French Lemon Cake with Lemon Glaze
Includes instructions on how to make a glaze for lemon cake.
Updated June 08, 2022 
Editor's Note: This delicate French Lemon Cake with Lemon Glaze is the perfect lemon cake recipe for teatime or whenever you need a warm-weather dessert. The cake itself, like other French cakes, is moist and sweet, while the glaze offers a hint of sour lemon flavor to create a delicious contrast. The bright yellow of the lemon is reminiscent of summertime, and this cake would be a pretty finishing touch for a party of a picnic. You'll love the classic combo of sweet treats and tart flavors. Plus, it's made in the slow cooker, meaning you can forget about it once you add in the ingredients! And with its delicate lemon glaze, this cake will be elegant enough to serve at a dinner party this summer. You'll love how easy it is to make this refreshing cake.
We fell in love with the moist, soft texture of this cake. It is wonderful with the tart lemon glaze and even better topped with the glaze and fresh blueberries. Be prepared for your friends to request the recipe for themselves.
Makes1 (7-inch) round cake
Cooking MethodBaking, Slow Cooking
CostInexpensive
Total Timehalf-day
Make Ahead RecipeYes
Kid FriendlyYes
OccasionBuffet, Casual Dinner Party, Cocktail Party, Family Get Together
Recipe CourseDessert
EquipmentCrock Pot
MealTea
Taste and TextureSweet, Tangy, Tart
Type of DishCake, Dessert
Ingredients
- Cake Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- Dash of salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Zest of 1 lemon (see Tip below)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Lemon Glaze Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Lovely Lemon Recipes
Find them all here:19 Lemon Desserts: Recipes for Lemon Cakes, Meringues, and More
Love the bright yellow hues and tart flavors of lemon recipes? You're in luck. We have a whole collection of lemon dessert recipes including:
1. Sticky Lemon Cake
2. Lemon-Ginger Cookie Sandwiches
3. Lemon Bars
4. Raspberry Lemon Mousse Tart
5. Lemon Meringue Tart
Instructions
Cake Instructions
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Butter a 7-inch springform pan and set aside. Crumple a sheet of aluminum foil, about 24 inches long, into a thin strip, then form it into a 7-inch ring. Place the ring in the bottom of a large slow cooker.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
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In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Add the sour cream and blend well.
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Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until well blended. Beat in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place the filled springform pan on the foil ring in the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and bake on high for 3 to 4 hours, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
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Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the outer ring from the pan and let the cake cool completely.
Glaze Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake.
Tip
Lemon zest is easy to grate using a Microplane grater. Remember that the wonderful, intense lemon flavor you want is in the colored portion, but the white pith is bitter.
Let Them Eat Cake
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2015 Roxanne Wyss & Kathy Moore
