Lemony, sweet, and tangy, these lemon cake bars are bursting with bright flavor. We use lemon peel as well as lemon juice to pack as much citrus flavor as possible into this dessert. Not only do we use lemon in the cake, but we also call for it in the syrup that’s brushed onto the hot cake and the glaze that’s poured onto the cooled crust. We didn’t shy away from sugar in this luxurious dessert, but you could certainly omit the glaze if you want the cake bars to be more tangy than sweet. Don’t omit the syrup, however; the fresh lemon juice delivers a pop of bright flavor that we think is integral to this recipe.
Note: Be sure your butter is softened to room temperature before beating it together with the sugar. This ensures the butter and sugar properly aerate and give lift to the finished cake. The butter is at the right temperature when it gives slightly when pressed.
Glazed Lemon Cake Bars
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour, plus 1 tbsp, divided
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp table salt
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Directions
Spray Suvie pan with non-stick cooking spray and coat with 1 tbsp flour. Tap out excess.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
In a small bowl, mix together 2 tsp lemon juice and sour cream.
Toss granulated sugar and lemon zest together in a large bowl, breaking up clumps with fingers. Add the softened butter and beat with an electric mixer until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and continue to beat for another 3 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, waiting until the first egg is incorporated before adding the second (the batter will look curdled – this is okay!). Set the mixer to low, add half the flour, followed by the sour cream mixture, allowing each addition to be incorporated before adding the next. Add remaining flour, and then scrape down the bowl with rubber spatula to ensure no pockets of flour remain.
Pour batter into pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula. Tap pan on counter to release any air bubbles. Insert pan into your Suvie, input settings, and cook now or schedule.
Suvie Cook Settings
Bottom Zone: Slow Cook High for 3 hours
For the Syrup: While the cake cooks, stir together 2 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp sugar in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove pan from your Suvie and brush with syrup. Allow to cool and then remove from the pan.
For the Glaze: whisk together 1 tbsp lemon juice and ¼ cup confectioners sugar in a medium bowl. Once the cake has cooled, pour the glaze over the cake and cut into 8 pieces.
Note: If you would like to make this recipe in Suvie 1.0, insert pan into the top zone of Suvie, fill reservoir, and set to Slow Cook on High for 3 hours.
Coffee Pairing
African coffees like Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and Kenyan AA pair beautifully with the citrus notes in this cake.
