Citronmåne (Lemon Moon Cake)

This lemon cake is sweet and sharp with a clear lemon flavor. Its look is very simple but
effective, making it a great cake for any gathering or event!
Some recipes are great because of how simple they are. We love to share plenty of
complicated recipes, like our wienerbrød (Danish pastries), but sometimes, simple is the way
to go. And this is certainly a cake that is absolutely beautiful in its simplicity! And as the
summer winds down, it’s the perfect cake for a warm afternoon in the sun.
“Citronmåne” translates to Lemon Moon in English, which perfectly describes this beautiful
cake. It’s flavored with plenty of lemon, which gives it that sharp and tangy taste. Then, it’s
topped with a simple icing made with powdered sugar and water, which gives it that beautiful
shine. I also love how the sponge rises and gets a few bumps on top, so when you cover them
in icing they end up looking a bit like craters.
The recipe is straightforward, and the most important thing to remember is that everything
must be room temperature! This includes the butter, eggs, lemon juice, and milk, which are
things you would usually keep in the refrigerator. So, give your butter, lemons, and eggs
several hours to come to room temperature (I like to leave them out overnight). Give your
milk 10 seconds at a time in the microwave until it’s at the right temp. If you leave this step
out, your batter may split. Although you’ll still end up with a delicious cake, the texture
won’t be as great!

Citronmåne (Lemon Moon Cake)

5 from 1 vote
This lemon cake is sweet and sharp with a clear lemon flavor. Its look is very
simple but effective, making it a great cake for any gathering or event!
SERVINGS8 servings
 
PREP TIME15 mins
COOK TIME35 mins
TOTAL TIME50 mins

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IMPORTANT NOTE:
We always bake using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and milliliters). We can’t
promise that our cup measurements will be as accurate! Additionally, we bake and develop
our recipes in a convection (fan) oven.
Ingredients
  
1x2x3x

SPONGE
 200 grams (1 cup) sugar
 200 grams (14 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
 3 large eggs, room temperature
 1 tsp vanilla extract
 120 ml (1/2 cup) lemon juice (juice from 4-5 lemons)
  Zest of one lemon
 200 grams (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
 1.5 tsp baking powder
 Pinch of salt
 3 tbsp milk, room temperature

ICING/GLAZE
 Powdered sugar
 Water
Instructions
 
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Line a round tin with parchment paper or butter
and flour so that the cake doesn’t stick.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes until very light and fluffy.
Make sure to scrape down the sides a few times.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, letting the previous one become fully incorporated before
adding the next. Make sure they are room temperature, so that your batter doesn’t
split!
4. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest to the eggs, butter, and sugar. Mix together.

5. Measure out the lemon juice in a separate cup or bowl. Mix the dry ingredients –
flour, baking powder, and salt – together in a separate bowl.
6. Sift in half of the dry ingredients and mix together until just incorporated. Then add
the lemon juice and mix until incorporated. Sift in the remaining dry ingredients and
mix.
7. Add the milk. Once incorporated, give the mixture a few folds with a spatula to make
sure everything from the bottom has been mixed.

8. Pour the batter into the cake tin.

9. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a skewer/knife inserted into the center of the
cake comes out clean. Note: if you take the cake out early, it may collapse!

10. To mix the icing, just combine powdered sugar with water. Start by adding a couple
of drops of water to a small bowl of powdered sugar. Continue to add water or
powdered sugar until you get the consistency that you want. Keep in mind that a
thicker icing will be difficult to spread on the cake without ruining the top, and a
thinner icing will just run right off. So, you want an icing with a consistency
somewhere in the middle!