From the Cook
From the Cook
1/3
Cake
1
Preheat your oven to 350F.
2
Grease an 8×8 inch square cake pan with butter, then line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang to help you get the cake out later.
3
Mix together the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda) in a bowl and set aside.
4
To a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and the lemon zest and rub together with your fingers. This helps infuse the sugar with lemon flavor.
5
Using a whisk or handheld mixer, mix the butter into the sugar and lemon zest.
6
Mix the milk into the butter and sugar, then mix in the sour cream.
7
Add the eggs and mix them in until fully incorporated.
8
Mix in the lemon juice and vanilla.
9
Mix in the dry ingredients, careful not to overmix.
10
Pour batter into the cake pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few crumbs. Remove cake from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes.
11
Remove the cake from the cake pan and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Frosting
1
With a handheld mixer, beat together the frosting ingredients until smooth.
2
Frost the cake, then garnish with more lemon zest, if using.
My Calorie Intake
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Tips & Tricks (5)
- Room Temperature Ingredients 🌡️Bring eggs, sour cream, and butter to room temperature before mixing to ensure proper emulsification and a uniformly tender crumb structure.
- Zest Before Juicing 🍋Always zest your lemons before cutting them in half for juice—once cut, the flesh becomes difficult to zest, and you'll lose valuable aromatic oils.
- Don't Overmix the Batter ✋Mix dry ingredients separately and fold them gently into wet ingredients until just combined to avoid developing gluten, which would result in a dense, tough cake.
- Acidic Balance with Sour Cream 🥛The sour cream not only adds moisture but reacts with baking soda to create lift and tenderness—don't skip it or substitute with regular yogurt, as the acidity level matters.
- Cream Cheese Frosting Temperature Control ❄️Keep your cream cheese frosting ingredients cold and mix on low speed to prevent it from becoming greasy or breaking, ensuring a silky smooth finish.
Recipe Facts
Diet at a Glance
Vegetarian
My Calorie Intake
Smart Nutrition 
Nutrition Per Serving
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Glycemic Analysis
Glycemic Index
Glycemic Load
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