This moist, tender Ina Garten Lemon Cake is made with fresh lemon juice, butter, and buttermilk, ready in one hour and fifteen minutes. Pouring the sweet lemon syrup over the warm cake creates a sticky, intensely citrusy crust. I always bake this when I have leftover lemons rolling around the fridge.

Try More Recipes:

Jump to Recipe

Why This Classic Works

I used to struggle with dry loaf cakes that looked beautiful but tasted like sawdust. Sticking to room temperature ingredients made a massive difference in how the batter emulsified.

The real trick here is the soaking syrup. Brushing the hot cake with lemon juice and sugar forces moisture directly into the crumb before it cools.

Ina Garten Lemon Cake Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup grated lemon zest (about 4 lemons)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Syrup:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
For the Glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

How To Make Ina Garten Lemon Cake

Prep the oven and pan: Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan, lining the bottom with parchment paper.
Cream butter and sugar: Beat the room temperature butter and sugar in a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add eggs and zest: Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the lemon zest and vanilla extract.
Mix dry ingredients: Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl.
Combine wet and dry: Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to the batter in three batches, ending with the dry ingredients.
Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Soak with syrup: Heat the syrup sugar and lemon juice until dissolved. Brush over the warm cake while it rests in the pan for 10 minutes.
Glaze and serve: Whisk confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice, then drizzle over the fully cooled cake.

Recipe Tips

Room temperature matters: Using cold eggs or buttermilk will cause the batter to curdle and affect the final rise.
Zest before juicing: It is much harder to grate the zest off a lemon after you have already squeezed it empty.
Don’t skip the soak: The warm cake absorbs the syrup better, locking in moisture and preventing a dry crumb.
Let it cool completely: If you add the final glaze while the cake is warm, it will melt off completely.

What To Serve With Lemon Cake

A dollop of unsweetened whipped cream balances the tartness of the lemon glaze perfectly. Fresh raspberries or blackberries also pair beautifully with the bright citrus flavor.

How To Store

Keep the cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to four days. You can also freeze unglazed slices wrapped in foil for up to three months.

FAQs

Can I use yogurt instead of buttermilk? Yes, plain whole milk yogurt or sour cream works perfectly in place of the buttermilk. Use an exact one to one substitution.
Why did my loaf sink in the middle? Opening the oven door too early causes a sudden drop in temperature. Always wait until the final ten minutes to check the cake.
Can I bake this in a bundt pan? This recipe is scaled for a standard loaf pan. If you use a bundt pan, you will need to double the ingredients and increase the baking time.

Nutrition

Calories: 380 kcal
Total Fat: 13 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Cholesterol: 70 mg
Sodium: 210 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 62 g
Protein: 4 g

Try More Recipes: