Lemon Sheet Cake: Easy and Tasty

If you’re like me and can’t resist sugary treats, the healthiest option is to make your desserts at home. My husband and I love having cakes and sweets with our afternoon coffee. My homemade treats have never quite hit the spot until this glazed lemon sheet cake. It’s super easy to make, no experience with baking necessary, and plant-based! It’s moist and compared to store-bought cakes, it’s not loaded with butter. I don’t feel guilty eating a piece every day.

I’ve made this cake with buttercream and frosting, but I find that the best version is with a lemon drizzle. It keeps the cake moist but not heavy. Also, buttercream and icing can get too sweet for us. We tend to not eat icing with store-bought cakes, so this is perfect.

Lemon Sheet Cake and Coke Sugar Content

Sugar, flour—this is not in the healthy list by any means, but if you look at the ingredients of store-bought cakes, this is a lot better. And the good new is, you can customize on how much sugar you want to add.

I use a rectangular cake pan, 9″ x 13″ for this recipe.

A few more things I love about this recipe aside from taste:

1. easy clean up: if you use a liquid measuring cup that can fit 2 cups or more, you don’t need to wash extra. You don’t have to wash the cooling rack too.
2. light: it doesn’t feel heavy at all, even if you eat more than a slice.
3. No need to flip: I don’t have to use parchment paper or flip it.

Lemon Sheet Cake

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Serves: 12 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 30 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 3 cups white flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 cups nut-based milk
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tbs white distilled or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 lemons or 3 tbs lemon juice
• 2 tbs lemon zest

Glaze 

• 2 tbs melted vegan butter (I used Miyoko)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1/2 tbs lemon zest (optional)
• 4-5 tbs nut milk (depending on how thick your want to glaze. I like it on the runny side. I use oat milk)

Instructions

1. Start preheating oven to 350°F
2. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Slightly oil a rectangular cake Pan. I use a  9" x 13" x 2 1/4" high pan from William Sonoma.
4. Zest and juice lemons. You might not need all the lemon juice, depending on how juicy your lemons are.
5. Mix all of the wet ingredients in a measuring cup that can hold more than 2 or more cups of water. I’m using a 2 cup measuring cup, and I eyeball the rest.
6. Mix wet and dry ingredients. A few lumps are OK, but you shouldn’t have visible powders.
7. Add batter to oiled pan and bake for 28-30 minutes.
8. While the cake is baking, make the glaze. Melt the butter and add all the ingredients. The amount of milk you add depends on the consistency you prefer. I like it watery, and for the cake to absorb the glaze. Add the milk 1 tbs at a time.
9. You’ll know when the cake is ready when you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. Do not remove from the pan, but place the pan on a cooling rack.
10. Wait for about 15 minutes and add the glaze.
11. I keep the cake outside for about 24 hours and then refrigerate it. We finish the cake in about 5 days, so I don’t know how long it will last in the fridge!