Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Follow along this step-by-step recipe for moist lemon cake! Lighter than a pound cake, and with its buttery crumble topping, it has a dressy feel. I love a slice with a cup of tea, when I’m seeking a quiet moment in the middle of the busy-ness of the season.
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Makes one 9 × 5-inch (2 L) loaf
Serves 16
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 70 minutes
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• Ingredients •
Crumble
¾ cup (110 g) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (70 g) granulated sugar
1 Tbsp (15 mL) finely grated lemon zest
¼ tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter, melted
Cake
2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into pieces
1 Tbsp (15 mL) finely grated lemon zest
⅔ cup (160 mL) sour cream
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
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• Directions •
1. Preheat the oven to 325 °F (160 °C). Grease a 9 × 5-inch (2 L) loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
2. For the crumble, stir the flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder and salt together. Add the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture is rough and crumbly (but it will be soft). Set aside.
3. For the cake, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl if using electric beaters, or into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and lemon zest and beat on low speed until large pieces of butter are no longer visible.
4. In a bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla together. Add all at once to the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the batter is moistened. Increase the speed to medium, mixing until the batter is smooth, about 30 seconds (the batter will be thick.) Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, level the top and sprinkle with the crumble.
5. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool the loaf cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Follow along this step-by-step recipe for moist lemon cake! Lighter than a pound cake, and with its buttery crumble topping, it has a dressy feel. I love a slice with a cup of tea, when I’m seeking a quiet moment in the middle of the busy-ness of the season.
--------
Makes one 9 × 5-inch (2 L) loaf
Serves 16
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 70 minutes
--------
• Ingredients •
Crumble
¾ cup (110 g) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (70 g) granulated sugar
1 Tbsp (15 mL) finely grated lemon zest
¼ tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter, melted
Cake
2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into pieces
1 Tbsp (15 mL) finely grated lemon zest
⅔ cup (160 mL) sour cream
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
--------
• Directions •
1. Preheat the oven to 325 °F (160 °C). Grease a 9 × 5-inch (2 L) loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
2. For the crumble, stir the flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder and salt together. Add the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture is rough and crumbly (but it will be soft). Set aside.
3. For the cake, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl if using electric beaters, or into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and lemon zest and beat on low speed until large pieces of butter are no longer visible.
4. In a bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla together. Add all at once to the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the batter is moistened. Increase the speed to medium, mixing until the batter is smooth, about 30 seconds (the batter will be thick.) Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, level the top and sprinkle with the crumble.
5. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool the loaf cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out and let cool completely on a wire rack.
