Pink Lemonade Cake
This Pink Lemonade Sheet Cake is everything you love about sunny days in one pretty pink slice.
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 390kcal
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking dish
- Cooking Spray
- Mixing bowls (medium and large)
- Whisk
- Electric mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- rubber spatula
- Zester
- Toothpick (for testing doneness)
- Offset spatula or butter knife (for frosting) or similar
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest from about 2 lemons
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- Pink gel food coloring optional
For the Frosting
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate thawed
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pink gel food coloring optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or line the pan with parchment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, ¼ cup of cornstarch, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Set that aside for now.
- In a large bowl, beat 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter and 1 ¾ cups of granulated sugar with a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. Don’t rush this step.
- Beat in 4 large eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Then stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, ⅓ cup of fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon of lemon extract until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with 1 cup buttermilk. Start and end with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined—don’t overmix. If you want that signature pink color, add pink gel food coloring until you reach your desired color.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- In a large bowl, beat 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter until creamy and smooth. Gradually add 4 cups of powdered sugar, then mix in ¼ cup of thawed pink lemonade concentrate, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of lemon extract, and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt. Beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Add pink gel food coloring until you reach your desired color. Adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar if it is too thin, or a splash of cream or milk if it is too thick.
- Once the cake is cool, spread the frosting generously over the top of the cooled cake. Add lemon slices or zest for garnish.
- Slice into equal squares, serve, and ENJOY!
Video
Notes
Make sure to use room temp dairy ingredients: This ensures a smooth batter and prevents curdling—especially with buttermilk.
Store the frosted cake tightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also make the cake a day ahead, keep it unfrosted at room temp, and frost it just before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 586IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 2mg
