• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Dessert Done Light | Desserts for your healthy lifestyle
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • About Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • About Me
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Contact
    • About Me
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Cakes and Cupcakes

    Healthy Lemon Cake

    Published: Mar 25, 2022 · Modified: Oct 11, 2022 by Crystal Yentzen · This post may contain affiliate links · 9 Comments

    Sharing is caring!

    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe
    Healthy Lemon Cake

    Moist, sweet, and bursting with lemon flavor, this healthy lemon cake is sure to become your favorite! It's made with wholesome ingredients and topped with a healthy lemon cream cheese frosting. Plus, this single-layer cake is so easy to make, and it happens to be gluten-free.

    Healthy Lemon Cake

    If you're a lemon lover, you simply must try this healthy lemon cake!

    Yes, we all love the lemon cake from Starbucks. But with all that fat and sugar, I suggest you pass on the Starbucks and try this homemade cake instead. You will not regret it!

    It's moist, sweet, and bursting with bright lemon flavor. And it's topped with the best lemon cream cheese frosting. The frosting alone is enough to try this cake! Why? Because lemon + cream cheese + maple syrup = AMAZING!

    Plus, this cake will not affect your healthy lifestyle. It's made with wholesome, nourishing ingredients that you probably already have in your cupboard. Here's what you'll need:

    Jump to:
    • Healthy Lemon Cake Ingredients:
    • How to make Healthy Lemon Cake
    • FAQ's
    • Want more healthy dessert recipes?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Healthy Lemon Cake Ingredients:

    For healthy lemon cake, you'll need the following ingredients:

    • Oat Flour- Oat flour is sold in stores, but it’s also super easy to make at home. Simply blend old-fashioned oats in a high-speed blender until the oats become a fine powder (about 30 seconds to a minute). Store your oat flour in an air-tight container for up to three months. 
    • Cornstarch- When added to the oat flour, cornstarch helps to produce a tender crumb.
    • Baking Powder and Baking Soda- I use both baking powder and baking soda to help the cake rise.
    • Salt- As with most baked goods, a little salt is necessary for the best flavor.
    • Maple Syrup- Feel free to substitute sugar-free maple syrup or agave syrup if desired.
    • Milk- I use 2 percent milk for this recipe, but you can use any type of milk that you have on hand.
    • Yogurt- You can use any type of plain, unsweetened yogurt. Vanilla yogurt would also be a good choice.
    • Eggs- You'll need two large eggs at room temperature.
    • Olive Oil- Olive oil may sound strange in a cake, but it pairs nicely with the lemon. And it's so much better for you than butter or vegetable oil.
    • Lemon juice and lemon zest- The recipe calls for ¼ cup of lemon juice and one tablespoon of lemon zest. Two large lemons should be all that you need.
    • Vanilla extract- Pure vanilla extract is best, but go ahead and use imitation if that's what you have.
    • Lemon extract- I find that lemon juice and zest alone isn't quite enough lemon flavor for me, so I add just a tiny bit of the McCormick brand of lemon extract. You can use any brand that you prefer. Just be sure it's extract and not oil. If you choose to omit the extract, add an extra ½ tablespoon of lemon zest.
    • Stevia- I use Sweetleaf Stevia Drops and maple syrup to sweeten the cake. Stevia is a natural sugar substitute with zero calories. There are many different brands on the market, so feel free to use whichever you prefer. Just be sure to read the label and use the equivalent of ½ cup of sugar.

    Healthy lemon cake batter

    How to make Healthy Lemon Cake

    This healthy lemon cake is so easy to make!

    You simply whisk together the dry ingredients.

    Then the wet ingredients.

    Then mix the wet and dry.

    Bake. It's that simple!

    While the cake is cooling, make the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting. Check out this blog post for the recipe. It's super easy too!

    lemon cake with healthy lemon cream cheese frosting

    FAQ's

    What type of cake pan should I use?

    Aluminum cake pans work best for baking cakes. Aluminum heats up quickly and evenly, ensuring that your cakes come out perfectly every time.


    Do I need to use parchment paper?

    Parchment paper rounds guarantee your cake won't stick. I suggest that you grease your cake pan and line it with parchment paper. Then grease the parchment paper.


    What is oat flour?

    Oat flour is just ground old-fashioned oats. Health food stores and some supermarkets sell it, but it's also super easy to make at home. Simply blend old-fashioned oats in a high-speed blender until the oats become a fine powder (about 30 seconds to a minute). Store your oat flour in an air-tight container for up to three months. 

    a slice healthy lemon cake on a yellow plate

    Want more healthy dessert recipes?

    Check these out!

    Healthy Strawberry Cake

    Healthy Protein Brownies

    Skinny Lemon Cheesecake Mousse

    Healthy Carrot Cake

    Healthy Peach Muffins with Oat Flour

    Healthy Pie Crust (Easy)

    Chocolate Oat Flour Cake

    Please let me know how you like the healthy lemon cake in the comments. Your feedback means a lot to me, and your star ratings encourage other readers to give this recipe a try. 🙂

    Enjoy!

    Crystal

    📖 Recipe

    healthy lemon cake
    Print Recipe
    4.47 from 13 votes

    Healthy Lemon Cake

    Moist, sweet, and bursting with lemon flavor, this healthy lemon cake is sure to become your favorite! It's made with wholesome ingredients and topped with a healthy lemon cream cheese frosting. Plus, this single-layer cake is so easy to make, and it happens to be gluten-free.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time25 mins
    Total Time40 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Lemon, Spring
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 213kcal
    Author: Crystal Yentzen

    Ingredients

    • 1 and ¾ cups oat flour*
    • 3 and ½ tablespoons cornstarch
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup maple syrup
    • ½ cup milk
    • ⅓ cup unsweetened yogurt
    • 2 eggs
    • 4 tablespoons olive oil
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
    • 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
    • ½ teaspoon lemon extract
    • 1 teaspoon stevia*

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan and then line it with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper and set it aside.
    • Whisk the oat flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
    • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, milk, yogurt, eggs, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and stevia.
    • Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk together until smooth and no lumps remain.
    • Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 23-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean (or with a few moist crumbs).
    • Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
    • While the cake is cooling, move on to prepare the healthy lemon cream cheese frosting or frosting of choice.

    Notes

    1. Oat Flour–  Oat flour is sold in stores, but it’s also super easy to make at home. Simply blend old-fashioned oats in a high-speed blender until the oats become a fine powder (about 30 seconds to a minute). Store your oat flour in an air-tight container for up to three months. 
    2. Stevia- I use Sweetleaf Stevia Drops and maple syrup to sweeten the cake. Stevia is a natural sugar substitute with zero calories. There are many different brands on the market, so feel free to use whichever you prefer. Just be sure to read the label and use the equivalent of ½ cup of sugar. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 232mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1mg

    More Cakes and Cupcakes

    • Chocolate Oat Flour Cake
    • The Best Protein Cupcakes (Healthy)
    • The Best Healthy Red Velvet Cupcakes
    • Quinoa Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Glaze

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sue says

      March 26, 2022 at 3:31 pm

      5 stars
      Oh, I love lemon cake, and can't wait to try this healthier version! Thank you!

      Reply
    2. nancy says

      March 26, 2022 at 9:05 pm

      5 stars
      the perfect lemon sweet ratio

      Reply
    3. Gina says

      March 26, 2022 at 9:08 pm

      5 stars
      I love lemon desserts. This lemon cake is perfect for the spring and summer months.

      Reply
    4. Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says

      March 27, 2022 at 8:28 pm

      5 stars
      I absolutely LOVE lemon desserts and this did not disappoint! The cake had wonderful texture and was the perfect balance between sweet and tart.

      Reply
      • Crystal Yentzen says

        March 28, 2022 at 2:32 pm

        Thank you so much! I'm so glad you liked it.

        Reply
    5. Nic says

      September 01, 2022 at 12:14 pm

      I see the yoghurt in the ingredients list but it’s not in the recipe. Is it added with the other wet ingredients please?

      Reply
      • Crystal Yentzen says

        September 01, 2022 at 3:15 pm

        Yes, and thank you so much for bringing that to my attention. The instructions have been updated to include the yogurt. Let me know how you like it!

        Crystal

        Reply
    6. Steph says

      September 08, 2022 at 12:23 am

      do you think it would be possible to half the recipe and bake it in a smaller pan like a 6inch?

      Reply
      • Crystal Yentzen says

        September 08, 2022 at 3:34 pm

        You can, although the cake will not turn out as thick, and you'll need to adjust the baking time. I would start checking for doneness around 13 minutes or so. Let me know if you try it!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Crystal! Welcome to Dessert Done Light, where I share healthy dessert, snack, and breakfast recipes. If you're looking for a healthy treat, you're in the right place!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Healthy Key Lime Pie (Easy)
    • Dog Pumpkin Pie
    • Oatmeal Ginger Cookies
    • 5 Best Oat Flour Cake Recipes

    Trending Recipes

    • Healthy Lemon Cake
    • Peanut Butter Oat Dog Treats
    • How to Make Quinoa Flour (Quick and Easy)
    • Powdered Peanut Butter Mug Cake (4 Ingredients)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! to receive new recipes directly to your inbox!

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Dessert Done Light

    72 shares