Ingredients

  • Butter: 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened

  • Sugar: 1 cup granulated sugar

  • Eggs: 4 large eggs, room temperature

  • Lemon: Zest of 2 lemons + 3 tablespoons fresh juice

  • Flour: 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

  • Baking Powder: 1 teaspoon

  • Salt: ¼ teaspoon

  • Vanilla: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Optional Topping: Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.

  2. Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is pale and fluffy (about 3–5 minutes).

  3. Add Eggs & Citrus: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Don’t worry if the batter looks slightly curdled; it will smooth out once you add the dry ingredients.

  4. Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into the wet mixture. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix, or the cake will lose its lightness.

  5. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

  6. Cool & Serve: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Once fully cooled, dust generously with powdered sugar.

Pro Tip: For an extra “moist” boost, brush the warm cake with a simple syrup made of equal parts lemon juice and sugar while it’s still cooling!