Gooey, lemony, and delicious, this Lemon Butter Cake will have you coming back for seconds, and then thirds. It's bursting with lemon flavors, gooey and moist, and topped with a generous amount of powdered sugar!
Lemon desserts are some of my favorite! The tangy tartness mixed with the sweetness is something you can't say no to! This Gooey Lemon Butter Cake is absolutely delicious, easy to make, and such a crowd pleaser. I've made it several times for different groups of people and it's always rave reviews. It's also been such a fan favorite on my blog since I first published it!
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🍋 What is Lemon Butter Cake?
Lemon Butter Cake is a different take on Gooey Butter Cake, which is a delicious cake native to St. Louis, Missouri. It's a dense cake made with flour, butter, sugar, and egg, and has a creamy, gooey filling. It's typically served with powdered sugar, and it's so easy to make, and even easier to eat!
♥ Why You'll Love This Recipe
Lemon - If you're a lemon lover, you'll absolutely love this cake! It's filled with lots of lemon flavor, like my Shortbread Lemon Blondies.
Gooey -The cream cheese filling creates such a wonderful gooey texture.
Easy - This Lemon Butter Cake will take you no time at all to whip up and enjoy, like my Orange Olive Oil Cake.
Year-round dessert - This recipe can be made any time of year!
Fan favorite - It's been a reader favorite on my blog since I published it, but it's also loved by anyone who has tried it!
Single layer - Who doesn't like a one layer cake? Easy and a crowd pleaser, like my Lemon Bundt Cake.
📝 Ingredient Notes
A full list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions are located in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Lemon Cake
- Butter: I use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in the recipe. Once melted, make sure to allow the butter to cool before using in the recipe.
- Flour: All purpose flour is used in this Lemon Butter Cake, and as always, make sure to weigh your ingredients for best results.
- Baking powder: Leaving agent to help the cake rise.
- Salt: Needed to balance flavors, as well as enhance.
- Granulated sugar: To sweeten the cake.
- Lemon zest & juice: Lots of zest and lemon juice for this Lemon Butter Cake.
- Egg: Room temperature egg, and only one.
Lemon Cream Filling
- Cream cheese: Use full fat, softened cream cheese.
- Powdered sugar: The filling uses powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar for a smoother texture.
- Egg: Make sure the egg is at room temperature.
- Lemon zest & juice: Both are essential in the filling to create an even greater lemon flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
🍴Special Equipment
Kitchen Scale: It's so important to use a kitchen scale for accurate results.
Springform Pan: You'll need a 9 inch Springform pan.
Mixing bowls: I love using glass Mixing Bowls when making batters and doughs.
Mixer: You can use a stand mixer, or a handheld mixer.
✨ Variations
If you're not a fan of Lemon, there's a couple different ways you can try to experiment with this Lemon Butter Cake recipe.
Lime - switch it up and use limes in place of lemons.
Orange - Orange flavored butter cake would also be delicious.
Plain - Keep it simple and go for a classic Gooey Butter Cake.
𓎩 Step-by-Step Instructions
A few instruction photos to help you nail this recipe every time.
Step 1
Cake batter - Preheat the oven to 350℉ & Line a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest and rub together using your fingers to infuse the sugar with the zest. Then add the lemon juice, egg, and melted butter and mix until combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mixed until just incorporated and pour into prepared pan.
Step 2
Lemon Cream Filling - In a medium bowl, add cream cheese and beat using a hand mixer until completely smooth. Add the egg, lemon zest, lemon juice and beat until combined. Then slowly add the powdered sugar until completely incorporated.
Pour the filling over the batter in the prepared pan, then bake for 30-40 minutes (mine took about 35 minutes) until the edges are golden brown and the center has puffed up. Once puffed up evenly in the center, the cake is done. If you don't want it to be too gooey in the center, you can bake it for a few more minutes, and it will still taste delicious.
Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before removing the cake from the springform pan.
Top with powdered sugar and enjoy.
💡 Hint: Since this cake is gooey, it's not easy to tell when it's actually done, so you can't insert a toothpick. Instead, you'll know when the cake has puffed up evenly in the center and you'll notice the edges have become golden. Start checking for these signs at the 30 minute mark.
💬 FAQ
Since this cake is gooey, it's not easy to tell when it's actually done, so you can't insert a toothpick. Instead, you'll know when the cake has puffed up evenly in the center and you'll notice the edges have become golden. Start checking for these signs at the 30 minute mark.
Yes, you can use a 9 inch round cake pan, but make sure to line it with parchment paper, and make sure the parchment paper comes up the sides so that you can lift it out of the pan when it's done.
💡Pro Tips
Measure Flour Correctly: As always, with any recipe, use a kitchen scale, as it is the best form of measuring your ingredients. If you don't have a kitchen scale, fluff your flour, scoop flour with a spoon into a measuring cup and level off.
Line pan: Prep your pan with parchment paper at the bottom.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure to use room temperature ingredients where called for.
Fresh Lemon Juice: Don't use bottled lemon juice. Make sure to juice your own lemons.
Infuse the sugar with zest: To achieve a cake bursting with lemon, infuse the sugar with the zest by rubbing the zest and sugar together with your fingers to release the oils in the zest. This creates an even better flavored cake.
Don't Over bake: Since this cake is gooey, it's not easy to tell when it's actually done, so you can't insert a toothpick. Instead, you'll know when the cake has puffed up evenly in the center and you'll notice the edges have become golden. Start checking for these signs at the 30 minute mark.
❄ Storage
Keep the Lemon Butter Cake stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days, or freeze if you want to keep it longer.
Did you make this recipe or any other recipe on my website? I'd love to hear about it! Please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Don't forget to Tag me on Instagram or Facebook when you recreate a recipe! The feedback helps both me and the readers!
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📖 Recipe Card
Gooey Lemon Butter Cake
Equipment
- 1 9 inch springform pan
Ingredients
Lemon Cake
- 1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- zest from 2 large lemons
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter melted
Lemon Cream Filling
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1⅔ cup (200 g) powdered sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- zest of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Lemon cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Line a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk and set aside.1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour, 1¼ teaspoon Baking powder, ¼ teaspoon Salt
- In a medium bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest and rub together using your fingers to infuse the sugar with the zest. Then add the lemon juice, egg, and melted butter and mix until combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated and pour into prepared pan.1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, zest from 2 large lemons, 3 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 large egg, ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter
Lemon cream filling
- In a medium bowl, add cream cheese and beat using a hand mixer until completely smooth. Add the egg, lemon zest, lemon juice and beat until combined. Then slowly add the powdered sugar until completely incorporated.8 oz. cream cheese, 1⅔ cup (200 g) powdered sugar, 1 large egg, zest of one lemon, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Pour the filling over the batter in the prepared pan, then bake for 30-40 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the center has puffed up (see notes). Once puffed up evenly in the center, the cake is done. If you don't want it to be too gooey in the center, you can bake it for a few more minutes, and it will still taste delicious.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before removing the cake from the springform pan.
- Top with powdered sugar and enjoy.
Notes
- Since this cake is gooey, it's not easy to tell when it's actually done, so you can't insert a toothpick. Instead, you'll know when the cake has puffed up evenly in the center and you'll notice the edges have become golden. Start checking for these signs at the 30 minute mark.
I haven’t as yet tried this recipe but I am really looking forward to it,our family loves anything made with lemons.
Can I use self raising flour instead of plain flour and baking powder?
I don't use self rising flour so I can't really say if it will work or not since I haven't tested it.
Ohhhhh Gooooooeeyyyyy Lemon Cake is Ssssooooooooooo delicious, at least what I could taste clinging to the side of the pan as I was putting the cake on a plate.
Thank you for a great recipie and your tips were spot on.
Oh this makes me so happy! I'm so glad you liked it. Thank you for trying the recipe and for leaving a review! 🙂
My wife sent me this in the morning, I had my brother over for lunch, he took half of the cake with him. One of the easiest most tasty recipes I ever tried. Thank you sister Hakima.
By the way I made a simple lemon flavored whipped cream on the side for whoever wanted but it is so good as is I didn't add anything ...
Thank you so much for trying the recipe, and I'm so glad you loved it! The lemon flavored whipped cream sounds so delicious too!
Absolutely love this, I've made it twice. It does take me longer than the stated time to make it though
This makes me so happy! Thank you for trying out the recipe! 🙂
This cake was delicious. It turned out really well. Love the lemon tang. Thank you for this recipe. I will be making this again.
I'm so happy you love this recipe! Thank you for trying it out. 🙂
Too much powdered sugar in topping, 1 cup is probably enough !!! I
Less sugar would work out! I hope you give it a second try with reduced amount. 🙂 Thank you for trying and leaving a review.
This cake was amazing! I made it for my husband's birthday and I don't usually like lemon cakes, but this was so delicious! Thank you so much!
I'm so happy you loved it! Happy birthday to your husband! Thank you for trying the recipe. 🙂
Can you make this in a bundt pan?
I wouldn't use a bundt pan since a bundt pan typically needs to be HIGHLY greased and meant for more heavy cakes. A bundt pan would also typically need to be inverted to remove the cake, and with the lemon butter cake, if you invert it out of the oven, you'd probably have a pretty big mess on your hands. I would either stick with the springform pan, or line a round baking pan with parchment paper. Thank you so much for the question!
Ah, thank you for saving me from that mistake!
My second comment is a suggestion for an icing I made a lemon mint icing for this cake and worked out quite well. Simply blend a good few fresh mint leaves couple of table spoon of lemon juice until totally smooth and stir into 3/4 to 1 cup of powdered sugar.
You can adjust the strength of the ingredients as you wish according to your preferred taste. Hope you like it.
This sounds SO good. Thank you so much for the icing tip! I'll have to give it a try.
An absolute hit every time I make this!