Tablespoon Italian Lemon Cake
This Italian Cake is a delicious moist Lemon Cake, originally made with a tablespoon to measure all the ingredients. It’s fast and easy and so good. The perfect breakfast, snack or even dessert Cake Recipe.
Give me a tablespoon and I will give you a Cake! A delicious moist Lemon Cake at that.
I first tried this cake a little while ago at a friend’s house. It was delicious and of course I asked for the recipe. And as it turned out this was another one of those you-gotta-love “Italian Desserts” recipes.
This Tablespoon Lemon Cake was along the same lines as my Easy Yogurt Cake that was given to me in yogurt cup measurements! But this cake is actually called Torta dei Cucchiai / Tablespoon Cake.
Recipe Ingredients
- Flour – either all purpose or cake/pastry flour
- Baking powder – be sure it hasn’t expired
- Sugar – granulated
- Eggs – large and room temperature
- Lemon – zest and juice
- Vegetable Oil – I use corn or sunflower oil although I am sure a light olive oil would also work.
- Milk – either whole or 2% milk
- Powder/Icing Sugar – for dusting the cooled cake
How to make Pastry/Cake flour
For every cup of all purpose flour, remove two tablespoons and replace with two tablespoons of corn starch. Be sure to sift the flour and cornstarch together a couple of times, this way it is sure to be properly combined and lump free. Cake flour in cakes will give you a very tender texture and fine crumb, it will also help the cake to rise.
How to Make a Lemon Cake
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C), grease and flour an 8 or 9 inch cake (20-23 cm)
- In a small bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder.
- In a large bowl beat on low to medium speed (low is best but no higher then medium speed) sugar and eggs until very fluffy and light. Approximately 5 minutes.
- Then add the zest, juice, oil and milk, beat until combined. Then add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until smooth.
- Pour into prepared cake pan and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan then remove to a cake plate.
- Let cool completely before dusting with powdered / icing sugar.
If you have noticed Italians are not big on lots of creams or frostings. A simple dusting of powder sugar is all that is needed on most desserts. Although if you do want to fancy it up a bit for a dinner dessert you could add a scoop of ice cream or top it with this tasty Blueberry Sauce. Lemon and blueberry are a perfect combination!
Why bake with room temperature ingredients?
With cakes and other baking, it’s always better to use room temperature ingredients. So, take any cold ingredients out of the refrigerator an hour ahead of time or sooner if it’s cool in your kitchen. Room temperature ingredients blend easier, creating a silky batter, which will help to create a light tender baked good.
How to check if baking powder is still good
Place 1/2 teaspoon of powder in a small bowl, pour 1/4 cup of boiling water over it. It should bubble up immediately and very strongly, if it does it’s still good, if it doesn’t, time to buy a new tin.
What baking pans can I use for this Cake?
Be sure to grease and flour the pans very well especially a bundt pan, if it is a fancy one it will need extra attention so you get every crease.
- An 8 inch or 9 inch round cake pan.
- An 8 or 9 inch bundt pan.
- An 8 x 8 x 1 1/2 inch (20 x 20 x 4 cm) square pan.
- A 9 inch Loaf pan.
Tips for making this Lemon Cake a success
When I received comments from readers who have tried this cake and it rose and then when it came out of the oven it sank, I really wanted to discover why this was happening. So …
I decided to make it changing up my beating speed. I started out beating the eggs and sugar on low speed but then turned up to medium high. I continued to beat the ingredients going from medium to medium high.
And yes the cake rose and then sank almost immediately once it was out of the oven.
I then made the cake again, this time beating the whole time on low speed (speed #1) and the cake came out perfect. So remember beat on low speed, and the eggs and sugar must be beaten at least 5-7 minutes. All ingredients should be room temperature.
If you are having trouble with this cake, a reader mentioned beating the flour into the mixture by hand instead of with a mixer. A whisk or spatula would work for this.
Never open the oven while the cake is baking before 30 minutes has passed, opening an oven door early can cause a cake to fall.
Bake the cake as soon as the batter has been mixed and poured into the pan, don’t let it stand around, this can also cause the cake to flatten.
How to adjust the recipe for high altitude
- Decrease baking powder by 1/8 teaspoon
- Decrease sugar by 1/2 tablespoon
- Increased both oil and milk by 1 tablespoon each
- And increase the temperature to 375F. Thanks to Linda for writing in and letting me know.
The difference between lemon juice and zest
I use both lemon juice and lemon zest in this recipe. Some insist that the zest has more lemon flavour than the juice. The zest is the oil of the lemon and is therefore filled with the pure lemon flavour.
The juice holds the acidic tart taste of the lemon. Just be sure to grate only the yellow part of the lemon and no white part. The white part will add only bitterness. And you don’t want that!
How to store the baked cake
Store the cooled baked cake at room temperate either wrapped in plastic or in a covered cake container. It will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature. You can also store the cake in the fridge, just be sure to make it airtight or it will dry out, it will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge, bring it to room temperature before serving.
How to freeze the cake
Once the cake is completely cooled, double wrap it with either foil or plastic wrap and then place in a freezer safe bag. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the cake thaw overnight on the counter before serving.
So if you are looking to make an Italian cake then I hope you try this Lemon Cake recipe and be sure to let me know what you. Enjoy!
More Delicious Lemon Dessert Recipes
Tablespoon Italian Lemon Cake
Ingredients
- 24 tablespoons all purpose flour (1 ½ cups)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 16 tablespoons sugar (1 cup)
- 2 large eggs*
- zest one lemon*
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice*
- 10 tablespoons vegetable oil (your choice I use corn or sunflower oil) (½ cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 10 tablespoons milk* (½ cup + 2 tablespoons)
EXTRAS
- 2-3 tablespoons Icing/powdered sugar for dusting finished cooled cake
*Room temperature, remove from the fridge 45-60 minutes before using.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C), grease and flour an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan (20-23 cm).
- In a small bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder.
- In a large bowl beat on low speed sugar and eggs until very fluffy and light. Approximately 5 minutes.
- Then add the zest, juice, oil and milk, beat until combined on low speed. Then add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until smooth.
- Pour into prepared cake pan and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan then remove to a cake plate.
- Let cool completely before dusting with powdered / icing sugar. Enjoy!
**All tablespoons (and teaspoon) are level not heaping.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from May 30, 2018.
Such a light, airy dessert. I will be making it again!
Hi Beth, thanks so much.
My first time baking and i used this recipe! I followed the every instructions and my first cake turned out looking good, moist and yummy ( according to my Mother and cousins haha)
Thank you so much! ❤️
Hi Leny, thanks you, good for you, this goes to prove that almost all recipes are doable as long as you follow the recipe. Let me know if you try anything else.
Hello
I would not like to change the original rcp as old rcps has their own beauty,but I wld like to add butter instead of oil for my children so how much shall I add.
Thanks .
Hi Azeema, I have never used anything but oil in this cake although if you want to substitute butter for oil, than it is one for one but be sure to melt the butter and let it cool. Let me know how it goes.
Made a variation based on this recipe. Halved all of the ingredients but used margarine instead of oil, 3 tablespoons sour cream instead of milk, 4 tablespoons lemon juice instead of zest and 5 drops butter pecan flavor concentrate instead of vanilla. It is super moist and the perfect blend of lemon with a hint of pecan.
Thanks Micayla, glad you enjoyed it.
I am so thankful I found this recipe! Lemons -YAY-Lemons! I enjoy baking & pretty much any good lemon recipe is popular with me. THIS one looks like a major HIT (I read the comments. WOW! Good job here.) I can’t wait to make it. Just gonna require a little shopping (THANK YOU for the ‘excuse’ I’ve been looking for) to buy that smaller Bundt pan.
Hi Jacki, I hope you enjoy it, let me know. And yes always a good excuse to shop! 🙂
Can I use olive oil?
Hi Martha, I wouldn’t substitute with olive oil, it will make for a denser cake and might give it a different taste also.
Simple ,easy to make and just the right portion for 286 cal. Will make it again. Many thanks.
Gina
Hi Gina, thanks, so glad you enjoyed it.
I was wondering if i could use a 5x13x7 loaf pan to make this and i have no mixer by hand be ok i love the recipe
Hi I have never made it as loaf but I think it would work. Let me know how it turns out.
Lovely cake – every time it’s a big hit with the crowd! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
One trick that I can share for those that complain about the lemon taste (don’t get me wrong I love it and lots of it, but not all my friends), I substitute the lemon taste with an orange or grapefruit zest / juice and it comes out just perfect.
Hi Juliette, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. And thanks for the tips.
Must say i have in 60 years of cooking never seen measurements in tbsp. ?
Hi Ethel, it’s an old Italian Cake Recipe.
This Cake looks beautiful. I love anything lemonly. Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks Alpana, I hope you enjoy it.
simply delightful CAKE….easy the way I enjoyed and heavenly to share the guests were in awe
THANK YOU for such magic inspiration
Hi Dianna, thanks so much and so glad you guest enjoyed it!
Good morning Rosemary
Thanks for this recipe. It was quick and easy to make and was enjoyed by all.
Kind regards
Karen
Hi Karen, thanks so much glad everyone liked it. Have a great weekend.
Amazing recipe the cake turned out so fluffy and moist .. I added lemon syrup (lemon juice +powdered sugar)after I took the cake out of the oven
Hi Afaf, thanks so glad you enjoyed it, and good idea with the lemon syrup.
I made the cake and I used vegetable oil. Did I do something wrong? It’s just one inch high. I can see on the web that it rose. It’s much higher than an inch. I followed the instructions as written. The only thing I changed was the sugar. I used 5 tbs of sugar instead of 10.
Please let me know what the problem is; despite the non rising of this lemon cake, the taste was wonderful!!!!!!
Hi Maria, it’s probably because you halved the sugar, sugar isn’t just for sweetness it also helps with the texture and that is why it was so flat. Also be sure to beat on low. Glad you liked the taste. Have a great Sunday.