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    Broken Oven Baking » Recipes » Cakes & Cupcakes

    Lemon Snack Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Published: Jan 18, 2023 by Kayla Burton · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Lemon Snack Cake Pin

    I love a snack cake - it's cake that can be snacked on any time of day! My Lemon Snack Cake is bright and lemony and stays moist and delicious thanks to the oil and kefir in the batter. And it's topped with a tangy and sweet lemon cream cheese frosting that is irresistible.

    Lemon snack cake with lemon cream cheese frosting.

    This easy lemon cake is simple and quick to make, so it's perfect to mix up during the week but it's delicious enough to bring as a gift for a friend or to serve at your next brunch! It truly is one of the best snacking cakes I've ever had!

    This recipe is sponsored by Lifeway Kefir. Their organic kefir is lactose intolerance friendly and full of healthy probiotics, protein, and calcium. Plus, they have a variety of different flavors! The lemon one is amazing in this cake.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutions & Variations
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • Expert Baking Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Storage
    • More Recipes You'll Love
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • It's bursting with lemon flavor in the batter and the frosting.
    • This simple lemon cake comes together in under 30 minutes and doesn't require any special equipment!
    • It's topped with a decadent lemon cream cheese icing using fresh zest.
    • It's perfect as a snack, for breakfast, or dessert!
    • If you enjoy my Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Filling or Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars, you will love this recipe!

    Ingredients

    Ingredients needed to make lemon snack cake with cream cheese frosting.
    • Lemon is the main event in this small lemon cake recipe, and the flavor comes from two ingredients - lemon zest and lemon kefir. Lifeway's Organic Lemon Whole Milk Kefir brings lemon flavor, tang, and helps keep the cake moist.
    • You will use baking powder and baking soda to get a good rise in your cake.
    • You'll need some staples like all purpose flour, salt, granulated sugar, and an egg.
    • Vegetable oil is key to a moist snacking cake. You can use vegetable, canola, or any other neutral oil.
    • Room temperature cream cheese and unsalted butter make the creamiest lemon glaze.

    See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

    Substitutions & Variations

    • Add in a tablespoon of poppyseeds for added crunch and flavor.
    • Mix in raspberries or blueberries for an extra fruity version of this lemon cake.
    • Not feeling the cream cheese frosting? Feel free to leave it off or use a different kind, like buttercream or a simple icing!
    • If you can't find lemon flavored kefir, you can use plain instead. Or, if you absolutely cannot find kefir at all, buttermilk can be used in its place.

    This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!

    Step by Step Instructions

    Whisking

    Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.

    Whisking lemon zest, melted butter, egg, and lemon kefir in a bowl.

    Step 2: In a medium bowl, gently whisk the egg. Stir in the lemon kefir, melted butter, and lemon zest.

    Lemon bake batter in a bowl.

    Step 3: Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.

    An 8 inch square baking pan filled with lemon cake batter.

    Step 4: Pour the batter into a parchment-lined 8x8 inch pan and bake at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

    Lemon cream cheese frosting in a bowl with a spatula.

    Step 5: To make the frosting, mix together powdered sugar, softened cream cheese, butter, and lemon zest.

    A lemon snack cake with cream cheese frosting cut into squares.

    Step 6: Spread a layer of frosting over the cooled lemon cake, slice, and enjoy!

    Expert Baking Tips

    1. Zest your lemons using a microplane or the smallest holes on a box grater. Try not to grate any of the white pith the lemon as this can make your cake bitter.
    2. Leave a 2-3 inch overhang of parchment paper on opposite sides of your pan. This parchment paper "sling" makes it really easy to remove your cake from the pan. I like to secure the paper to the pan with plain metal binder clips.
    3. Make sure all of your frosting ingredients are at room temperature so they are smooth and easy to mix together.

    Recipe FAQs

    What is a snack cake?

    A snack cake is a treat you can eat at any time of day and typically has some kind of icing or frosting on it. I like to think all cakes are snack cakes!

    Can I use lemon juice instead of lemon zest?

    No. Because lemon juice is a liquid, replacing it for the lemon zest will alter the texture of the cake.

    Can I make these into lemon snack cupcakes?

    Absolutely! Line a cupcake tin and evenly distribute the batter. The cupcakes will likely bake for a shorter time than the full cake, so keep an eye on it to avoid over-baking.

    Where can I find Lifeway Kefir?

    This can be found at lifewaykefir.com or in the dairy section of most grocery stores.

    A slice of lemon snack cake next to a bottle of Lifeway Lemon Kefir.

    Storage

    Room Temperature

    Store fully cooled unfrosted snack cake in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

    Refrigerator

    Store frosted lemon cake in the refrigerator for 1 week.

    Freezing Instructions

    I recommend freezing this lemon snack cake before frosting it. Place cooled cake in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow cake to thaw at room temperature for a few hours, frost, and enjoy!

    More Recipes You'll Love

    • Easy Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars with Icing
    • Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Filling
    • Easy Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies
    • Lemon Blueberry Blondies with Icing

    Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @brokenovenbaking and @lifewaykefir on Instagram!

    📖 Recipe

    Lemon snack cake with lemon cream cheese frosting.

    Lemon Snack Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Kayla Burton
    This easy lemon snack cake is a sweet treat for any time of day! It's topped with a cream cheese frosting made with real, fresh lemon zest.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save for LaterSaved!
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 9 slices
    Calories 400 kcal

    Equipment

    • 8x8 inch pan
    • Mixing bowls
    • Measuring spoons
    • Scale/measuring cups
    • Whisk
    • Spatula

    Ingredients
     
     

    Lemon Snack Cake

    • 1 large egg room temperature
    • ⅔ cup Lifeway Organic Lemon Whole Milk Kefir
    • ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
    • 2 teaspoons lemon zest lightly packed
    • 1¼ cup all-purpose flour weighed in grams or spooned and leveled
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt

    Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

    • 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
    • ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
    • 2 cups powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
    • In a medium bowl, gently whisk the egg. Stir in the lemon kefir, melted butter, and lemon zest really well.
    • Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until all of the flour streaks disappear.
    • Pour the lemon cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the middle rack until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (20-30 minutes).
    • Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then carefully transfer it to a wire rack.
    • In a medium bowl, mix the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Stir in the powdered sugar and lemon zest.
    • Spread an even layer of frosting over the completely cooled cake. Slice and enjoy!

    Notes

    Kefir: This recipe is sponsored by my favorite kefir brand, Lifeway. Their organic whole milk lemon or plain kefir is best in this recipe.
    Storage: Store frosted cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month. Unfrosted cake can be stored in the freezer for 3 months and then brought to room temperature, frosted, and served.
    Nutrition: The provided nutrition information is an estimate, accuracy is not guaranteed.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 4gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 254mgPotassium: 48mgFiber: 1gSugar: 44gVitamin A: 604IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Cake & Cupcake Recipes

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    About Kayla

    Hey, I'm Kayla! I'm a self-taught baker, recipe developer & food photographer in Chicago! This blog is a way for me to share recipes, tips, and everything I love related to baking & photography. If you have any questions or want to connect, I'd love to hear from you!
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