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This whole lemon blender cake goes into the blender whole, peel and all, for a lemon flavor you will not get from juice and zest alone. Everything goes into one jar and the batter is in the pan about two minutes later. No creaming, no zesting, no juicing, and nothing to wash but the blender.
I make this in my Zwilling blender and it works just as well in a Vitamix. If yours is not that powerful, do not worry, there is a one-step adjustment in the notes that gets you there in any blender you own. And if you want another bright lemon dessert while you are here, my no bake lemon posset recipe is what I make when I do not want to turn the oven on.
Quick Look: Whole Lemon Blender Cake
- 🍋 What it is: A whole lemon, peel and all, blended into a tender lemon loaf cake.
- ⭐ Why it works: Wet ingredients go in first, so the blades have liquid to break the peel against.
- 💛 Why you’ll love it: No creaming, no zesting, no juicing, and only the blender jar to wash.
- ⚠️ What to watch for: If the batter stops moving, stop and fold the flour in by hand.
- ❄️ Make ahead: Bake it a day ahead. It keeps three days at room temperature.
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this whole lemon cake. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the full ingredient list and measurements.
- Whole Lemon: I use Wonderful seedless lemons for this, mostly because there are no seeds to pick out, and seeds are where a lot of the bitterness comes from. Meyer lemons are just as good and their pith is even sweeter. You will just need to take the seeds out first. Buy organic if you can, since the entire peel goes into the cake. Chop the lemon into chunks so it breaks down faster. If all you can find is a regular Eureka or Lisbon lemon, there is a note in the recipe card for how to handle it.
- Granulated Sugar: brings a little added sweetness.
- Large Eggs: to help the cake have a dense texture.
- Vegetable Oil: or you can use peanut oil or canola oil.
- Plain Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream: adds a creamy and tangy flavor that complements the lemon really well.
- Vanilla Extract: brings a touch of subtle flavor to balance out the lemon.
- All-purpose Flour: adds the necessary structure.
- Baking powder and Baking soda: to make sure the cake rises.
- Salt: balances out the sweetness while enhancing all of the other flavors.
- Lemon juice: is the base of the glaze that goes on top. This will be separate from the whole lemon that goes into the cake so make sure you have enough.
- Powdered sugar: sweetens the lemon juice to make the glaze.
How to Make a Whole Blender LEmon Cake
Preheat your oven, then grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a blender, add the eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla first, then the lemon chunks and sugar on top. Putting the liquids in first gives the blades something to work against, instead of asking them to catch dry chunks of peel. Blend for about 30 seconds, until you cannot see any pieces of peel left.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt straight into the blender. Blend on low just until the flour disappears, about 10 to 15 seconds, scraping the sides down once if you need to. Stop as soon as it comes together, because this is the step where a cake turns tough.
- If your blender starts to labor here, or the batter stops moving and just spins around the blades, stop and scrape everything into a mixing bowl. Finish folding it together by hand with a spatula until no streaks of flour remain. The cake bakes up exactly the same, you just wash one more dish.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and let it cool completely to room temperature on a wire rack.
- Prepare the glaze: In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice until smooth. Add more lemon juice if needed to reach the desired consistency. Once the loaf is completely cool, drizzle the lemon glaze over the top. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before slicing.
Why do you need to make this recipe!
- This citrus cake has the right amount of lemon flavor and lemony sugar glaze to satisfy your cravings during the warmer weather.
- It’s a great make-ahead dessert to prepare for a get-together this weekend.
- It’s an easy recipe made with just a few simple ingredients that you can easily find at the grocery store.
- If you’re an environmentally-conscious person, you will love this recipe since it uses all parts of the lemon there is no waste!
Expert Tips
- Use a medium lemon (tennis ball-sized). Jumbo lemons add too much moisture and bitterness. If using a large lemon, only blend three-quarters of it.
- Scrub the lemon with warm water. This removes the wax coating since you are using the whole peel. Opt for organic if possible.
- Use room-temperature eggs and sour cream. Leave them out for 20 minutes; cold dairy thickens the batter and strains the blender.
- Avoid personal-sized blenders. The batter will overflow. If you must use one, blend only the wet ingredients and mix the flour in a bowl by hand.
- Scrape under the blender blades. Use a flexible spatula to retrieve the hidden batter so your loaf reaches its full height.
- Tent the pan with foil at 30 minutes. This stops the top from over-browning before the inside sets. Test for doneness directly in the center crack.
- Cool completely before glazing. Otherwise, the warm cake will absorb the glaze. Finish by scattering fresh lemon zest over the set glaze.
Whole Lemon Blender Cake FAQs
Almost always because your blender does not have the power to move a full batch once the flour goes in, and that is not you doing anything wrong. I use a Zwilling and it works in a Vitamix too, but plenty of blenders will labor at that stage or just spin the blades while the batter sits there in a ring around the top.
The fix costs you one extra bowl. Stop the blender, scrape everything into a mixing bowl, and finish folding it together with a spatula until no streaks of flour remain. Do not keep running the machine to force it through, because that is how you end up with a tough cake on top of an overheating blender.
Three things worth trying before you reach for the bowl: put the eggs and oil into the jar first so the blades have liquid to work against, cut the lemon into smaller chunks than you think you need, and add the dry ingredients in two batches instead of all at once.
Yes, and a food processor actually handles the lemon chunks better than a lot of blenders do. Process the lemon with the wet ingredients until you cannot see any pieces of peel, then add the dry ingredients and pulse just until the flour disappears.
Pulse it, do not let it run. A food processor blade works batter much faster than a blender does, and a few seconds too long is the difference between tender and rubbery.
You do not need to for this recipe, but it is a genuinely useful trick if the only lemons you can find have thick skin. Simmer the whole lemon in water for about fifteen minutes, drain it, and let it cool completely before you cut into it. Boiling softens the peel and draws out a good amount of the bitterness, and a softened lemon is much gentler on a weak blender.
Pat it dry before it goes into the blender so you are not adding extra water to the batter, and take out any seeds once it is cool enough to handle.
It should not, as long as you get two things right. Take out every seed, because the seeds are far more bitter than the peel is, and do not over blend. Thirty seconds is enough. Past that you start pulverizing the white pith, and that is where the harsh, lingering bitterness comes from.
I use Wonderful seedless lemons, which takes the seed problem off the table completely. Meyer lemons are the other great option here, since their pith is thinner and sweeter than a standard lemon. If all you can find is a regular Eureka or Lisbon lemon, run a vegetable peeler over it to take off the yellow zest, cut away the white pith underneath with a paring knife and throw that out, then blend the zest together with the flesh.
Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. It keeps in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to three months. If you are freezing it, freeze it unglazed and add the glaze after it thaws.
More LEmon Recipe Favorites
If you tried this whole lemon blender cake or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments! I love hearing from you!
Whole Lemon Blender Cake
Ingredients
- 1 whole lemon preferably Wonderful Seedless or Meyer (organic preferred, seeds removed, chopped into chunks.)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F . Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
- In a blender, combine the lemon chunks, sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Blend for about 30 seconds, until the lemon is fully broken down and the mixture is smooth.1 whole lemon, 1 cup granulated sugar, 3 large eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1/3 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the blender. Blend on low just until the flour disappears, about 10 to 15 seconds. Do not overmix. If your blender labors or the batter stops moving, scrape everything into a mixing bowl and fold the rest together by hand with a spatula.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 47-51 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Prepare the glaze
- In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice until smooth. Add more lemon juice if needed to reach the desired consistency.1 cup powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Once the loaf is completely cool, drizzle the lemon glaze over the top. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before slicing.
Notes
Blender note: This does not need a high-powered blender, but if yours starts to labor once the flour goes in, do not force it through. Scrape everything into a mixing bowl and fold the rest together with a spatula until no streaks of flour remain. The cake is identical either way. It also helps to put the eggs and oil into the jar first, so the blades have liquid to work against instead of trying to catch dry chunks of peel. Do not overmix once the flour is in. Ten to fifteen seconds on low is enough. Past that you develop the gluten and get a tough, rubbery cake instead of a tender one. Thirty seconds is plenty for the lemon, too. Blending it longer pulverizes the white pith, and that is where a bitter cake comes from. Lemon varieties: Wonderful seedless lemons are what I use, since there are no seeds to pick out and seeds carry more bitterness than the peel does. Meyer lemons work just as well and have thinner, sweeter pith. For a standard Eureka or Lisbon lemon, peel the yellow zest off with a vegetable peeler, cut away and discard the white pith underneath, then blend the zest together with the flesh. Gluten free: Swap the all purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free blend. Make sure the blend is meant for baking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I freeze it for a later use?
Yes you can! Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, place it in a ziplock and freeze for up to 3 monts.
I used an organic lemon and the cake was so bitter that I threw it away. Additionally my vitamin could not blend all the ingredients, so I had to mix by hand. The powdered sugar lemon frosting was not enough to overcome the bitter taste. It sounded like an interesting recipe but I won’t try again.
I’m sorry, that’s frustrating. The bitterness comes from the pith, which is why this really needs a Meyer lemon. They have thin, mild pith, where regular lemons are much more bitter. That’s on me for not making it clearer in the recipe, and I’m updating it now. If you ever want to try again with a regular lemon, peeling away most of the white pith before blending helps a lot.
Can it be made GF?!
Yes! A 1:1 gluten-free blend like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill works cup for cup with no other changes.
this loaf is perfect. almost no work and so much flavour! I have only made it once but I do believe it is fool proof. we have a gas oven with really vague temp markings and it still rose up beautifully and tasted amazing. I took it to a gathering at a friend’s house where th re was lots of other food and desserts and this was devoured! the icing sugar and lemon juice makes an amazing icing. so tart and sweet.
OMG this is so sweet, thank you so much for trying it and I’m so glad you liked it!!
Easy , fast , tasty I make this often sometimes add poppy seeds
Love this one
YAY!! So glad you love it, Melanie!
Instead of sour cream, would I be able to use cream cheese in its place? Thanks!
I haven’t tested it with cream cheese so I can’t guarantee the results. Since that’s gonna be a little bit more rich and dense, I would opt for greek yogurt instead!
I have been trying different lemon blender recipes but one thing seems to be missing. I decided to boil and blend several home grown lemons for more than 1 cake/loaf. Nowhere is there an amount for how much pureed lemon to use per recipe. Please Help. I Really want to try this one
Hi Terry,
I unfortunately didn’t measure out the exact amount of lemon puree for this recipe, I just use one medium whole lemon (the ones from Wonderful brand work great).
One thing to note: I don’t boil the lemons first before blending. Boiling them might add extra moisture and throw off the recipe’s balance, so I’d recommend using raw lemons and blending them as-is. If you already have boiled and pureed lemons, you might need to adjust the liquid in the recipe to compensate for the extra moisture.
Hope this helps!
The cake is incredibly delicious, soft, juicy, super lemon flavor, quick and easy to prepare, I used regular lemon, there was no bitterness, the taste is very delicate, thanks for the recipe!
You are so welcome! Glad you enjoyed!
Is it possible not to add in the sour cream or yogurt?
No, unfortunately it’s not. It’s very essential for the cake’s texture and is factored into the recipe so if you removed it, it would have to be replaced with something.
mine came out bitter, this time. I’ve made it before, and it was perfectly fine…I wonder if it’s the type of lemon, it was thin skinned.
It might be that! I think if the lemon has a really thick rind you might run into the risk of it being bitter.
I personally always use the seedless Wonderful lemons and never ran into that issue.