Glazed Lemon Yogurt Sheet Cake
User Reviews
4.7
Glazed Lemon Yogurt Sheet Cake
Description
The Glazed Lemon Yogurt Sheet Cake uses a combination of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda as leavening agents to achieve a light texture. Fresh lemon zest is mixed with sugar early on to release essential oils, giving the cake a bright lemon aroma and flavor. The wet ingredients include eggs, neutral oil, applesauce, plain yogurt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, which together provide moisture and tenderize the crumb. The batter is mixed just until combined to avoid over-developing gluten, preserving softness.
Baked in a 9x13-inch pan, the cake results in a single-layer sheet cake with a gentle rise and a moist interior. The lemon glaze, made by whisking powdered sugar with fresh lemon juice and plain yogurt, adds tanginess and a sweet finish that complements the cake's citrus notes. The glaze can be adjusted for desired consistency and poured over the cake once it has cooled slightly.
This cake balances tart and sweet flavors and works well for a casual dessert or snack. Fresh lemons are key for zest and juice, and the recipe advises zesting before juicing to maximize flavor. Applesauce partially replaces oil to reduce fat while maintaining moisture. The cake can be enjoyed plain or with additional toppings like berries or whipped cream if desired.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest from about 3 lemons, fresh
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large egg
- ½ cup neutral cooking oil coconut, canola, etc, generic cooking oil
- ¼ cup applesauce no-sugar added
- 1 cup plain lowfat yogurt or plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup lemon juice fresh
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 1 tablespoon PLAIN yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the lemon zest and sugar and lightly rub together with your fingers until well combined (this releases the oils in the zest and amplifies lemon flavor). Whisk in the eggs, oil, applesauce, yogurt, lemon juice and vanilla; mixing well.
- Stir in the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined (don't overmix!).
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
- While the cake is baking, whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth and pourable (I use the full 2 tablespoons lemon juice but you might want to start with the lesser amount and add more, as needed, if you don't want your glaze quite as runny). Let the cake rest for 10 minutes after baking and then pour the glaze over the warm cake.
- Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled. This cake, if well-covered, stays moist for several days.
Notes
- If you don't have applesauce, increase the oil amount to ¾ cup instead of ½ cup for proper moisture.
- Use about 4 large lemons to get enough zest and juice for both the cake and glaze; zest lemons before juicing.
- If you lack a zester, the small holes of a box grater can substitute, but avoid scraping into the bitter white pith.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 15Servings (9X13-inch sheet cake)
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 Piece | |
| Calories | 321kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 55g | 18% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 52mg | 17% |
| Sodium | 170mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 37g | 74% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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