Texas Lemonade Sheet Cake

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

Active Time20

Cooling Time30

Total Time1 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: comfort food, cream cheese, fresh lemons, tart

Yield:

Calories: 197kcal

Author: Sweet Ordeal

Materials

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