Lemon-Vanilla Snack Cake

This delicious fluffy Lemon-Vanilla Snack Cake is big enough for sharing with others or just leave it on your counter for you and your family to nibble on. Either way it won’t last long! It’s quick and easy to prepare: only 7 ingredients and just under 15 minutes to have it ready for the oven! Almost each time my mother comes over for an occasion, whether it’s a BBQ in the summertime or birthday gatherings, she brings this Lemon-Vanilla Snack Cake. And it disappears fast!

Although we usually have some other dessert around, this treat is always the pre-dessert cake or basically what we nibble on before the main dessert is served. That’s correct, don’t you all have a pre-dessert cake?  

What’s so amazing about this snack cake?

It’s cut into squares.  Therefore it’s the perfect portion size to eat with your hands and there’s no icing on it to stick all over you. Just a light dusting of powdered sugar is all it needs. So that means it’s easy to go back for seconds, or thirds or….

Then there’s the fact that it’s light and soft and spongy and just so comforting and satisfying!

It’s great for feeding a crowd. I know you may not have a crowd to feed right now, however you can always share. Just send some along to family and friends.

But if this is too much cake to handle right now, you can also choose to divide the recipe in half and bake in a 9-inch square or circular cake pan.

And finally, it is sooo easy to make. Honestly, it really is!This is one of those recipes that has been passed on from friend to sister-in-law to neighbor to work colleague (you get the point) and thankfully to my mother as well. As it gets passed on it becomes tweaked and modified and so here I share with you my mother’s version!

Here’s what you need to make this recipe:

• Eggs: yes this recipe is made with 8 eggs but it makes enough to feed a crowd!
• Granulated sugar
• Vegetable oil: my mom has also used corn oil
• Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Vanilla sugar:  this is the star ingredient of this cake! This is basically an envelope of powdered sugar with vanilla flavoring (shown below). It really makes all the difference in the flavor of this cake. You’ll find it in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. But if you can’t find it no worries, as specified on the package itself simply replace it with 2 tsp of vanilla extract.

How to make Lemon-Vanilla Snack Cake

Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a rectangular baking dish (approximately 18 X 12 inches) by lining it with parchment paper. Allow the sides to hang over the edges to make the cake easy to lift out once it is baked.

In a large bowl combine eggs, sugar and vegetable oil. For best results, use a hand held mixer or egg beater until the mixture has increased in volume and is frothy (about 5 minutes). Alternately, use a handheld whisk and whisk vigorously! Stir in the grated zest of 1 lemon.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, envelope of vanilla sugar and salt. Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not over stir.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and swirl around to evenly coat the pan. It will be very thin, that’s normal as it will puff up while baking. Bake for 20-22 minutes until lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Cut into squares and dust lightly with powdered sugar before serving.

Tips and suggestions:

• If this cake is too large for you, cut the ingredients in half and bake in a 9-inch square or circular cake pan. If using vanilla extract, add 1 tsp.
• Substitute 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract for the vanilla sugar.
• Cut into 24 pieces instead of 18 for a smaller portion size.
• This cake freezes well: wrap well in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before serving.

Here are more easy cake ideas!

• Orange Ciambella
• Gluten Free Pan di Spagna
• Italian Apple Yogurt Cake
• Sweet Ricotta Easter Calzone
• Pineapple Layer Cake with Pastry Cream
• Blueberry Olive Oil Cake

If you try out this easy and delicious recipe, let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below. Buon appetito!