Sicilian Whole Lemon Cake (Using an Entire Lemon: Peel, Juice and Pulp)
Sicilian whole lemon cake is a moist and delicious crowd-pleasing dessert. This flavorful cake uses an entire lemon, peel, juice and pulp, for an amazingly lemony result!
Given the continuous rave reviews of my Sicilian whole orange cake, I now bring you, Sicilian whole lemon cake!
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After making this cake several times, I’ve adjusted the sugar and made a few other changes to compensate for the difference in sweetness between oranges and lemons. However, please note that best results will come from Meyer lemons, although you can use Eureka or other more sour lemons by adding. a little more sugar.
If you fortunate enough to have access to Meyer lemons, you may also want to try this recipe: the best lemon drop martini you’ll ever have!
You could also try making posset, an incredibly easy and rich dessert!
And my favorite pancakes: lemon ricotta pancakes!
This isn’t a light cake, but a uniquely moist, flavorful, and bit more dense type of cake. It has a big crumb and sticky glaze, and I’ve never heard anyone try it and not gush with compliments! If you like a sweeter cake, you may want to add a little more sugar (especially if using Eureka lemons) as this isn’t overly sweet at all.
If you’d like to make a full size bundt cake instead, use this Meyer lemon cake recipe for a full sized cake (with glaze or icing).
In case you want to buy the PaneAngeli baking powder, I’ve added a link below in the recipe ingredients. It looks like this~
Sicilian Whole Lemon Cake
adapted from my Sicilian Whole Orange cake serves 12
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
NB: I use Meyer lemons which are much less sour than Eureka. I would recommend using a little more sugar if you don’t have Meyer lemons.
Ingredients
- eggs
- sugar
- flour
- Paneangeli (or baking powder)
- butter
- Greek yogurt
- lemon
- vanilla extract
Directions
Make the Whole Lemon Cake
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Prepare an 8″ springform pan by spraying with oil (or butter) and lining in parchment paper (sides optional, if you want really clean sides), then spray the paper, too.
Place the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and beat with a mixer until light and fluffy.
Sift the flour with the baking powder/PaneAngeli then add to the mixture in the bowl a little at a time along with the softened butter. Continue to mix until completely blended, then stir in the yogurt (and vanilla, if using).
In a food processor, process the whole lemon until it is almost pureed. It should look like this~
Add this lemon to the cake mixture and stir until evenly combined, then put the batter into the prepared tin.
Bake for 50-60 minutes (depending on your oven), but test with a cake tester or skewer to make sure the whole lemon cake is done before removing from the oven. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes, then remove the side of the springform pan.
Make the Lemon Glaze
Prepare the glaze by melting the sugar in the lemon juice and water, and allow to simmer for a few minutes, just until the liquid has a syrupy consistency. Spoon and brush over the top of the cake and allow to cool completely before cutting.
Yes, it’s hard to wait, but the moist lemon cake will cut more easily if it’s cool first.
Garnish with a twist of lemon or a few lemon slices, or just serve plain. So good!
Enjoy with a cup of tea or glass of limoncello!
Sicilian Whole Lemon Cake
Special Equipment
- 1 cake tester optional
- 1 brush optional
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder or 1 packet Italian Pane Degli Angeli vanilla baking powder
- ⅓ cup butter softened
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt plain
- 1 Meyer lemon organic, washed and cut into pieces (with the rind, but remove the seeds)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract ONLY if using plain baking powder
Glaze:
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 1 oz water
- 2 ⅞ Tbsp sugar (a little less than 3 Tbsp)
Instructions
Make the Whole Lemon Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare an 8" springform pan by spraying with oil (or butter) and lining in parchment paper (sides optional, if you want really clean sides), then spray the paper, too.
- Place the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and beat with a mixer until light and fluffy.
- Sift the flour with the baking powder then add to the mixture in the bowl a little at a time along with the softened butter. Continue to mix until completely blended, then stir in the yogurt and the vanilla, if using.
- In a food processor, process the whole lemon until it is almost pureed.
- Add this lemon to the cake mixture and stir until evenly combined, then put the batter into the prepared tin.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes (depending on your oven), but test with a cake tester or skewer to make sure the whole lemon cake is done before removing from the oven. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes, then remove the side of the springform pan.
Make the Lemon Glaze:
- Prepare the glaze by melting the sugar in the lemon juice and water, and allow to simmer for a few minutes, just until the liquid has a syrupy consistency. Spoon and brush over the top of the cake and allow to cool completely before cutting.
- Yes, it’s hard to wait, but the moist lemon cake will cut more easily if it’s cool first.
- Garnish with a twist of lemon or a few lemon slices, or just serve plain.
Notes
- NB: I use Meyer lemons which are much less sour than Eureka. I would recommend using a little more sugar if you don't have Meyer lemons.
Nutrition
More lemony bakes~
Lemon Cheesecake Blueberry Swirl Bars
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I have some beautiful Meyer lemons from a neighbor, and might try this over the weekend! I wonder what it would be like made with a real Sicilian lemon… Heaven! I’ll report back!
Honestly, I don’t know if Sicilian lemons have anything over our Meyer lemons (at least homegrown Meyers) :) Yes, I think this cake is right up your alley, David! :)
OMG – I even commented on it! Duh. Now I recall – my lemons were held too long and they were not good (insides were brown). I will try it with a regular lemon. I really need cake now… :)
Haha! Oh no, that’s so sad when that happens. I still have Meyer lemons in the fridge, but will have to finish using them, soon. Don’t know what I’ll do when they’re done! Eeek!
I hate the end of citrus season here… it comes way too early. I’m thinking of combining an orange with the Lisbon lemon (maybe 3/4 lemon, 1/4 orange) to mimic a Meyer lemon.
Ooh, good idea! I’ve done a whole citrus mix (lemon, orange and just the rind of a lime.) I don’t think you can mess up this cake!
Hi Christina,
Yahoo – I was about ro write and solicit your opinion on mking it with Meyer Lemons. They’re just show up in the stores here in Nova Scotia, so this will definitely be part of this week’s bake.
Thanks- Miles
I’m psychic, Miles, didn’t you know? :) Ha ha! Obviously, just kidding! However, very happy I am timely with your request! :) Enjoy! CC
I have a ton of Meyer Lemons on my tree but also have other citrus…limes, oranges, honey tangerines, and grapefruit. Has anyone tried this with other types of citrus?
Yes! The original recipe post was for a whole orange cake. The recipe can be found HERE. As for the other fruits, you have to think about the ratio of skin to pulp, how sweet/bitter the fruit is and then adjust the sugar. A grapefruit has SUCH a thick skin and pith, I don’t think you could just use one the same way you can use a Meyer lemon or sweet orange. Does that make sense? Let me know if you try another version :)
Next to chocolate desserts are those made with lemon. A very close 2nd, and this cake is calling tome! My tiny Meyer lemon tree is bursting with lemons at the moment and I’m pretty sure this will be up next! :-) ~Valentina
Oh that’s great to hear, Valentina! I think this is definitely up your alley and I’m currently perfecting a GF version of both the orange and lemon cakes to post! :) Stay tuned!
OK I did find the Italian “baking powder” since this area of northern NJ has a lot of Italians but everything is in Italian. Glad your recipe says use one packet. I’ll be back in touch after I find the lemons.
Oh good, Gerrie! Be sure to come back for a review! :) CC
This is really beautiful. I love that you used the whole fruit, and I love the glaze. I’m saving this one!
Awesome, you’ll love it, Mimi!
Love this recipe idea. Just to clear up confusion update narrative and directions and substitute lemon for the orange.
Oops, two places I didn’t change orange to lemon! Thanks, Katie! That’s what happens when I work late at night! UGH!
It did show up pretty late!! Of course I was reading it pretty late😂
But you at least caught one of my typos! ;)