Thursday, May 21, 2020

Lemon Sheet Cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 and 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 4 lemons)
  • 3/4 cup lemon juice (from the same 4 lemons)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 large eggs

For the glaze

  • 4 and 1/2 to 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice (from about 2-3 lemons)
  • lemon slices, quartered (to garnish)
  • raspberries, to garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a half sheet pan (18x12 inches) with nonstick spray, or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, add the dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 and 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk together, then use a microplane grater to zest 4 lemons into the dry ingredients. You should get about 2 tablespoons. Whisk the zest into the dry ingredients and set aside.
  3. Juice 4 lemons (I love to use an electric juicer), or as many as you need to get to 3/4 cup. Add it to a small saucepan with 1/4 cup water.* Add 1 cup (2 sticks) butter to the saucepan and set over medium high heat. Stir occasionally until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil, with bubbles all across the top.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir or beat until combined.
  5. Add 1/2 cup sour cream and 2 large eggs. Beat until thoroughly combined, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and spread to the edges. Bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes until the edges are light brown and have started to pull away from the edges of the pan. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out with no wet batter on it.
  7. Let the cake cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
  8. When the cake is completely cool, make the glaze. Sift 4 and 1/2 cups of powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup lemon juice and whisk until completely smooth. Add more powdered sugar to get the consistency you like.
  9. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the lemon cake and spread to the edges. Let the glaze set up for about an hour or two, until hardened on top.
  10. Slice and serve! Top each slice with a quarter of a lemon slice and a raspberry, if desired.
  11. Store on the counter for the first 2-3 days, then store in the fridge.

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