Lemon Sheet Cake

13x18 sheet cake slice on a white plate.

Lemon sheet cake is a bright and fresh citrusy cake that is perfect for spring and summer celebrations. Tender lemon cake is made with fresh lemon zest and juice and then topped with a silky cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Resting Time 1

Total Time 1 40

Servings or more servings

Author Heather

Ingredients

Cake

1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter room temperature
1 ¾ cups (346 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon zest
4 large eggs room temperature
3 cups (336 g) cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup (227 g) whole milk room temperature
¼ cup (57 g) lemon juice

Frosting

8 ounces (227 g) block-style cream cheese room temperature
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups (400 g) confectioner's sugar

Instructions

Cake

Preheat oven to 350℉. Generously grease a 9x13 or 13x18 inch baking pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, add room temperature butter and granulated sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat until creamed and fluffy. Add vanilla extract, lemon zest, and eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated and smooth.
In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients: cake flour, baking powder, and salt. In a liquid measuring cup, add lemon juice to milk.
Add half of the dry ingredients to your butter mixture. Mix until just combined. Add half of the milk mixture, again mixing until just combined. Repeat once more to add remaining dry ingredients and milk until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared baking sheet (or evenly between two round cake pans) and spread into an even layer.
9x13 baking pan: 30-34 minutes
13x18 half sheet pan: 17-19 minutes
Bake cakes, using time estimates above, until cake pops back in the center when gently pressed down, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back dry or with dry crumbs, not wet batter. Ovens can run hot or cold, so I recommend relying more on how your cake looks and less on time.
Remove cake from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire cooling rack.

Frosting

In a large bowl, add room temperature cream cheese and butter and beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until creamy, about 1 minute.
Add vanilla extract and salt and mix until incorporated.
Add confectioner's sugar, half at a time, and mix on low speed until sugar is incorporated. Switch to high speed and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Spread frosting in an even layer onto cooled cake. Optionally, add sprinkles or lemon zest as a garnish before frosting crusts.

Video

Notes

Servings: Sheet cake can be sliced to serve 24 guests or more. To make a layer cake, check out my full post for detailed instructions: lemon layer cake
Making substitutions: Baking is an exact science. I do not recommend substituting any ingredients. The butter, milk, eggs, and sugar keep your cake moist - substituting any of these ingredients with a lower fat alternative can change the texture and make your cake dry.
Storage: Frosted cake will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 hours, in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. If refrigerating or freezing unfrosted cake, wrap tightly in plastic and place in a tightly sealed container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature for an hour before serving.
Refrigerating cream cheese frosting: Cream cheese frosting needs to be refrigerated if it sits out for longer than 2 hours. Store frosted baked goods in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container. Remove and bring to room temperature 1 hour before serving.
More tips: Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cake, based on reader comments and questions!

Nutrition