Lemon Crunch Cake Recipe

Square piece of yellow cake with crumb topping and whipped cream sitting on a brown and white plate with lemon slices visible in the background.

Make a delicious lemon crunch cake that is moist, delicious, and packed full of vibrant, fresh lemon flavor. This easy-to-make lemon cake features a crunchy, sweet topping with toasted pecans. Perfect for any occasion, this cake will brighten up your dessert table with its zesty, refreshing taste!

Course Desserts

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 1

Servings servings

Calories 438kcal

Author Diane Gail

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup salted butter room temperature
1 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice fresh
1/2 cup buttermilk

For the topping:

1/4 cup lemon syrup (link for recipe in instructions, substitute with store-bought lemon curd if you prefer)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar loosely packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons salted butter salted, melted
2 teaspoon lemon zest fresh
1/4 cup pecan pieces

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat & Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8 baking pan with butter or non-stick spray.
Make the Cake:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, blending well between each addition.
Stir in the vanilla extract and fresh lemon juice, mixing well.
Gradually add half of the flour mixture, followed by half of the buttermilk, mixing after each addition. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and buttermilk, beating well after each.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then remove from the pan and place on a wire cooling rack.
Brush with Lemon Syrup: Once the cake has cooled, brush the top with lemon syrup. Let it cool completely. You can substitute store-bought lemon curd if you prefer.
Make the Topping:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and pecans.
In a separate bowl, whisk the lemon zest into the melted butter.
Pour the butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until the flour is absorbed.
Top & Broil:
Transfer the cooled cake to a sheet pan. Spread the topping evenly over the entire cake.
Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned. Keep an eye on it to prevent burning.

Notes

Room Temperature Ingredients: For the best texture, make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This will help the ingredients blend together smoothly and give your cake a lighter texture.
Adjust the Pecan Topping: If you don’t like pecans, you can replace them with other nuts like walnuts or almonds.
Cool Completely: Be sure to let the cake cool completely after brushing with the lemon syrup. This allows the syrup to soak into the cake, giving it a nice flavor infusion.

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