Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake from Cook's Country

 

This is such a yummy lemony treat!  My husband likes to make in the springtime.  Cook's Country does it again!  

Cake:

2 1/2 c. cake flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. buttermilk, room temp.

3 Tbsp. grated lemon zest and 1/4 c. juice from 3  to 4 lemons (my husband used a little more of the lemon zest)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 3/4 c. sugar

12 Tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, room temp.

Glaze: 

3 c. powder sugar

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. buttermilk

1. FOR THE CAKE:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.  Combine buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla in liquid measuring cup.

2.  With electric mixer on medium speed, beat sugar and lemon zest until moist and fragrant, about 1 minute.  Transfer 1/4 c. sugar mixture to small bowl, cover and reserve.  Add butter to remaining sugar mixture and beat until light and fluffy about 2 minutes.  Beat in eggs and yolk, one at a time, until incorporated.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of buttermilk mixture, and mix until smooth, about 30 seconds.

3.  Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top.  Bake until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.  Transfer cake to wire rack and let cool 10 min.

4.  For the glaze:  meanwhile, whisk powder sugar, lemon juice, and buttermilk until smooth.  Gently spread glaze over warm cake and sprinkle evenly with reserved sugar mixture.  Cool completely, at least 2 hours.  Serve  

*Note:  Do not over bake!  It will be dry, this cake should be moist it just tastes so much better!  also the sugar mixture shouldn't be clumpy-- tips from the chef :)