Quick Lemon-Iced Yellow Cake
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
You're gonna FLIP. You might want to double this recipe and make it in a 9 x 13-inch pan (if you do, check for doneness early and often) because it's incredible. You won't believe something this good can be this quick and easy.
Author:
Serves: 9-12
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons cake flour
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
Frosting Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons flour
  • 10 tablespoons granulated sugar (not powdered sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
  • lemon zest for topping
  • 5-6 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
Instructions
  1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease an 8-inch square baking pan (I use Wilton's Cake Release to grease my whole pan and then place a sheet of greased parchment in the bottom of the pan). In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the butter and water to a boil. In the meantime, in a separate large bowl, whisk together the cake flour and sugar before adding the egg, sour cream, almond extract, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine. While mixing, slowly pour in the boiling butter and water mixture. Mix to combine completely. Your batter will be very runny. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 17-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in several places comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely (I stick mine in the fridge and it was cool in about an hour).
  2. While the cake bakes, start the frosting. Heat the milk, flour, and granulated sugar together over medium heat, whisking constantly. Once it starts to boil, continue whisking and heating it for around 7 minutes or until it's very thick, like cake batter consistency. Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the lemon extract. Remove the mixture to a shallow pan and let the mixture cool completely (Again, I stick mine in the fridge for an hour).
  3. When the cake and frosting mixture are both completely cool, finish the frosting. Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer until soft and fluffy. Add the completely cooled milk/flour mixture and beat on high (mixing in a few drops of food coloring if desired) until you have fluffy frosting the consistency of stiff whipped cream (this takes a few minutes — don’t worry!) Turn the cake out onto a platter and spread the frosting over the top. Top with lemon zest and serve!
Recipe by Willow Bird Baking at http://willowbirdbaking.com/2015/04/27/quick-lemon-iced-yellow-cake/