No-Mixer Lemon Sheet Cake

Prep 15 min · Bake 30 min · Makes 15 squares

I love this cake because it comes together in one bowl with a whisk, and the lemon does all the heavy lifting for flavor. It's the dessert I bring to spring gatherings on Long Island, since it travels flat in a 9x13 pan and feeds a crowd without any fuss.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp fine salt
• ¾ cup whole milk, room temperature
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 2 tbsp lemon zest, finely grated
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• For the glaze: 1¼ cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 to 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Method

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking pan, then line the long sides with parchment for a easy lift-out.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl until evenly blended.
3. In a measuring cup, stir together the milk, melted butter, eggs, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk for about 60 seconds, until the batter is smooth and pourable.
5. Scrape the batter into the pan, tap it once on the counter to release air bubbles, and smooth the surface.
6. Bake 28 to 33 minutes, until the top is pale gold and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes while you whisk the glaze, adding lemon juice 1 tbsp at a time until it's thick but pourable.
8. Pour the glaze over the warm cake and spread it to the edges, letting it sink slightly into the top.
9. Let the glaze set 20 minutes, then lift the cake out with the parchment and cut into 15 squares.

This recipe is part of the new recipes section, added to replace the original blog pages that were not preserved in the archive.