I bring to you one of the easiest and delicious cake recipes from a barefoot contessa cookbook. For beginners who want to learn how to make cakes, you can start here following those simple steps, and make your first lemon cake.
Like Ina Garten Said "If you know how to make lemon cake, you will make any other cake"

Ina Garten Lemon Cake
Ina Garten Lemon Cake is a very simple cake. The cake batter is made with eggs, flour, baking powder and soda, buttermilk instead of heavy cream, and lemon juice and zest. after you bake the lemon cake, you will make a simple lemon syrup which is made with sugar and lemon zest or juice then pour on the top the cake. Finally, you will make a glaze with a mixing of the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice then drizzle it on the cake.
How To Store Ina Garten Lemon Cake
Store at Room Temperature
The best way to keep this lemon cake is to store it in a well-closed glass container to protect it from dust, pet hair, and other things in the air. and leave them in any place at room temperature. Properly stored lemon cake can be kept at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
Store In The Fridge
The same for the fridge method, just cut the cakes and store them in a glass container then place them in the fridge. Homemade lemon cakes can last in the fridge for 2 to 3 days and stay fresh.
Don't forget to let the cake cool to room temperature before placing it in the fridge.
Note: Is important to store the cake without syrup or glaze.
How To Reheat Leftover Lemon Cake
Whatever you will reheat from room temperature or from the fridge, Just place the leftover lemon cake in the microwave and reheat for about 1 to 2 min.
If don't like microwaves (like me), you can reheat in the air fryer or in the oven at 300°F for about 5 min in the oven and about 2 min in the air fryer. always check a couple of minutes before the recommended time.

Ina Garten Lemon Cake Variations
Ina Garten had a lot of different lemon cake recipes such as lemon cake with yogurt, blueberry, poppy seeds, and much more. I bring to you these most famous lemon cakes recipes which I found in barefoot contessa cookbooks and FoodNetwork.
I will write about every one of them in the next few days, just keep coming. and if you have another recipe feel free to leave it in a comment.
- Ina Garten Lemon Yogurt Cake: Very similar to this lemon cake recipe, but you will use yogurt instead of buttermilk. It's more moisture than this lemon cake.
- Ina Garten Lemon Poppy Seed Cake: You can make Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with the same ingredients and instructions of lemon cake (using yogurt or buttermilk), then you will add poppy seeds to the cake batter and n top before baking. It has great looking, a little bit golden with dark points everywhere.
- Ina Garten Lemon Blueberry Cake: You can make Lemon Blueberry Cake in two different ways. First, you will blueberry mash or paste and mix with the cake batter, or you can add the blueberry on the bottom of that baking pan then add the lemon cake batter on top. This will create different layers of blueberry and lemon batter.
- Ina Garten Lemon Angel Food Cake: This is the easiest lemon cake that ina garten made. using the same ingredients then bake it in a round pan.
Ina Garten Lemon Cake Ingredients
For The Cake
- ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar, divided
- 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
- 3 cups flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
- ¾ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the glaze:
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 3 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Ina Garten Lemon Cake Instructions
- Like usually, we start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease and flour 2 loaf pans, you can choose loaf pans or any baking pan you want.
- You may also line the bottom with parchment paper if desired, it will help you to remove the cake easily and without any leftovers.
- Place the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment(the best for cake batters), until light and fluffy, it will take about 5 minutes.
- With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 egg at a time.
- Once you finish with the eggs, add the lemon zest, and beat for about 1, and stop the mixer.
- Now for the dry ingredients, Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, combine ¼ cup lemon juice, buttermilk (low in fat and great for cakes), and vanilla extraction.
- Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour.
- If you will use multiple pans, divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops.
- Place the pans in the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
- For the lemon syrup, combine ½ cup granulated sugar with ½ cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. You can also add lemon zest for a strong taste.
- When the cake(s) is cooked, leave it aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the pan and set them on a rack set over a tray or Pour the lemon syrup over them using a spoon.
- For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth.
- Pour glaze over the cakes and allow them to drizzle down the sides for looking professional touch.
- Serve and enjoy!!
What To Serve With Ina Garten Lemon Cake
I personally love serving lemon cakes or any other cakes in the morning with a cup of chocolate and milk. You can serve lemon cakes with fresh juice such as strawberry juice or lemon juice, you can also serve it with vanilla ice cream or fruit salad.
Check This list of dishes to serve with lemon juice:
- Peach Crisp
- Peach Cobbler Egg Rolls
- Strawberry Boba Recipe
- Funnel Cake
- Candied Strawberries Without Corn Syrup
- Crunchy Strawberries Recipes
- iced coffee
- Mexican Hot Chocolate

Ina Garten Lemon Cake Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 piece (126g grams)
- Calories 421
- Calories from Fat 148
- Total Fat 16g
- Saturated Fat 7.7g
- Trans Fat 0g
- Cholesterol 74mg
- Sodium 275mg
- Potassium 83mg
- Total Carbohydrates 65g
- Dietary Fiber 0.8g
- Sugars 47g
- Protein 4.2g

Ina Garten Lemon Cake
Description
Ina Garten Lemon Cake, today I bring to you one of the easiest and delicious cake recipes from a barefoot contessa cookbook. For beginners who want to learn how to make cakes, you can start here following those simple steps, and make your first lemon cake.
Ingredients
For The Cake
For the glaze:
Instructions
- Like usually, we start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease and flour 2 loaf pans, you can choose loaf pans or any baking pan you want.
- You may also line the bottom with parchment paper if desired, it will help you to remove the cake easily and without any leftovers.
- Place the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment(the best for cake batters), until light and fluffy, it will take about 5 minutes.
- With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 egg at a time.
- Once you finish with the eggs, add the lemon zest, and beat for about 1, and stop the mixer.
- Now for the dry ingredients, Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, combine ¼ cup lemon juice, buttermilk (low in fat and great for cakes), and vanilla extraction.
- Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour.
- If you will use multiple pans, divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops.
- Place the pans in the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
- For the lemon syrup, combine ½ cup granulated sugar with ½ cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. You can also add lemon zest for a strong taste.
- When the cake(s) is cooked, leave it aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the pan and set them on a rack set over a tray or Pour the lemon syrup over them using a spoon.
- For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth.
- Pour glaze over the cakes and allow them to drizzle down the sides for looking professional touch.
- Serve and enjoy!!
Video
Serving Size 1 piece (126g)
Servings 1
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 421
- Calories from Fat 148
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 16g25%
- Saturated Fat 7.7g39%
- Cholesterol 74mg25%
- Sodium 275mg12%
- Potassium 83mg3%
- Total Carbohydrate 65g22%
- Dietary Fiber 0.8g4%
- Sugars 47g
- Protein 4.2g9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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