Lemon Sheet Cake

Okay - this sheet cake should be called "OH SO Lemony Sheet Cake"!! Found this little treasure in my Cook's Country magazine and it has been a bit hit.

CAKE:

2 ½ cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¾ cup buttermilk (room temperature)
3 Tbs lemon zest
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
12 Tbs (1 ½ sticks) softened unsalted butter
3 large eggs plue 1 yolk (room temperature)

Heat oven to 325 degrees F and adjust the rack to the middle of the oven. Grease and flour a 13-inch X 9-inch baking pan. (I used a foil pan to take this to an event and it worked fine!)

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside. Combine buttermilk, lemon juice and vanilla in another bowl (I used a medium sized pitcher – which worked well when I later combined with other ingredients).

With an electric mixer on medium, beat the granulated sugar and lemon zest until well combined – about a minute. Set aside ¼ cup in a covered container.

Add the butter to the remaining sugar and beat until light and fluffy (2 minutes). Beat in eggs and yolk one at a time and mix thoroughly. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour and buttermilk mixtures a little at a time alternating between the two until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the batter is smooth.

Pour into the greased and floured pan and bake until the cake is golden and toothpick comes out clean – approximately 25-35 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for ten minutes and cover with glaze.

GLAZE:

3 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs buttermilk

Whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Gently spread over warm cake and sprinkle evenly with remaining lemon sugar. Cool completely (at least 2 hours).

This travels well and serves approximately 16. Once squares are cut you can also garnish with small twisted lemon slices! Enjoy!!