Texas Lemon Sheet Cake

This has become the "Mr.'s" birthday cake request.  It's one of my most asked for recipes...we just finished one off, last week!

Texas Lemon Sheet Cake

Cake:
2 1/2 Cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
Zest from 5-6 lemons (approximately 3 Tbs)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 sticks softened unsalted butter
3 large eggs (room temperature)
1 egg yolk (room temperature)


Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
Adjust the rack to middle of oven.
Grease and flour a 13 x 9" baking pan.
With a whisk, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
Pour buttermilk, lemon juice and vanilla in a small bowl or measuring cup. I used a liquid measuring cup since this has to be poured into mixture later.
Using a mixer set on medium speed, beat the granulated sugar and lemon zest until well combined-about a minute. Take about 1/4 cup and place in a covered container and set aside.  This will be sprinkled over the glaze! If you do not use this all for the cake top, it is great in hot tea!
In the bowl with the remaining sugar/zest blend, add the butter and beat until light and fluffly, almost 3 minutes.  Beat in eggs and yolk one at a time an mix thoroughly. I always swear that I am going to use my stand mixer because of this step and I never do! grrr!  Reduce mixer speed to low and alternate adding the flour and buttermilk mixtures about a quarter at a time until all is fully incorporated and the batter is smooth.  It will be a thicker batter than the regualr Texas Sheet Cake, since we use cake flour in this one.
Pour into pan and bake until cake is golden and toothpick comes out clean - between 25 and 35 minutes.  It helps to know your oven...my cake took about 30 minutes...you do NOT want to overbake this! Consider your pan, as well...thinner cake will take less time...thicker, more time...Oh, and it never really turned "golden" either...I went with the toothpick test.
Cool cake in cake pan on a wire rack for ten minutes and cover with glaze. If you prep your glaze ingredients, you can easily make it while cake is cooling.

Glaze:
3 cups confectioners sugar
3 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs buttermilk
Lemon Sugar (which was set aside)

Whisk together all ingredients (except Lemon Sugar) until smooth.  Gently spread over warm cake and sprinkle evenly with lemon sugar.  I am not sure how much lemon juice I really used. I squeezed a lemon and put approximately 3 Tbs, but it was still really thick, so I added more. A twisted lemon slice for garnish is cute! 

It is a dense cake and sooo yummy!  Make sure you get a small piece to start!

much love,