Easy Lemon Cake (Moist, From Scratch)
Easy lemon cake is a one-bowl oil cake brightened with fresh lemon juice and plenty of zest, finished with a two-ingredient glaze. The zest is the secret — it carries the fragrant oils where the real lemon flavor lives. Whisk it together, bake, and drizzle with glaze for a moist, sunny cake that’s perfect any time of year.
The Quick Version
- Zest = real lemon flavor — use juice AND zest.
- Oil keeps it moist and the crumb tender.
- One bowl, no mixer.
- Two-ingredient glaze: powdered sugar + lemon juice.
How to make it
- Heat oven to 350°F (175°C); grease a 9×13 or bundt pan. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Whisk in oil, eggs, milk, ⅓ cup lemon juice and 2 tbsp zest until just smooth.
- Pour into the pan and bake 30–38 minutes until a toothpick is clean.
- Cool, then whisk the glaze and drizzle over the top.
Foolproof tip: rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers before mixing — it releases the oils and makes the whole cake taste more intensely of lemon.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get strong lemon flavor?
Zest — it holds the fragrant oils. Use both juice and zest of fresh lemons, plus a lemon glaze. Bottled juice alone tastes flat.
Why is my lemon cake dense?
Overmixing or too much acid. Stir just until smooth, measure baking powder accurately, and don’t add extra juice.
Can I make it as a loaf or bundt?
Yes — bundt/loaf take 40–50 min, rounds about 25–28 min. Test with a toothpick.
Easy Lemon Cake
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350F (175C) and grease a 9×13 pan or bundt pan. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Whisk in the oil, eggs, milk, lemon juice and zest until just smooth.
- Pour into the pan and bake 30-38 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool, then whisk the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and drizzle the glaze over the cake.
More easy cakes
Part of our easy cake recipes. Prefer chocolate? Try easy chocolate cake, or for fruit see strawberry shortcake.
