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Lemon Bar Cake

Lemon Bar Cake

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Lemon Bar Cake is a refreshing dessert that beautifully balances the tartness of lemons with the richness of a buttery cake and creamy frosting. This delightful treat is perfect for any occasion, from birthdays to casual gatherings, and is sure to impress your guests with its vibrant flavor and inviting appearance.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: Approximately 12 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup lemon juice
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp lemon zest
  • Pinch fine sea salt
  • 5 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
  • 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup + 2 tsp all-purpose flour
  • 9 tbsp unsalted butter (cold and cubed)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest
  • 1 1/4 cups cake flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • ½ cup sour cream (room temperature)
  • 2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg (room temperature)
  • ½ cup whole milk (room temperature)
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 2 oz cold cream cheese
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Prepare the lemon curd by cooking lemon juice, sugar, egg yolks, and salt in a pot over medium-low heat until thickened. Stir in butter and vanilla, then cool.
  2. Make the shortbread crust by mixing cold butter, flour, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer. Press into greased pans and bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 8 minutes.
  3. For the cake batter, combine sugar and lemon zest then add flour, baking powder, salt, and cubed butter. Mix in sour cream and oil before adding whisked egg mixture.
  4. Assemble by pouring batter over cooled crust, adding dollops of lemon curd, swirling gently. Bake until toothpick comes out clean.
  5. Cool completely before frosting with a mixture of room temperature butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.
  • Author: Sarah
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice (100g)
  • Calories: 350
  • Sugar: 24g
  • Sodium: 150mg
  • Fat: 20g
  • Saturated Fat: 12g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 7g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 40g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 3g
  • Cholesterol: 80mg