Lemon Texas Sheet Cake is a fluffy, moist cake that's tangy-sweet with a burst of citrusy flavor in every bite. It's like a slice of sunshine on a plate. Enjoy by yourself or for a crowd!
We love lemon everything in our house. My son has his choice for any type of homemade or store bought cake for his birthday and he chose this lemon sheet cake. Of course I was ready to get this lemon baby in the oven.
Sheet cakes are the best and easiest cakes to make, as you pour the frosting on while it is still warm. That frosting will spread over the cake nicely to cover it.
If you want to try some other sheet cakes, try my Easy Cinnamon Roll Sheet Cake, Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake, Peanut Butter Texas Sheet Cake, or White Texas Sheet Cake.
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Ingredients for Lemon Texas Sheet Cake and Lemon Buttercream
Lemon Cake
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- baking soda
- salt
- lemon zest
- lemon juice
- water
- unsalted butter
- sour cream
- eggs
Lemon Buttercream
- unsalted butter
- powdered sugar
- salt
- lemon extract
- lemon juice
- sour cream
FAQs
A Lemon Texas Sheet Cake is a light, fluffy, and moist cake with a bright lemon flavor, typically baked in a large, shallow pan. It's often topped with a tangy lemon glaze or frosting, making it a refreshing dessert perfect for gatherings.
Yes, you can freeze Lemon Texas Sheet Cake. Allow the cake to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil or place it in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
If you don't have an 13x18" sheet, you can use a different size pan, but the baking time will vary. For a 9x13-inch pan, the cake will be thicker and will need to bake longer (around 30-35 minutes). Check for doneness with a toothpick.
If your cake turned out too dense, it might be due to overmixing the batter or using expired baking soda. Mix the batter until just combined and ensure your baking soda is fresh.
Top Tips
- Use plain Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream, if desired.
- For the best flavor, use freshly grated lemon zest and juice. It provides a vibrant citrus taste that elevates the entire cake.
- Make sure your butter, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature before you begin mixing. This helps ensure a smooth batter and more even baking.
- Since Texas sheet cakes are thin, they bake relatively quickly. Keep an eye on the cake while it's in the oven to prevent overbaking, which can lead to a dry texture.
- Use a toothpick or cake tester to check for doneness. The toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached when inserted into the center of the cake.
- For clean slices, chill the cake in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before cutting. This helps firm up the glaze and makes it easier to cut into neat squares.
- Store any leftover cake in an airtight container or covered tightly with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for longer freshness.
How to make Lemon Sheet Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a half sheet pan (18x13x1) or jelly roll pan with parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer or bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking soda. Use your microplane/citrus grater to add 2 tbsp. lemon zest into the dry ingredients.
- In a small saucepan, add water, lemon juice, and two sticks of butter over medium heat until boiling.
- Pour the wet ingredients into flour mixture, in the mixer bowl, and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides or bottom, as needed.
- Add sour cream and eggs, mixing well.
- Pour cake batter into the prepared sheet pan. Make sure it spreads to the edges. Bake for 18-20 minutes or the cake is slightly pulling away from the sides, is light brown and toothpick tests clean.
- Make the frosting while the cake is still warm. Melt butter in small saucepan. Combine 2 cups of powdered sugar, salt, sour cream, lemon juice, lemon extract, and melted butter in large bowl or stand mixer. Mix together until no lumps.
- Add the rest of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined. Spread frosting evenly over top of the cake, while it is still warm.
- Sprinkle extra lemon zest on top to add more lemon flavor and to make it pretty, if desired. Allow frosting to set about 15-20 minutes, then cut and enjoy!
Best Lemon Sheet Cake with Lemon Buttercream
Ingredients
Lemon cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest (2 lemons)
- ¾ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
Lemon Buttercream
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
Instructions
Make the lemon sheet cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a half sheet pan (18x13x1) with parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer or stand mixer bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking soda. Use your microplane/citrus grater to add 2 tbsp. lemon zest into the dry ingredients
- .In a small saucepan, add water, lemon juice, and two sticks of butter over medium heat until boiling.
- Pour the wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and mix until combined. Scraping down sides and bottom, as needed.
- Add sour cream and eggs, mixing well.
- Pour batter into the prepared sheet pan. Make sure it spreads to the edges. Bake for 18-20 minutes or the cake is slightly pulling away from the sides, is light brown and toothpick tests clean.
Lemon Buttercream
- Make the frosting while the cake is still warm. Melt butter in small saucepan.
- Combine 2 cups of powdered sugar, salt, sour cream, lemon juice, lemon extract, and butter in large bowl or stand mixer. Mix together until no lumps.
- Add the rest of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined.
- Spread frosting evenly over top of the cake, while it is still warm.
- Sprinkle extra lemon zest on top for even more lemon flavor and to make it pretty, if desired.
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