Vanilla Lemon Cake

Aug 16, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cakes cupcakes Origin: Tahitian Vanilla: Beans Medium

This classic butter cake has a tender crumb, clean vanilla flavor, and enough structure for layering or frosting. Lemon adds flavor and texture. Best with Tahitian vanilla (floral, cherry, anise); any pure vanilla works.

Prep 25 min

Cook 30 min

Cooling 45 min

Total 1 hr 40 min

Servings 10

Diet —

Ingredients

2.0 cups (240.0 g)all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups (300.0 g)granulated sugar
¾ cup (170.0 g)unsalted butter, softened
3.0 (150.0 g)large eggs
1.0 cup (240.0 ml)whole milk
2.0 tsp (8.0 g)baking powder
½ tsp (3.0 g)fine sea salt
½ (2.0 g)VanillaGoods vanilla bean, split and scraped

Flavor Accent

2.0 tsp (4.0 g)finely grated lemon zest

Make it at home

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Instructions

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, and grease the parchment.
Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture should be pale, fluffy, and visibly increased in volume.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the scraped vanilla seeds. If the batter begins to look curdled, add a spoonful of the measured flour.
Whisk the finely grated lemon zest evenly into the dry ingredients so the lemon is dispersed before the wet and dry mixtures are combined. The accent should be evenly distributed with no visible pockets.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix on low and stop as soon as the batter is smooth.
Divide the batter evenly between the pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes. The cakes are done when the tops spring back lightly and a tester inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them onto a rack and let them cool completely before filling or frosting.

Tips

Optional add-in: fold 100 g toasted almonds, pecans or pistachios (cooled and chopped) into the finished dough or batter just until evenly distributed.
Optional finish, honey glaze (¾ cup confectioners' sugar, 1½ tbsp honey, 1 tbsp whole milk): whisk the confectioners' sugar, honey, and milk until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the fully cooled cake.
Optional add-in, toasted coconut: fold 100 g unsweetened toasted coconut flakes, cooled into the finished dough or batter just until evenly distributed.
Optional finish, vanilla glaze (1 cup confectioners' sugar, 1½ tbsp whole milk, ½ tsp VanillaGoods vanilla extract): whisk the confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle over the fully cooled cake.
Add any glaze or dusting only after the cake has cooled completely, about 60 minutes.
No vanilla bean? Use 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla powder instead. Add it where the recipe adds the seeds; if the bean is steeped in hot milk or cream, stir the swap in after cooking, off the heat.
Best vanilla for this: Tahitian (floral, cherry, anise), or Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic). Any pure vanilla works.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make vanilla lemon cake?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking, plus 45 minutes to rest, chill, or cool. It makes 10 servings.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

No vanilla bean? Use 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla powder instead. Add it where the recipe adds the seeds; if the bean is steeped in hot milk or cream, stir the swap in after cooking, off the heat.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 10 servings this recipe makes.

362 Calories / serving

16.3g Fat

49.6g Carbs

5.2g Protein

31.4g Sugar

Whole recipe (10 servings): ~3620 cal · 163g fat · 496g carbs · 52g protein · 314g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 362 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 68 min·4.0 mi·~7950 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 49 min·2.5 mi·~4900 steps
Moderate cycling 37 min·7.4 mi
Swimming laps 51 min
Jogging 35 min·2.9 mi·~5600 steps
Stair climbing 33 min·~2950 steps
Dancing 59 min
Bodyweight circuit training 37 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 84 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.