Easy Lemon Sour Cream Cake

A fluffy and delicious Lemon Sour Cream Cake that’s bursting with bright lemon flavor. One for my lemon lovers, it's made with fresh lemons and sour cream, creating the most tender crumb and is perfect for lunchboxes, picnics and sharing. Delicious served warm with a sprinkling of powdered sugar, or try spreading it with my Vanilla Bean Glaze or Lemon Glaze for the ultimate teatime treat.

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While some people dream of having a beautiful home with a white picket fence, I just wanted to have a lemon tree, bursting with gorgeous, bright lemons. When I was a kid growing up in regional Victoria, I’d walk to the local pool, passing an elderly couple’s home that had the most magnificent lemon tree. They would occasionally give us free lemons and we’d go home and make lemon butter for our toast. There was just something so wholesome about fresh, home-grown lemons that still makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

So now I have 2 of my own lemon trees, with a never ending supply of lemons. Which is perfect for when I want to make one of our favourite lemon desserts, Lemon Delicious Puddings or my No-Bake Lemon Slice. And now my Easy Lemon Sour Cream Cake is on high rotation! It’s such a lovely and simple lemon cake, that's so light and fluffy, insanely moist and soft and is filled with that delicious lemony flavour. I really hope you enjoy this cake recipe as much as we do!

Ingredients

Caster sugar quickly beats in and adds sweetness
Lemon zest and juice for a serious citrus flavour!
Unsalted butter adds richness to this cake
Vegetable oil provides extra moisture and keeps the cake soft for days
Eggs for richness and structure
Full fat sour cream creates an ultra moist and soft cake
Vanilla extract just to add another level to the lemon flavour
Plain flour gives structure. I always weigh my flour for accuracy
Baking powder and Bicarbonate Soda help give this cake it’s texture and rise

Substitutions and Additions

Sour cream -using plain Greek yogurt works well in this recipe as well. It will give a slightly tangy flavour to the cake.
Lemon -try using other citrus fruits, such as orange or lime, like in my Lime Loaf Cake
Cake pan -I love making this in my 8 inch square cake tin, but you can definitely change your pan sizes to suit. Using a loaf tin to make a lemon loaf cake, then topping it with a simple glaze and some lemon zest would make a wonderful sweet treat for brunch. Adjust your baking time accordingly and be sure to test the cake with a skewer to ensure it's fully baked.
Vanilla cake -next time try leaving out the fresh lemon juice and zest and simply use 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.

Step by Step Instructions

Set oven to 180 Celsius or 350 Fahrenheit
Spray a 20cm (8 inch) square pan with oil and line with baking paper (parchment paper)
In the bowl of your stand mixer (or large mixing bowl, if you’re using a hand mixer) place the sugar and zest. Rub the zest into the sugar for about 30 seconds, until it starts to release the oils and become a little clumpy
Add the butter, then use the paddle attachment to beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl, then mix again on medium-high speed for another minute, until mixture is fluffy
Add the remaining wet ingredients and mix on low, gradually increasing to medium speed for about 4 minutes (mixture will look a little funky at this stage, but don’t worry!). Scrape the bowl as necessary.
Combine the plain flour (all purpose flour), baking powder and bicarb soda in a small bowl, then add a spoonful at a time of the flour mixture to the mixing bowl.
Once all of the flour has incorporated into the mixture, scoop it out and spread it into your prepared cake pan.
Bake for 40 minutes, until lightly golden. Use a cake tester or skewer to check that the cake is done
Remove cake from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes, before lifting it out by the baking paper to rest on a cooling rack.
Either dust with icing sugar and serve, or let cool completely before drizzling over the Vanilla Bean Icing

Tips and Tricks

Rubbing the lemon zest into the caster sugar will release the oils from the zest. This will give a much fuller lemon flavour to you cake.
For best results, make sure you scrape your mixing bowl occasionally with a silicone spatula. This will ensure your dry ingredients are mixed thoroughly through the wet ingredients, giving you a lovely, smooth cake batter
Lining your cake pan with enough baking paper to extend along the top will make it easier to lift your cake from the pan

Serving Suggestions

Afternoon tea: top with Vanilla Bean Glaze and a side of Chantilly Cream
As a dessert: without glaze, serve warm with store-bought ice cream, or try my homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
Perfect for Picnics as it’s easily transported and doesn’t need refrigeration.

Storage

Room temperature as it’s so moist, it will stay fresh, stored in an airtight container for a few days.
Freeze uniced cake for up to 3 months to enjoy at a later date. Simply defrost at room temperature, then dust with icing sugar or frost with Vanilla Bean Glaze
Freeze cake slices either iced or plain, you can freeze individual slices, wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 months. These are perfect for grabbing for school lunch boxes