This homemade lemon sauce cake is a throwback to the Cake ‘n Sauce mixes that many of us enjoyed over the years.
This lemon sauce cake is a throwback to those cake ‘n sauce mixes that many of us have enjoyed, except this one is easily made from scratch at home, with regular panty items. Simply mix up the cake batter, then pour the hot lemon sauce mixture over-top and bake. While it bakes, the sauce thickens and sinks to the bottom. Enjoy this warm from the oven on its own, or with a bit of ice cream or whipped cream.
Ingredients and dubstitutions
Self Raising Flour – Note that this recipe calls for Self-Raising flour. I know this flour is easily available here in Canada. You’ll find it in small bags in with the regular flour. BRODIE is the brand I see most often. If you don’t have access to it, I’ve included a substitute in the Recipe Card, that uses regular all-purpose flour.
Lemon – you’ll need just one fresh lemon for this recipe. You’ll need both lemon zest and lemon juice, so remember to take the zest off before juicing the lemon.
Recipe tip!
Remember to place your baking pan or dish on a baking sheet, as you may get some bubble-overs as it cooks.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
This lemon sauce cake is best enjoyed freshly baked, but you can make it ahead and re-warm it a bit in the oven (loosely cover with aluminum foil and pop into a 350F oven until warmed.
Store left-overs in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
I don’t suggest freezing this dessert, as it may alter the texture in not great ways.
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Get the Recipe: Lemon Cake and Sauce
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp self-raising flour, *see Recipe Notes for substitute
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
For the sauce:
- 2 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon, strained
- Hot Water
For garnish:
- Icing/confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F (regular bake/not fan assisted) and grease a 8-inch (top diameter) skillet or similar sized baking dish with high sides. Set on a baking sheet and set aside.
- In a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter with the sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. In a small bowl, beat the eggs lightly with a fork. Add to the creamed butter and sugar mixture and beat to combine.
- Stir in the flour, salt and milk and mix just until incorporated.
- Spoon the mixture into prepared baking dish, smoothing the top.
- Prepare the sauce by stirring together the cornstarch and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the juice of one lemon to a 2-cup measuring cup, then fill 1 1/4 cup level with hot water. Add to the bowl with the sugar and stir to combine. Gently pour the sauce mixture over the cake batter.
- Bake in preheated oven 35-40 minutes, or until lightly golden on top. Allow to stand in the pan for at least 5 minutes, then enjoy warm with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
More lemon dessert recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
This is the best dessert and on such frequent rotation in my house that I actually know your fabulous recipe off by heart ;) I don’t get to indulge anymore as I’ve switched to a plant-based diet but thankfully I enjoyed it many, many times prior. My FIL and husband are more than happy to ‘absorb’ my portion! Huge thanks and much appreciation for sharing this gorgeous creation. I’d give you a hundred stars if I could!
I’m so happy to hear, Patti! It is one of my favourites, too :) Thanks so much!
I love your recipes! I have been taught not to put acids in my cast iron though. I’m planning to make this in a pyrex pan to save Grandma’s skillet. :-)
Hi Donna! Yes, I know that a lot of people avoid acids in cast iron, but my skillets are all well used and well seasoned, so I don’t have any issues with acids in them. I do make sure to not let acidic food linger in the pan though. I remove it right after cooking and they are good as new. I wouldn’t blame you if you’d rather not risk a special skillet though :) Do enjoy the cake!
I did use Pyrex when I made the Homemade Lemon Cake and Sauce. My husband and I loved the recipe. I increased the lemon juice to 2 lemons and used zest from about 1 and a half lemons because we love extra tartness. The sugar amounts were fine as listed even with more lemon. We are having a family event this weekend, and I’ll make 2 of this great recipe to take and WOW everyone. Thank you tons for the great ideas.
So glad to hear you enjoyed this and that it works out just as well with a glass pan! Thanks :)
WOW ! This is very good and tasty dessert ! It is light and not crazy sweet at all. But still Buttery flavor to it ! I love this. And of course I do repeating make this recipe ! Thank you so much for your recipe !
I am always looking for new recipes with lemon and your cake with the sauce looks so good.
Thanks Gerlinde :)
You know I can’t resist lemon desserts… this looks divine! :)
Thanks Laura :)
I love everything lemon! Especially when it’s this beautiful!
Thanks Annie!
You have a way of getting my mouth watering, girl, this is spectacular!
Thanks Sue :)
You are so good at coming up with lemon sweets and treats:) I have never had cake’n’sauce mix dessert to to me your recipe is entirely original. Looks gorgeous!
Thanks Milena! Make Cake ‘n Sauce is a Canadian thing? Anyway, they were always a delicious dessert, so I love being able to recreate it :)
The most perfect dessert for the first day of spring Jennifer! I love the double the lemon flavor!
Thanks Mary Ann :) Happy Spring!
Love love love lemon! And this beauty in a cast iron skillet is just perfect! What a lovely way to kick off spring, Jennifer :)
Thanks so much, Dawn :)
Absolutely stunning Jennifer! As you may know, lemon desserts are some of our favorites. This would be terrific to serve at one of our family dinners, delicious and easy and all in one pan :) Thanks for sharing! (Self-raising flour is readily available in the US too!)
Thanks Tricia! And thanks for letting me know you can find self-raising flour in the US. I’m never sure of these things :)