Lemon Butter Cake with Simple Lemon Glaze

I'm not above using a cake mix.  In fact, two nights ago I was really in the mood for lemon cake.  So, I got out a white cake mix, added some lemon zest and juice - presto.  Lemon cake.  I made it into a loaf shape and drizzled it with a glaze.

After I cut into a piece, I thought... this would make a nice new blog header for spring.

So, today, with only a few slices of the original cake remaining I needed to make another lemon cake for my photo shoot.  I was planning to make another quick white-cake-mix-turned-lemon-cake-loaf, when I discovered that I was out of cake mix.  No big deal, I thought, I'll just whip up a cake from scratch - I had everything I needed.
  

 

Let me tell you... the homemade version was hands down the better cake.  It was like slicing into a baked stick of lemony butter.  It probably didn't help that I helped myself to a big slice when it was still warm from the oven.  It was dense, but light - and just the right amount of lemon.

Please, treat yourself to a homemade cake.  It really took me hardly any time at all.  I bet you already have everything in your pantry...

Lemon Butter Cake

makes 1 medium loaf size cake 

New! Printable Recipes, here.

1 stick of butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk

2 lemons, zested & juiced
1 teaspoon vanilla

.......

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 1/2 cup of powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Cream together butter and sugar for 3 minutes.  Add eggs.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt.  In another separate bowl, combine milk, lemon juice, zest and vanilla.  Add half of the wet ingredients to the butter sugar mixture, mix for 5 seconds, then add half of the dry and mix for 5 seconds.  Repeat with second half, ending with dry ingredients.  Pour batter into loaf pan - I like to line mine with parchment paper.  Bake for 35-40 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

For glaze, mix together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth.  Pour over slightly warm cake.  Top with lemon zest. 

I made some cupcakes for Emma - she helped with the glaze and did the sprinkles all by herself.