Lemon Snacking Cake With Coconut Glaze Recipe (2024)

By Melissa Clark

Lemon Snacking Cake With Coconut Glaze Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour, plus cooling
Rating
4(1,305)
Notes
Read community notes

With a poundcake-like texture and zippy lemon flavor, this tender treat is loaded with grated citrus zest and topped with a sweet, mellow coconut frosting. Like many snacking cakes, it’s easily whisked together without a mixer, and quick to bake. Perfect as an afternoon pick-me-up, it goes as well with a glass of milk as it does with mugs of coffee, tea or hot cocoa.

Featured in: Three Snacking Cakes to Change Your Afternoons

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have

    10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers.

    Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Print Options

    Include recipe photo

Advertisem*nt

Ingredients

Yield:12 servings

    For the Cake

    • ½cup/120 milliliters neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola, plus more for pan
    • 3lemons
    • ½cup/120 milliliters sour cream
    • ¼cup/60 milliliters coconut milk
    • 2large eggs
    • cups/185 grams all-purpose flour
    • cups/250 grams granulated sugar
    • 1teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼teaspoon baking soda
    • ½teaspoon fine sea salt
    • ½packed cup/50 grams shredded sweetened coconut

    For the Glaze

    • 3tablespoons coconut milk
    • 1tablespoon coconut oil, melted
    • Pinch of fine sea salt
    • cup/85 grams confectioners’ sugar
    • Finely grated lemon zest, for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

328 calories; 17 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 44 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 30 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 195 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Lemon Snacking Cake With Coconut Glaze Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-9-inch pan, and then line with parchment paper, letting the two long ends hang over the edge of the pan by at least 2 inches.

  2. Step

    2

    Grate 2 tablespoons of zest from the lemons. Juice the lemons so you have ¼ cup/60 milliliters juice. Add juice and zest to a medium bowl, then whisk in oil, sour cream, coconut milk and eggs.

  3. Step

    3

    In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk wet mixture into dry mixture until smooth.

  4. Step

    4

    Scrape batter into baking pan and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with shredded sweetened coconut. Bake until the top of the cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely.

  5. Step

    5

    When cake is cool, make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, oil and salt. Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Pour over the cake, and grate some lemon zest over the top. Let the glaze set for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Ratings

4

out of 5

1,305

user ratings

Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Me

What is the best type of coconut milk to use? The full fat stuff from the can or the drinking coconut milk from a carton?

Ginny

I freeze my leftover coconut milk. Just pop it into a small container, or even a plastic zip-lock and freeze it. When I need it, I either let it defrost on the counter, or jut put it frozen inside my simmering curry. Works great.

Heidi

NYT,Just go ahead and link the recipes that will use up the rest of the can of coconut milk.Thx.

TomMom

I made this tonight and followed the recipe exactly. Well, except my grandson was my assistant chef and he takes a few liberties. More zest, more lemon juice, more life zest. This turned out wonderfully and tonight we’re using it for an early birthday celebration for my grand daughter. Thank you for this lovely recipe. Loved it.

KBinAZ

Is the cake supposed to cool in the pan or is the parchment paper used to lift it from the pan as soon as it comes out of the oven? Thanks.

dk

Yes, I'm sure you could. I just made it with nonfat greek yogurt (instead of sour cream) and that worked just fine. I also cut the sugar to 3/4 cup, and will cut it to 1/2 cup next time.

Ray

You have to use Coconut MILK! Not coconut water! There is no such thing as drinking coconut milk. Coconut water will not have the same fat content and will change the texture. Use the full fat coconut milk not light.

PLD

I cannot speak for this recipe but other cakes I have baked using parchment to lift it out. Usually, you let the cake cool for about ten minutes. If the cake has not pulled away from the pan, use a knife to gently separate the cake from the sides. Then, using the over hanging paper, lift to wire rack to finish cooling. My experience is that letting a cake cool completely will make it a very hard job to remove it from the pan. Happy Baking!

William Wroblicka

It's tricky to substitute one ingredient for another, especially in cakes. The ingredients all interact physically and chemically to produce the desired result in a well-written, well-tested recipe. The Times Cooking site contains many recipes for lemon cakes. You might want to search through them to find one with the ingredients you'd prefer.

Lynda H.

I had the same thought and checked: You should be able to substitute heavy cream, half-and-half, or even more sour cream for the coconut milk and butter for the coconut oil. I'll post my results after I try it.

Janine

This cake was delicious! Very easy to make. Use full fat coconut milk, not coconut water. I love lemon so I added additional lemon zest to the batter and the top. I also doubled the glaze because I hate only having just enough, and wanted lots. I let the cake cool in the pan, but you could probably just lift it out by the parchment paper and let cool on a plate.

D.

This was delicious. A nice tight crumb, moist and dense, and the coconut milk gives it just a whisper of tropical flavor. I was out of shredded coconut so i subbed crushed pistachios. Worked great.

Eva

I suspect Ellen means coconut beverage, which is neither coconut milk nor coconut water. It’s a “milk” like almond milk or cashew milk, and meant for drinking or adding to coffee or whatever.In any case, coconut milk in recipes always means the canned or boxed (UHT) stuff—same as you’d use for curry.

Judicoop

I didn’t have sour cream. Used Greek yogurt. Delicious!

Mary Gallagher

Coconut milk is a very different product from coconut water! Full-fat coconut milk is the best.

JillMB

Amazing and simple! I used Icelandic Skyr in place of sour cream, olive oil and Bob’s Red Mill unsweetened coconut. I put the coconut in the batter instead of topping. It didn’t need the glaze. Served with limoncello.

Kristin

This was a complete hit at our gathering! I doubled the recipe and apparently wanted a challenge that included using a deeper pan than the 8x8" called for... It turned out well but was a bit over-browned due to concern re: doneness but surprisingly didn't taste burned at all. Also, I inadvertently cut back sugar by approximately .25 cup but all was fine. The flavors meld together naturally and it was additionally moist the following day. Delicious!!

Anna S.

A perfect casual cake. I found it lovely to make in February. The coconut and lemon flavors brightened up an evening.

Pam Mehlman

Gallie says to add 3 T of water to the glaze.

Lisa B

I’m obsessed with this cake. I’ve made it 4 times in two weeks for various events, and everyone loves it! I use 200g of sugar to feel not AS guilty, and I make a batch and a half of the glaze which neatly covers the cake and makes me feel guilty again. I also use unsweetened coconut as it’s all I keep around for oatmeal and yogurt bowls. Make this cake!

Bingo!

I didn't need so many lemons. Put some juice in the glaze. It's cooking now! I froze my leftover milk that was in a can. Yum to Come!

AccidentalCook

Excellent - I made 1.5x the recipe and put it into a bundt pan because I love that shape. I used 2/3 of the coconut in the cake itself (with the rest for the top) and added a touch more liquid and reduced flour by 2 tablespoons. Baked it at 335 degrees for 1 hour and was perfect. I also rubbed the lemon peel into the sugar to make it more lemony.

sara

I reduced sugar to a bit under a cup. Im off dairy so used coconut yogurt in place of sour cream. I did not add the glaze but with it I assume it is a lot sweeter. I found this to be delicious and with the reduced sugar perfect for after dinner as well as breakfast! Will make again.

Todd

I used unsweetened coconut and it was perfect. Between the cake and the glaze, sweet coconut would’ve been “gilding the Lily” shall we say.

lucy

Delicious! Made as written!

Brigid

I added a little lemon juice to the glaze for more lemon goodness.

D Carlson in MOSC

Loved this. Made the recipe as written...divine.

DBMontana

Could this be doubled and baked in a 9x13?

Yum!

First time I’ve felt compelled to leave a note. This was amazing! I didn’t have sweetened coconut flakes so used unsweetened and used lemon juice instead of coconut oil in glaze. I’ve been standing in the kitchen slicing off sliver after sliver after sliver. It’s that good. Also used 8x8 pan and all of batter. Took about 5 minutes longer to cook but fit fine.

Debbie

This cake is delightful! Used a deep 6-inch round and it took about an hour. Cut the sugar to 3/4 cup. Decided not to glaze because we liked it just fine without.

Private notes are only visible to you.

Lemon Snacking Cake With Coconut Glaze Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you put too much lemon juice in a cake? ›

Cutting too much lemon for a recipe can result in a dish that is excessively sour or acidic. This can overpower the other flavors and make the dish unbalanced.

What does lemon juice do to a cake? ›

Lemon juice naturally contains citric acid which quickly reacts with the base present in the baking powder producing CO2 and sodium citrate. This may lead to undesirable flavors and poor crust color due to lower pH of the product after baking.

How to make a lemon drizzle cake Mary Berry? ›

Lemon drizzle cake with lemon curd and double cream
  1. 350g/12oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing.
  2. 350g/12oz caster sugar.
  3. 4 lemons, zest only, plus juice of 2 lemons.
  4. 3 large pieces candied lemon peel , finely chopped.
  5. 6 free-range eggs.
  6. 3 tsp baking powder.
  7. 300g/10½oz self-raising flour.
  8. 50g/2oz cornflour.

Why do you put lemon zest on cake? ›

By adding just a little, you are creating a layer of flavor that most tasters won't perceive directly, they'll just note something richer than plain cake. Here's one more secret little tip: lemon zest absolutely livens up a box of cake mix!

What enhances the flavor of lemon? ›

Gelen says rubbing lemon zest and sugar together for 2 to 3 minutes is the key in getting a strong lemony flavor in your homemade concoction. Once the zest and sugar are combined, Gelen mixes it with freshly squeezed lemon juice to finish off making the base and serves it over water, ice, and a few lemon slices.

What cancels out lemon flavor? ›

One of the easiest ways to cut the lemon taste is to balance it with sweetness. Adding a touch of sugar or sweetener can help neutralize the acidity and bring out the natural flavors of lemon. You can try adding a teaspoon of honey, agave syrup, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar to your lemon-infused dishes or drinks.

How do you increase the flavor of lemon in a cake? ›

Add up to a few teaspoons of zest to your baked goods to provide background flavor notes. It can be used to boost the overall lemon profile of your bake or accent additional flavors, similar to vanilla extract. Add the zest to your recipe when called for or when adding the fat (butter, oil, etc.)

Can I use lemon juice instead of water in cake mix? ›

Sprinkle in lemon or orange zest to give your box cake batter a hint of zing. You can also replace the water with lemon, orange or lime juice or soda. Use this method with any type of cake mix, but it works best with lemon, yellow and white cake.

Can I use lemon juice instead of lemon zest? ›

Lemon juice carries the same flavor as lemon zest, but it's more acidic, so you might want to add a pinch of sugar to balance out the tartness. That said, the lemon flavor is not as concentrated as lemon zest, so you'll want to keep this formula handy: 1 teaspoon of lemon zest = 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

Why does my lemon drizzle cake drop in the middle? ›

The pan is too small. There's too much liquid. Opening the oven or moving pans during baking. Oven temperature is too low, or cake isn't baked long enough.

Why does my lemon drizzle cake always sink in the middle? ›

Cakes sink in the middle due to several factors, including overmixing of the batter, opening the oven door too soon, or not baking at the right temperature. Expired leavening agents or incorrect proportions of ingredients can also cause sinking.

Why is my lemon cake dry? ›

Why is my cake dry? Cakes crumble because they've dried out too much. From years of baking, I know that dry cakes happen for one of two reasons; using too much of your dry ingredients or over-baking your cake.

Why is my lemon cake not fluffy? ›

Most cakes begin with creaming butter and sugar together. Butter is capable of holding air and the creaming process is when butter traps that air. While baking, that trapped air expands and produces a fluffy cake. No properly creamed butter = no air = no fluffiness.

Why do you put sour cream in a cake? ›

Sour cream is one of the fattiest dairy products; the extra fat content (for example, adding sour cream to a cake instead of milk) will make the cake moister and richer, says Wilk. "Fat, in any form (butter, lard, cream, etc.) shortens gluten strands, which essentially leads to the most tender baked goods," she adds.

What to do if I add too much lemon juice? ›

Now that its in there already, you can try adding some dried garlic, oregano, and onion to 'push' that lemon taste away a little. If its only sour add a bit of sugar. Adding a little balsamic vinear, or red wine will help some, as will a small can of tomato paste.

How to fix a recipe with too much lemon juice? ›

Dilute with water: The simplest way to reduce the acidity of lemon juice is by diluting it with water. Gradually add water to the lemon juice until you reach your desired level of acidity. Add sugar or sweeteners: Adding sugar or other sweeteners to lemon juice can help balance out the acidity.

How do you fix too much liquid in a cake? ›

Add more dry ingredients: To thicken the batter, you can try adding more of the dry ingredients called for in the cake mix recipe, such as flour or cake mix powder. Start with small amounts and mix the batter thoroughly, adding more as needed until the batter reaches the desired consistency.

What happens if you use too much lemon? ›

Excessive lemon juice intake may pose a risk for kidney stones due to its citric acid content. However, lemon juice is generally safe in moderation and can have a mild diuretic effect that can actually help improve kidney function. If you're concerned about your kidney health, speak with a health care professional.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Carlyn Walter

Last Updated:

Views: 5455

Rating: 5 / 5 (50 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Carlyn Walter

Birthday: 1996-01-03

Address: Suite 452 40815 Denyse Extensions, Sengermouth, OR 42374

Phone: +8501809515404

Job: Manufacturing Technician

Hobby: Table tennis, Archery, Vacation, Metal detecting, Yo-yoing, Crocheting, Creative writing

Introduction: My name is Carlyn Walter, I am a lively, glamorous, healthy, clean, powerful, calm, combative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.