Glazed Lemon Yogurt Sheet Cake
A simple from-scratch sheet cake that is incredibly light and tender with fresh lemon flavor! A perfect dessert anytime, especially in summer!
Every year about this time, I feel the need to discover the summer’s best dessert. Last year it was this ethereal Berries on a Cloud (you must make it). This year it’s lemon cake. But not just any lemon cake. Glazed Lemon Yogurt Sheet Cake.
It’s a spin off from one of my favorite quick breads and quite honestly, I think I prefer the cake version over the bread version. It’s less dense and well, more light and fluffy and cakey.
And I guess what I’m saying is, while I love lemon bread, I really, really heart lemon cake.
The cake itself is not overly sweet but gets a boost of lemon flavor and sweetness from the light lemony glaze poured over the top while it’s still warm.
Let’s pause as we all contemplate the loveliness of warm, glazed cake. Ok, moving on.
Basically, if you love lemon desserts and if you like lighter fare during the summer and if you appreciate and admire from-scratch cakes that come together quickly and are unfussy, this cake is for you (PS if you feel zesting a lemon is fussy, then ignore that last statement).
This cake, well-covered, stays moist for several days and dare I say, it may even taste better a few hours or half a day after baking instead of being eaten right away.
But as mentioned above, we’ve been guilty of diving in while it’s still warm and actually, I take that whole better thing back – it’s divine either way. I have a feeling our summer is going to be filled with (in no particular order): sun, popsicles, mosquitoes, bike rides, late bedtimes, and lemon yogurt sheet cake.
One Year Ago: Sour Cream Lime Tart {Or Pie!}
Two Years Ago: Broiled Parmesan and Lemon Chicken
Three Years Ago: Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
Glazed Lemon Yogurt Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 ¾ cups (391 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon zest, from about 3 lemons
- 1 ¾ cups (371 g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup oil, coconut, canola, etc.
- ¼ cup (57 g) no-sugar added applesauce (see note)
- 1 cup plain lowfat yogurt or plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze:
- 1 ½ cups (171 g) powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the lemon zest and sugar and lightly rub together with your fingers until well combined (this releases the oils in the zest and amplifies lemon flavor). Whisk in the eggs, oil, applesauce, yogurt, lemon juice and vanilla; mixing well.
- Stir in the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined (don’t overmix!).
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
- While the cake is baking, whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth and pourable (I use the full 2 tablespoons lemon juice but you might want to start with the lesser amount and add more, as needed, if you don’t want your glaze quite as runny). Let the cake rest for 10 minutes after baking and then pour the glaze over the warm cake.
- Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled. This cake, if well-covered, stays moist for several days.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (adapted from one of my favorite quick breads – this Lemon Yogurt bread)
I made this in an 11×17 pan and it was quite full- no need to double or 1 1/2 the recipe if you want to make it into a bigger sheet cake. Bake at 325 for about 20 minutes. I doubled the glaze to spread over a larger surface area.
Set alongside Mel’s chocolate Texas sheet cake at a family party there was something for everyone!
This is super yummy, and other than zesting it’s quite easy. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you for this amazing simple but delicious recipe. I made it for my son’s class you are a blessing
I want to make this in a bundt cake pan. Would that work?
I haven’t tried that so I don’t know how the quantity will translate to a bundt pan, but it’s worth experimenting.
I can’t wait to try your recipes. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Mel,
Would this cake work to roll up with a cream cheese frosting?
That’s a good question – I *think* it might work…you’d want to bake it in a much larger pan or in a thinner layer so it could be rolled up more easily.
This cake is amazing, but the glaze was just a thick paste I had to add at least another another 2 to 3 tbsp of lemon juice to get a runny consistency. Im just wondering if maybe it was suppose to be 1/2 c powder sugar not 1 1/2 c ?
Hey Tania, I use 1 1/2 cups but it’s possible that it could vary depending on how we each measure the powdered sugar, if that makes sense.
Drats! Mel, I think I asked my question about your toffee sticky pudding under this lemon yogurt cake. Apologies if I mixed up the process. Just know this lemon cake is next on my list.
Oh, that makes sense now, Dan! Also, I meant to mention that using a cooking spray with flour added can definitely help with the sticking issue.
Your individual cakes are well-formed and beautiful. I made mine in ramekins, waited until cool, scored around the edges. However, parts of the bottom of the cakes fell apart. The silver lining to this problem; I got to taste the delicious cake! I did butter the sides and bottom of the ramekins and used the paper from the butter to smooth all areas. What might I do differently to get cakes closer to the way yours look?
Hi Dan, you could try lining the ramekins with parchment paper
We made this today for our early Easter celebration. This was amazing! I was unsure with the yogurt and applesauce but this cake was very lemony and very moist. Everyone in my fam loved it and I think it would be nice in a Bundt pan with the glaze drizzled over it… not sure how long to cook it but I may try that next time. Thanks Mel! I can always trust you to deliver!!!
I love that this cake has simple ingredients, bakes up fast, and is delicious! The fam wanted a Sunday dessert, but I was in the doldrums, so I needed something easy. This was just the ticket. So glad it came out moist and tasty. It was just the little ray of sunshine we all needed. 🙂 Thanks Mel!
I made this cake for my Godson’s birthday yesterday and it was delicious! Everyone loved it. Cannot wait to make it again. So fresh tasting and easy to make. Mel, this should be on your next “Recipes the world forgot…”
I agree, Jennifer! I’ll add it!
Quick question, If I want to put this in a large sheet pan do you think I should double it?
Yes, or at least 1 1/2 the recipe.
I’ve made this quite a few times although I’m not sure I’ve ever commented. This recipe is divine! It’s easy and so delicious. One of my favourites and always disappears quickly when I bake for work. Thanks for this one, it’s probably my favourite bake of all time!
Thank you! So glad you love it!
Thank
I’m new to gluten-free. Would the best sub for regular flour for cake baking be Cup for Cup flour mix or another type of gluten-free flour?
I’m not sure, Amy – I’m not super familiar with gluten free baking. Sorry!
If anyone is interested…Gluten free Cup 4 Cup flour subbed very well in this recipe. I did use XL eggs and beat the batter on medium/high speed to get the volume up. The texture is a little spongy, but for gluten free, I’m pleased with result. Tastes Great!
Thanks for the gluten-free report!
Hi
I bake gluten free and use King Arthur Flour’s measure for measure but cup for cup will work too!
Hi Amy, my grown-up daughter was diagnosed with Celiac Disease 2 years ago and moved in with us and her family for a year. Talk about a big life adjustement! I had to adapt most of my cooking to make it gluten-free and that was hard. Baking was a huge challenge, too but I discovered the best gluten-free flour we tried was and still is Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour. ALL our desserts came out PERFECTLY each time, with no changes to any original recipes. Best of all, they tasted great, too. Hope this helps and GOOD LUCK.
Has anyone tried freezing this whole? How does the glaze turn out? Would you recommend it, Mel? Thank you!
I haven’t tried it, but I actually think the glaze would do fine. I wonder if the top layer of the cake might be a little bit soggy-ish after defrosting because of the glaze, but I’m not sure.
Mel– I made this for our Easter feast yesterday and it was a hit. Soooo good. I need another occasion to make it again! May I offer a suggestion? When I was deciding what to make I looked at another lemon sheet cake recipe from OBB, but liked the looks of yours better. However, I did steal one thing from their recipe– mix 1/4 cup sugar with the zest of one lemon and sprinkle it on top of the glaze. The little lemony crunch was yummy. Lemon desserts make me weak in the knees.
Yum!
I found this recipe earlier in the summer and have made it three times thus far–about to make it again today for an end-of-summer party. It is a huge crowd pleaser and my new favorite cake recipe! Easy, light but rich, pretty and satisfying. I don’t bother with the apple sauce and don’t mind the additional coconut oil, which I love baking with lately.
I made this recently and it was fabulous! Light, lemony and totally scrummy. I took it into work and it was gone in minutes! Thanks Mel.
I made this for the first time today, and it is delicious! I used my own homemake yogurt that I made in the Instant Pot! Have you tried that yet? It works great!
Thanks for the great recipes!