This Lemon Buttermilk Cake is my go-to when I want a soft, moist cake with a clear lemon flavor and a simple finish. It’s tender like a good pound cake, but lighter, and the bright lemon glaze keeps it feeling fresh.
The buttermilk gives it that fine, even crumb I really like in a slice-and-serve cake. The lemon zest does most of the heavy lifting here, so the cake tastes lemony in a real way, not like candy.
I usually serve it as a weekend dessert or as an easy option for brunch tables. It’s also nice when you need a cake that can sit out and be sliced whenever people want a piece.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Classic lemon flavor: The zest and juice give you a clean lemon taste that actually comes through after baking.
Tender crumb: Buttermilk makes the cake soft and fine-textured, not dry or crumbly.
Glaze makes it: The lemon glaze sets into a thin, bright layer that looks pretty and adds a little pop to every slice.
Bundt or loaf friendly: I like this in a Bundt pan for easy serving, but it works well as a loaf cake too.
Easy to slice and share: This is the kind of cake you can put on a plate and let people help themselves. No frosting fuss.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Cake
- All-purpose flour: I use regular flour here. Spoon and level if you tend to overpack flour in the measuring cup.
- Baking powder: This gives the cake most of its lift.
- Baking soda: A little baking soda helps the buttermilk do its job and keeps the crumb tender.
- Fine salt: Don’t skip it. It keeps the cake from tasting flat.
- Unsalted butter: Softened butter creams better and gives you that classic rich cake texture.
- Granulated sugar: This sweetens and also helps the cake bake up with a nice, even crumb.
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs blend in more smoothly, so the batter stays silky instead of curdled.
- Lemon zest: Fresh zest is best here. It’s where most of the lemon flavor comes from.
- Fresh lemon juice: Fresh tastes cleaner than bottled. If you only have bottled, it still works, but the zest matters even more.
- Vanilla extract: Just enough to round out the lemon so it tastes more like cake and less sharp.
- Buttermilk: This is what makes the cake tender. If you don’t have it, the quick milk-and-lemon substitute works fine.
- Cooking spray: Use it generously, especially if your Bundt pan has lots of detail.
Lemon Glaze
- Powdered sugar: Sift it if yours is lumpy. It makes the glaze smoother.
- Fresh lemon juice: Start with a little, then add more if you want a thinner drizzle.
- Melted butter: I like what a little butter does here—it makes the glaze set nicely and taste less like straight sugar.
- Salt: Just a pinch helps the glaze taste more balanced.
- Extra lemon zest: Optional, but I like sprinkling a little on top while the glaze is still wet.
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease the pan: Grease a 10-cup Bundt pan or a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugar: Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one.
- Add the flavorings: Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with the buttermilk, mixing just until combined.
- Fill the pan: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake: Bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back. A Bundt cake is usually around 45 minutes; a loaf pan may need 50 to 60 minutes, and you can tent with foil if it browns early.
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack.
- Glaze the cake: Whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice, melted butter, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Brush or drizzle over the warm cake, add extra zest if you want, and let the glaze set before slicing.
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
Use room temperature ingredients. Butter, eggs, and buttermilk mix together more evenly that way. It really helps the cake bake up with a fine crumb.
Don’t overmix once the flour goes in. Mix just until you don’t see dry flour anymore. Overmixing is the quickest way to end up with a heavier cake.
Grease the pan like you mean it. Bundt pans can be sticky around the edges and center tube, especially the detailed ones. I make sure every curve is coated.
Check doneness by feel, not only time. A toothpick should come out clean, and the top should spring back when you press it lightly. If the top still feels soft and sinks, give it a few more minutes.
Adjust the glaze thickness. If it’s too thick, add a tiny splash more lemon juice. If it’s too thin, whisk in a little more powdered sugar.
Watch loaf pan browning. Loaf cakes tend to brown sooner on top. A loose foil tent near the end keeps the top from getting too dark.
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
- Tea: A mug of black tea (Earl Grey is especially nice) makes this feel simple and classic. I usually serve thinner slices if it’s part of a bigger spread.
- Coffee: This is really good with regular drip coffee or a latte. The lemon glaze tastes extra bright next to something warm and bitter.
- Berries: Fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries on the side are an easy add. If the berries aren’t sweet, a quick sprinkle of sugar helps.
- Whipped cream: A small spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream is nice if you want it to feel a little more like dessert-dessert. I keep it simple and don’t add extra flavoring.
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
You can keep this cake covered at room temperature for a day or two. If your kitchen is warm or humid, I’d move it to the fridge a little sooner.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. The glaze will firm up more when chilled, so I usually let slices sit out for a few minutes before serving.
If you want to freeze individual portions, slice the cake and wrap pieces well. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for an hour or two before eating.
You can also make the cake a day ahead and glaze it the next day if you want the top to look extra neat. The cake stays moist either way.
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 bake this as a lemon loaf cake instead of a Bundt cake?
Yes. A 9 x 5-inch loaf pan works well, but it usually needs longer in the oven—more like 50 to 60 minutes. If the top is getting too brown before the center is done, tent it loosely with foil.
What’s the best buttermilk substitute for this cake?
Mix 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and let it sit for about 5 minutes, then use it like buttermilk. I’ve done this plenty of times and it works well in this lemon buttermilk cake.
Can I use bottled lemon juice?
You can, but I’d still use fresh zest if at all possible. The zest is what makes this taste like a from-scratch lemon cake instead of just “sweet with a little lemon.”
Why did my lemon cake turn out dense?
The two usual causes are overmixing after the flour is added or starting with cold ingredients that don’t blend smoothly. Next time, keep everything at room temperature and mix just until the batter comes together.
Should I glaze the cake warm or fully cooled?
I like glazing it while it’s still warm because the glaze clings nicely and sets into a thin layer. If you glaze it fully cooled, it will sit more on top and look a little whiter and thicker.
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
Lemon Buttermilk Cake
INGREDIENTS
Cake
- 2.5 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1.75 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- cooking spray for pan.
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- pinch of salt
- extra lemon zest for topping.
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare Batter
- heat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 10 cup Bundt pan or 9 by 5 inch loaf pan
- whisk flour baking powder baking soda and salt
- beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy then beat in eggs one at a time
- mix in lemon zest lemon juice and vanilla
- add dry ingredients in two additions alternating with buttermilk mixing just until combined.
Bake and Finish
- pour batter into pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and top springs back
- cool in pan 10 minutes then turn out onto a rack
- whisk powdered sugar lemon juice melted butter and salt until smooth
- brush or drizzle glaze over warm cake and let set before slicing.
