Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Before anything else, start by preheating your oven to 350°F so it’s hot when you need it. As that preheats, take a second to grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with some butter or oil, whatever’s available to you. This step ensures the cake won’t stick and will come out easily after baking, resulting in nice, clean slices.
Step 2: Make the Batter
Now you bring it all together. Find a big mixing bowl (the bigger, the better), and combine your cake mix and lemon pudding mix. Pour in the oil, eggs, water, a little vanilla extract and some freshly grated lemon zest for that bright citrus flavor. Combine it all by stirring until the batter is smooth and well mixed—it should smell fantastic already. Mix everything together just until combined — don’t overmix, or the cake will turn out a little tough.
Step 3: Bake the Cake
Pour your batter into your greased pan, and then spread it out evenly with a spatula. Drop it in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or so. You’ll know that it’s done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Once it’s finished, let the cake cool on a wire rack for a little while — this firms it up and makes glazing easier.
Step 4: Make the Lemon Glaze
As the cake cools, whisk powdered sugar, melted butter, heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a bowl. Stir until smooth. If it seems too thick, simply add a bit more lemon juice until it’s pourable.
Step 5: Glaze and Serve
Drizzle the glaze over the warm cake and gently spread it so it covers evenly. Allow it to sit for a few minutes to firm up. Then cut it up and serve warm or at room temperature: It’s tasty either way!
Serving Suggestions:
Serving ideas to elevate this Lemon Cake:
Make It with Fresh Berries: A handful of fresh raspberries or blueberries brings some color and juicy sweetness to the side. Their natural tartness is a perfect counterpoint to the bright, citrusy elements of the cake, yielding a balanced, refreshing bite.
Top it: Whipped cream — a light, airy make-ahead topping is also another nice thing to dollop on top (just hold back a little sugar to balance flavors) and adds something very light and airy. The creaminess was smooth foil for the tangy cake, smoothing every bite and raising the whole dessert, even, a notch toward decadence.
Pair With Ice Cream: Serve with a scoop of vanilla or lemon ice cream for an even more indulgent treat.
Powdered Sugar Dusting: If you want a little less glaze, dust the top with powdered sugar for an easy but elegant presentation.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips:
It’s a great make-ahead cake, and one that’s easy to store:
Room Temperature: Wrap the cake well and keep at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Chill: If your planning on enjoying the cake over a longer time, store the cake in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Room temperature is best for flavor before serving.
Freezing: The (unglazed) cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Tightly wrap it in plastic wrap and foil. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and apply fresh glaze before serving.
Make-Ahead Tip: You can bake the cake the day before, and glaze just before serving it for maximum freshness.
Variations to Try:
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Blueberry Lemon Cake: About a cup of blueberries — fresh or frozen are both fine — will lend your lemon cake a fruity burst. Just be careful to fold them in gently at the end, so they don’t break when they hit the batter, tinting it purple. And as the cake bakes, the blueberries soften and pop, creating tiny explosions of juicy flavor that work hand-in-hand with all the bright citrus notes. They also provide the cake with a nice pop of color that makes it as pretty as it is delicious.
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake: For an additional crunch and nutty flavor (if you love that classic combination), add 1 to 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds. It’s an easy touch that gives the cake a café-bakery feel.
Coconut Lemon Cake: Add ½ cup of shredded coconut to the batter and give this lemon cake a tropical turn.
Lemon Drizzle Cake: In place of a more assertive topping, you could forego the glaze altogether, instead drizzling the warm cake with a simple lemon syrup (lemon juice and sugar).
Conclusion:
This Lemon Cake To Die For is the best dessert for lemon lovers! Its softly moist crumb and bright lemon glaze make each bite sweetly tangy and delightful. Quick and easy and delicious, it’s sure to please at a gathering or at home. Each refreshing, citrus slice is a delight!
