Shared by Jessie Sheehan
Shared by Jessie Sheehan
'Lemon Velvet' Sheet Cake
Yield: 13x9 inch cake
'Lemon Velvet' Sheet Cake
Yield: 13x9 inch cakeThis recipe was shared by Jessie Sheehan. Read more about her family in "The ‘Secret’ Behind a Grandmother’s Lemon Cake."
My grandmother's recipe recommends poking the cake all over with a toothpick, so that the glaze seeps into the cake. I have done this, but it results in a pock-marked cake (the choice is yours).
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 ½ cups cake flour, sifted
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup lightly packed lemon zest (about 4 large lemons)
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract, optional
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup neutral olive oil – not extra virgin
- 2 large eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- ¼ cup lemon juice (about one lemon)
- 1 cup crème fraiche or sour cream
For the glaze:
- 2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 5 tablespoons lemon juice (about one lemon)
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 13x9 inch pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
Step 3
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and the zest and using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar until fully incorporated. Add the lemon extract, vanilla extract and oil and whisk. Add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, whisking between each addition. Add the lemon juice and whisk again; and then the crème fraiche or sour cream, whisking a final time to incorporate – don’t be afraid to whisk relatively vigorously throughout all of this.
Step 4
Add the dry ingredients all at once, and using a rubber spatula, very gently fold the dry into the wet.
Step 5
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 33 minutes, rotating at the halfway point, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a moist crumb or two.
Step 6
Set the pan on a cooling rack and let the cake cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Invert the cake right side up directly onto the cooling rack, then place the cooling rack inside a baking sheet with sides.
Step 7
To make the glaze: Place the confectioners’ sugar and the lemon juice in a large bowl. Whisk vigorously until smooth.
Step 8
Gently pour the glaze over the cake, using an offset spatula to spread the glaze if it pools. Let the cake cool to room temperature. Enjoy immediately or cover tightly until ready to serve. This cake is super moist and will keep at room temperature for 3 to 5 days.
