It only takes 5 minutes and 3 ingredients to make this super moist lemon cake! You'll love this light and quick dessert perfect for Spring.
Recipe Highlights:
- A fast, easy, super moist, lemon cake recipe.
- Simple swaps to reduce the calories and boost the indulgence factor from a cake mix.
- Under 160 calories, 4 Weight Watchers Points Plus per serving.
In the past I have made cupcakes with crushed pineapple and a box of cake mix. They come out light, fluffy, and quite tasty. For this dessert I had in mind something more moist, rich, and nearly gooey in texture. Mixing yogurt into a cake creates an indulgent richness and density. Using a combination of yogurt and crushed pineapple reduces the calories in your finished cake because they allow you to reduce or omit the oil and eggs normally used.
Before I washed the dishes I licked the spoon clean. The (egg free) batter had the bright flavor of lemon I was looking for. I crossed my fingers and waited to see if the finished cake would as well. The smell from the oven was so tempting. and indeed the fully baked cake was fabulous! Topped with a little squirt of whipped cream it was an instant favorite when I shared the lemon cake with friends at a dinner party.
I blame the grey midwinter days for my strong desire to eat all things citrus. And really, why not? If the sun isn't shining outside what better way to brighten up the place than with sunny foods?
Lemons have got to be one of the most versatile foods available. They are usually very affordable, they lend fantastic flavor to both sweet and savory dishes, and most of the fruit can be used in some way leaving very little waste. When it comes to turning them into a cake – this lemon cake – well, it pretty much explains itself as far as I'm concerned.
A few words about boxed cake mix:
There are some who will say, using a mix is not really baking, nor is it faster than preparing a batter from scratch. I like to bake from scratch too! However, starting with a mix is a great way to get from mixing bowl to oven in just a few minutes. If you are not a regular baker, have little time to spend in the kitchen, or find recipes frustrating and confusing - start with a mix. Additionally, a fully stocked baking pantry can be challenging for numerous reasons, including space.
For anyone who does not keep baking ingredients on hand, starting with a mix is a great way to whip up a dessert to share with nothing leftover to temp you. It is also a heck of a lot cheaper than buying all the from scratch ingredients at one time.
3 Ingredient Lemon Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box 18.25 oz. Pillsbury Moist Supreme Lemon Cake Mix (box contents only)*
- 1 can 20 oz. crushed pineapple in 100% pineapple juice
- 6 ounce approximately ¾ cup non-fat Greek yogurt - lemon flavor
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, lightly spray a 13x9 baking pan with non-stick spray, you can also take the extra step to line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl combine all three ingredients making sure to mix throughly eliminating any pockets of dry cake mix. The bater will be thick.
- When fully combined, pour the bater into the prepared baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes until a tooth pick or cake probe can be inserted and removed cleanly.
- Cool completely before serving. Cake will be moist and slightly sticky, clean the knife after each cut to prevent the cake from tearing.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published 4/2013. Updated 4/20/2017
marilyn
Hi,
I haven't been able to find the lemon cake mix where I live. Do you have a recipe for this cake, but from scratch? I've never used a mix, so not entirely sure what the box contains.
thanks!
Marilyn
Rose McAvoy
Hello Marilyn, thank you for reading! I'm glad the recipe has you excited to make a lemon cake! I enjoy baking from scratch too but, as I explained in the notes preceding the recipe, this particular cake is dependent on the mix. If it helps, I have included a link to a lemon cake mix for sale though Amazon.com above. You may find the ingredients listed in the product description on their website. I know there are many great recipes for lemon cake, however, at this time I do not know of one that will give you the same super moist and gooey texture or similar nutritional values as this recipe. If you find one you love please share it for anyone (including me) who would like a great from scratch recipe to keep on hand. Be Well! :)
June
made from scratch
Moist Lemon Yogurt Cake
Serves 8
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1 cup sugar
2 lg. eggs
1/2 cup oil
zest from 1 med. lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly oil a round cake pan.
In a medium or large bowl; sift together flour, baking powder, salt, set aside.
In a large bowl; whisk together thoroughly, the yogurt, sugar, and eggs.
Add and whisk till frothy to yogurt mixture; oil, lemon juice, lemon zest.
Fold the dry ingredients slowly into wet ingredients and form a smooth (lump-free batter).
Pour the batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, insert a toothpick into the center, when it comes out clean, it’s done.
Don’t overbake.
Cool cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes; then turn it upside-down onto the rack till continue cooling.