thought making a cake that didn’t come out of a box might be hard. But it was really pretty quick and easy.