Buttermilk Lemon Pie Cake is a simple lemon sheet cake with a soft crumb, a bright lemon topping, and a quick glaze on top. It tastes like a mix of lemon cake and lemon pie in the best, straightforward way.
The cake itself is moist from buttermilk with a clean lemon flavor that doesn’t get lost once you add the filling. I like using lemon pie filling here because it gives you that smooth, glossy layer and a little extra tang without having to make a separate curd.
This is one of my favorite desserts for potlucks and weekend baking because it slices neatly once chilled and travels well. It’s also really nice with whipped cream and a bit of extra lemon zest on top.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Sheet cake easy: Everything bakes in one 9×13 pan, so there’s no stacking, leveling, or fancy decorating.
Moist crumb: Buttermilk keeps the cake tender, and it stays soft even after a night in the fridge.
Lemon pie topping: The lemon pie filling (or curd) gives you that classic lemon pie flavor with almost no extra work.
Glaze on top: A thin lemon glaze makes it look finished and adds a sweet-tart bite that really works with the filling.
Great for making ahead: It actually slices cleaner after a chill, which is handy when you need tidy squares.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Cake Batter
- All-purpose flour: I use regular AP flour here. Measure it lightly so the cake stays soft and not heavy.
- Granulated sugar: Plain white sugar is all you need. It keeps the crumb light and lets the lemon come through.
- Baking powder: Helps the cake rise and keeps it from baking up dense in a sheet pan.
- Baking soda: This works with the buttermilk for a nice lift. Don’t skip it.
- Fine salt: Just enough to keep the lemon flavor from tasting flat.
- Unsalted butter: Melted butter makes this easy and gives the cake a richer flavor than oil. Let it cool a bit so it doesn’t scramble the eggs.
- Eggs: Room-temp eggs mix in more smoothly. If you forget, warm them in a bowl of lukewarm water for a few minutes.
- Buttermilk: This is the big one for texture. If you don’t have it, milk mixed with a little lemon juice works fine in a pinch.
- Fresh lemon juice: Fresh is best here. Bottled juice can taste a little dull in a cake like this.
- Lemon zest: Don’t skip it. The zest is where the lemon smell and punch really comes from.
- Vanilla extract: It sounds small, but it rounds out the lemon and makes the cake taste more “cake” and less sharp.
Lemon Topping
- Lemon pie filling or lemon curd: I like the canned pie filling for speed and that classic pie texture, but lemon curd works too if that’s what you have.
Lemon Glaze
- Powdered sugar: Sift it if it’s lumpy, especially if you want a smooth drizzle.
- Fresh lemon juice: Start with a little, then add more if you want it thinner.
- Buttermilk: This keeps the glaze from being one-note sweet. A little goes a long way.
- Salt: Just a pinch makes the glaze taste less sugary.
Optional Garnish
- Whipped cream: Really good if you want the cake to lean more “lemon pie” when you serve it.
- Extra lemon zest: I sprinkle a little on right before serving so it looks fresh.
- Thin lemon slices: Pretty for a party pan, but keep them very thin so they’re easy to move aside.
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the melted (cooled) butter, eggs, buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine the batter: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until the batter looks smooth and you don’t see dry flour.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 32 to 38 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then cool completely before adding the topping.
- Add the lemon topping: Spread the lemon pie filling (or lemon curd) evenly over the cooled cake.
- Make the glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice, buttermilk, and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable. If it feels too thick, add a few drops more lemon juice.
- Glaze and chill: Drizzle the glaze over the lemon topping, then chill the cake for 30 to 60 minutes for cleaner slices.
- Serve: Cut into squares and garnish with whipped cream, extra zest, or thin lemon slices if you want.
Some of my tips!
This is the part that really makes a difference. If you only read one section, make it this one because this is where I share the little trick that helps the recipe turn out so well.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Don’t overmix the batter. Once the wet and dry are combined, stop stirring as soon as the flour disappears. Overmixing can make a sheet cake bake up a little tough.
Use room-temp eggs and buttermilk. It helps everything blend quickly, and you’re less likely to end up with little streaks of butter or curdled-looking batter.
Cool the cake completely before topping. If the cake is still warm, the lemon filling can loosen up and slide around instead of staying in a neat layer.
Tweak the lemon strength if you want. If you like a stronger lemon flavor, add a little lemon extract to the batter. I keep it optional because the topping already brings a lot of lemon.
Adjust the glaze texture. A thicker glaze will sit on top like icing, and a thinner glaze will soak in a bit. Either is fine—just add lemon juice a few drops at a time until it looks right.
Make some touches!
There are plenty of easy ways to serve this depending on the occasion. Keep it simple, or add a few small touches to make it feel a little more special.
Serving Suggestions
- Whipped cream: A dollop on each square makes it feel more like lemon pie. I usually add a pinch of zest on top too.
- Fresh berries: Strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries are nice on the side. They cut through the sweetness and make the plate look less plain.
- Iced tea: This cake is great with unsweetened iced tea or an Arnold Palmer. It’s especially nice when you’re serving it in the summer.
- Brunch dessert: If you’re doing a brunch spread, serve small squares with fruit salad. It fits right in next to a cheesy egg bake or quiche.
Save it for later
This section covers how to store leftovers and what parts of the recipe you can prepare ahead of time.
Storage and Make Ahead
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Because of the lemon topping, I keep this one refrigerated.
You can make this recipe ahead and it actually works in your favor. The cake firms up a bit in the fridge, so the slices come out cleaner the next day.
If you want to serve it a little less cold, let slices sit on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes. The texture softens slightly and the lemon flavor comes through more.
A few quick answers
This section covers a few extra details that may help before you head to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use lemon curd instead of lemon pie filling?
Yes. Lemon curd works well and tastes a little richer. Just spread it gently over the cooled cake so you don’t tear the surface.
What can I use if I don’t have buttermilk?
Mix milk with a little lemon juice and let it sit for about 5 minutes, then use it like buttermilk. I’ve done it plenty of times and it works fine in this cake.
How do I know when the sheet cake is done?
Start checking at about 32 minutes. A toothpick in the center should come out clean, and the top should spring back when you press it lightly.
Can I make it extra lemony?
If you want a stronger lemon profile, add about 1 teaspoon of lemon extract to the batter along with the vanilla. You can also add extra zest, but I wouldn’t add a lot more juice or the batter can get too wet.
You might also like
Before you go, take a look at a few other recipes below the recipe card. They use similar ingredients in a different way and are worth saving too.
MORE DINNER RECIPES TO TRY
Buttermilk Lemon Pie Cake
INGREDIENTS
Cake Batter
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 2 tsp fine salt
- 1 2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Lemon Topping
- 1 can 21 oz lemon pie filling or lemon curd.
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp buttermilk
- pinch of salt.
Optional Garnish
- whipped cream
- extra lemon zest
- thin lemon slices.
INSTRUCTIONS
Bake Cake
- heat oven to 350 F and grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan
- whisk flour sugar baking powder baking soda and salt
- whisk melted butter eggs buttermilk lemon juice lemon zest and vanilla
- fold wet into dry just until smooth
- pour into pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean 32 to 38 minutes
- cool in pan 20 minutes then cool completely.
Finish And Serve
- spread lemon pie filling evenly over cooled cake
- whisk powdered sugar lemon juice buttermilk and salt until pourable then drizzle over topping
- chill 30 to 60 minutes for cleaner slices
- garnish as desired and serve.
