Step 1
Preheat oven to 350° with a rack in the middle. Grease an 8×2″ round cake pan with unsalted butter, then dust with all-purpose flour, tapping out excess. (Alternatively, butter cake pan, then line the bottom with a parchment paper round and butter the paper.)
Step 2
Whisk 1½ cups (187 g) all-purpose flour, 1½ tsp. baking powder, and a rounded ¼ tsp. kosher salt in a medium mixing bowl. Stir ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp. whole milk and ½ tsp. vanilla extract in a small bowl.
Step 3
Beat ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, and 1 Tbsp. (packed) finely grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons) in a large bowl with an electric mixer (either a stand mixer with paddle attachment or handheld mixer with beaters) on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 3 large eggs, room temperature, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Step 4
At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients, and mixing until each addition is just incorporated.
Step 5
Pour cake batter into prepared pan and smooth top, then rap gently on counter to release any air bubbles. Bake until golden and a wooden tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35–40 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes.
Step 6
Whisk 1 cup (110 g) powdered sugar and ¼ cup fresh lemon juice in a medium bowl until smooth.
Step 7
Turn out cake onto a wire rack set over a baking sheet, then reinvert onto a platter. Brush top and side of warm cake with all of lemon glaze. Let cool completely. Just before serving, dust top of the cake with more powdered sugar if desired.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
Do Ahead: Cake can be glazed 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature.
Editor’s note: This lemon cake recipe was first printed in the April 2009 issue of ‘Gourmet’ as ‘Lemon-Glazed Butter Cake’. Head this way for more of our best lemon desserts →
