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Lemon Sour Cream Cake

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a close up shot of a slice of Lemon Sour Cream Cake on a plate
With a bright lemon flavor, this amazing lemon sour cream cake will delight your senses and your taste buds.
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Table of Contents
  1. Lemon Sour Cream Cake Ingredients
  2. How to Make This Lemon Sour Cream Cake Recipe
  3. How To Serve
  4. Storage
  5. More Recipes You’ll Love
  6. JUMP TO RECIPE

This from-scratch lemon sour cream cake features fresh lemons in the cake and the frosting, making it moist and full of flavor. The soft and creamy lemon frosting is so fluffy and sweet you’ll want to eat by the spoonful while you’re frosting your cake. 

a close up shot of a slice of Lemon Sour Cream Cake on a plate

Lemon Sour Cream Cake Ingredients

Lemon Sour Cream Cake raw ingredients that are labeled
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You’ll need:

For the Cake

  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ⅓ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1½ cups self-rising flour, spooned and leveled

For the Frosting

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • ¾ cup ounces salted butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (more for topping/garnish, optional)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

PRO TIP:

If you’d like a firmer frosting, add an extra cup of powdered sugar, and chill before or after spreading it on the cake. 

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

TOPPING: You can skip the frosting and just dust the cake with powdered sugar once cooled.

SOUR CREAM: You can substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream in both the sour cream lemon pound cake cake and the frosting.

How to Make This Lemon Sour Cream Cake Recipe

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper or baking spray.

STEP TWO: Add the sugar and butter to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in the eggs, sour cream, and lemon juice until combined.

eggs, sour cream, and lemon juice combined

STEP THREE: Mix in the flour in batches.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Make sure to mix only until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing will cause the cake to be dense and tough rather than light and fluffy.

flour mixed with the egg mixture

STEP FOUR: Pour and spread the cake batter into the prepared pan.

STEP FIVE: Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 43 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean, then let cake cool.

PRO TIP:

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your cake as the suggested baking time approaches.

cake baked for 40 to 43 minutes

STEP SIX: Prepare the frosting while the cake cools. Add the frosting ingredients to a large mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer until creamy.

frosting ingredients mixed in a bowl

STEP SEVEN: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. 

STEP EIGHT: Cut and serve.

How To Serve

Lemon lovers are going to delight in sinking their teeth into this soft, moist cake. Serve the lemon cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side, a dollop of whipped cream on top, and a cup of coffee to drink.

If you are in love with citrusy lemon desserts, you should also check out our lemon custard cake and lemon brownies.

Storage

ON THE COUNTER: This delicious cake will keep at room temperature for up to three days. Make sure to cover it well or store it in an airtight container.

IN THE FREEZER: You can also freeze this lemon cake, either whole or in individual slices, for up to three months.

overhead shot of Lemon Sour Cream Cake on a baking dish

If you’re looking for a sweet and tangy citrus treat, look no further than a classic lemon sour cream cake! Topped with lemon icing, this lemon sour cream cake would be the perfect choice for guests, and we guarantee it will be a crowd-pleaser.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do I have to top the cake with icing?

This simple recipe can be made without adding the lemon icing. Sprinkle it with confectioners’ sugar instead.

Can I freeze this sour cream lemon cake?

This lemon cake will freeze well and can be kept in the freezer for up to three months

Should I store this lemon sour cream pound cake in the fridge or at room temperature?

This cake will be perfectly fine on the counter for up to three days. Any longer, and you’ll want to either store it in the fridge or freeze it

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a close up shot of a slice of Lemon Sour Cream Cake on a plate

Lemon Sour Cream Cake

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With a bright lemon flavor, this amazing lemon sour cream cake will delight your senses and your taste buds.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 9

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • cups self-rising flour, spooned and leveled

Frosting

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • ¾ cup salted butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest, optional: additional for topping/garnish
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper or baking spray.
  • Add sugar and butter to a large mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Beat in eggs, sour cream, and lemon juice until combined.
  • Mix in flour in batches.
  • Pour and spread the cake batter into the prepared pan.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 43 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean, then cool.
  • Prepare the frosting while cake cools. Add the frosting ingredients to a large mixing bowl and beat until creamy.
  • Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
  • Cut and serve.

Notes

  • If you’d like a firmer frosting, add an extra cup of powdered sugar, and chill before or after spreading it on the cake.
  • Make sure to mix only until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing will cause the cake to be dense and tough rather than light and fluffy.
  • Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your cake as the suggested baking time approaches.

Nutrition

Calories: 667kcal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 74g | Vitamin A: 1048IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 0.5mg
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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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