Lemon Sheet Cake
Learn how to make our easy lemon sheet cake recipe!
This is a picture of Dirt Farmer Maggie’s lemon sheet cake, freshly topped with its lemony glaze and ready to serve!
Disclosure: Links to products used in our posts may be affiliate links. This means we may earn a commission, at no additional cost to you, on purchases you make through these links. We only link to products we've used and/or have thoroughly vetted in our posts, regardless of whether we earn a commission. Our primary goal is to share great information and quality products with you, our valued viewers and readers!
Lemon Sheet Cake Recipe
Our lemon sheet cake recipe is easy to make, has a sweet lemony flavor, and is topped with a crunchy lemon glaze. To make this lemon sheet cake from scratch, you’ll get an assist by using a lemon box cake and lemon pudding mix. The result is a moist and tasty cake that holds up well for many days. It can be enjoyed both at the first serving and up to a week later!
You’ll find that our lemon sheet cake tastes and looks great, with its crunchy glaze. The secret to the crunch is applying the powdered sugar lemon glaze multiple times as the cake cools. This produces a thicker glaze (think of a great donut glaze and you get the idea) that delivers a satisfying crunch when you bite into it.
This cheery yellow cake, with its lemony aroma and bursts of sweet citrus in every bite, is sure to become one of your favorites! This is a family favorite of ours, passed on to Dirt Farmer Maggie by Dirt Farmer Jay’s mom.
Read on to learn how to make our lemon sheet cake recipe. You can also scroll to the end to watch Dirt Farmer Maggie make this delicious cake!
Ingredients for Lemon Sheet Cake
You’ll need to gather these ingredients for our lemon sheet cake recipe:
1 package of lemon cake mix. (you can use yellow cake mix in a pinch)
1 small box of instant lemon pudding mix
4 eggs
⅔ cup oil
⅔ cup water
Ingredients for the lemon sheet cake glaze (provided below)
In addition, you’ll need these ingredients for the lemon sheet cake glaze:
1 ¾ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
4 teaspoons water
1 ½ teaspoon oil
How to Make Lemon Sheet Cake
Not only is this lemon sheet cake recipe delicious, but it’s easy to make! After you’ve gathered all of the lemon sheet cake ingredients, you’ll prepare the batter and bake it in a 350-degree oven for about 40 minutes. While the cake is cooling, you’ll whip together the lemon sheet cake glaze. All in all, you can expect it to take about an hour and a half to make our lemon sheet cake from scratch.
Once you’re ready to begin, follow these simple steps to make our lemon sheet cake recipe:
1. Preheat the Oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit
Before you begin preparing the cake batter, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare the Cake Batter
Mix all of the lemon sheet cake ingredients together in a large-to-medium-sized bowl. Set the batter aside. Grease and flour a 9” x 13” pan. Once that’s done, pour the lemon sheet cake batter into the pan.
3. Bake the Cake for 40 Minutes
Once your oven is preheated to 350 degrees F, bake your lemon sheet cake for approximately 40 minutes. Watch it carefully, as it’s important to not overbake the cake. You can check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or a fork into the cake. If no batter sticks to it, then you know it’s ready to remove from the oven.
4. Pierce the Surface and Let the Cake Cool
Once the cake is done baking, remove it from the oven. Pierce the lemon sheet cake over the entire surface using a skewer or fork. Let the cake cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Make the Lemon Sheet Cake Glaze
While the cake is cooling, make the glaze. Add all of the ingredients for the lemon sheet cake glaze to a small-to-medium-sized bowl and whisk until smooth.
6. Drizzle the Glaze on the Sheet Cake
After the cake has cooled for 15 minutes, drizzle about half of the glaze mix over the surface of the cake with a large spoon. You can smooth the surface of the cake with the back of your spoon.
Allow the cake to rest uncovered for another 15 minutes. Once this is done, coat the cake with the remainder of the glaze. Let the cake rest uncovered again until the glaze is set and slightly crunchy.
7. Serve the Lemon Sheet Cake
Once the glaze is set and slightly crunchy, your lemon sheet cake is ready to serve. What’s best is this lemon sheet cake with glaze holds up well for several days. Not only can you enjoy it the day you make it, but it’s just as good up to a week later. One serving on one day just won’t do, so being able to enjoy it for several days is a real plus!
We hope you enjoy the lemony goodness this lemon sheet cake delivers as much as we do! Be prepared for your family and friends to ask you to make it over and over again!
Bottom Line
This easy-to-make lemon sheet cake sure doesn’t taste or look like it was a simple recipe. Serve this lemon sheet cake with glaze to the guests you want to impress the most. All ages love this sweet and tart cake.
We hope you enjoy this lemon sheet cake recipe! If you tried it, drop us a note in the comments. We would love to hear if you made any changes or how you served it. Plus, make sure to let us know if there are other recipes you want us to try. We’re always looking for new recipes!
Also, check out our Lemon Sheet Cake video! In this edition of Maggie’s Kitchen, Dirt Farmer Maggie will teach you how to make this lemon sheet cake from scratch. Enjoy!
