Lemon Butter Cake: A Bright, Gooey, Citrus Dream Come True

 

Lately I’ve been completely obsessed with lemons. I’m squeezing them over roasted vegetables, whisking them into vibrant salad dressings, and drizzling bright lemon-caper sauces over fish. It was only a matter of time before the obsession spilled over into dessert territory. I adapted this recipe from flouringkitchen.com and took the lemon factor up a notch because, in my opinion, you can never have too much lemon. The result? An incredibly delicious Lemon Butter Cake that’s equal parts creamy, buttery, and refreshingly citrusy. It slices like a dream, freezes beautifully, and is perfect for brunch, lunch, or dinner. This is my new go-to cooling summer dessert.

Lemon Butter Cake

Cake Batter:
1½ c. sugar
Zest of 2 Melissa’s seedless lemons
½ t. sea salt
1 large egg, room temperature
1 c. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2¾ c. flour
2½ t. baking powder

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 c. powdered sugar
⅛ t. sea salt
2 large egg yolks
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of 2 Melissa’s seedless lemons
4 T. powdered sugar (for finishing)

Preheat oven to 340°F. Spray a 9-inch round springform pan with Baker’s Joy and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the lemon zest, sugar, and salt. Rub the mixture together with your fingers until the sugar turns fragrant and pale yellow. Whisk in the egg, lemon juice, and melted butter until smooth.

 Sift in the flour and baking powder, then gently fold with a spatula until you have a thick batter. Spread it evenly into the prepared pan.

For the filling, beat together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, salt, egg yolks, lemon juice, and lemon zest until creamy and smooth. Pour this over the cake batter.

Place the pan on a Silpat-lined baking sheet (to catch any butter that might leak) and bake in the center of the oven for 45–55 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and the center puffed. Tent with foil if it’s browning too quickly.

Cool for 10 minutes before releasing the springform sides. Slide onto a serving plate, dust generously with powdered sugar, and serve.

 

Serving & Storage Notes:

Serve slightly warm for an ultra-gooey, almost molten center. For a firmer, cheesecake-like texture, chill for a few hours or overnight.

The cake keeps well in the fridge (in an airtight container) for up to 3 days and freezes beautifully for up to 2 months. Wrap individual slices in parchment paper before freezing so they don’t stick together.

This bright, buttery lemon cake is pure summer sunshine on a plate. Once you try it, you’ll find yourself reaching for lemons every time you crave something sweet.

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