Brighten Your Day with These Lemon Cake Bars!

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Lemon is, without a doubt, the quintessential flavor of Spring for me. This week, I was on the hunt for a baked good idea that wouldn’t require a last-minute trip to the store for ingredients. That’s when I came across this amazing lemon blondies recipe from Spaceships and Laser Beams. I’d never tried lemon blondies before, and I was excited to dive into something new! Below, I’m sharing the ingredients, the steps, and my experience while making this delightful treat!

At first glance, this recipe was labeled as a blondie, but after trying it, I’m not so sure they fit that description. Traditionally, blondies have a dense, chewy texture, but these had a light and fluffy consistency—almost like cake! That’s why I’m calling what I made a Lemon Cake Bar instead. Despite the difference in texture, they were still absolutely delicious and refreshing. Interestingly, Spaceships and Laser Beams did describe the texture as cakey, so I’m not sure if I went off track somewhere or if they’re just meant to be a cakey treat. Either way, let’s dive into the details!

Why I Think The Texture is Off

• Not Enough Flour: The recipe called for 1 cup of all purpose flour. It seemed like that should have been enough, but in hindsight maybe an extra tablespoon or two would have helped make the batter thicker. 

• No Brown Sugar: Most blondies are made by combining brown sugar, vanilla, and butter to not only create a denser chewier texture but to give it its flavor as well. These were lemon flavored, but I think the addition of some brown sugar may have helped with the overall consistency. Note: When you look up the definition of blondies it describes them as brownies, but without the cocoa. If you look at the recipe I followed versus a standard brownie recipe you’ll notice that this recipe aligns more so with a cake or loaf recipe. 

• Overall: These are delicious! Yes, I was expecting a different outcome, but overall these taste delicious and would be the perfect addition to an Easter tea party I think. 

  
  

What I Used Versus the Recipe

• All-Purpose Flour: I ended up using about 120 grams of all-purpose flour and 30 grams of self-rising flour, but that was more out of necessity than intention—I ran out of all-purpose flour! While I wouldn't necessarily recommend doing the same, I’m fairly confident the self-rising flour didn’t throw off the recipe. Note: Self-rising flour already contains rising agents like salt and baking powder, so if you find yourself in a similar situation, make sure to adjust the amounts of these ingredients elsewhere in the recipe if needed!

• Salted Butter: I used unsalted butter and added an extra ¼ teaspoon of salt into the recipe.

• Granulated Sugar: I stuck to the amount of sugar the recipe called for, but as I mentioned earlier, I think adding a bit of brown sugar could have taken this recipe to the next level. It would have added a touch of richness and depth that might have balanced out the tangy lemon flavor even more!

• Eggs: The recipe recommended leaving the eggs out at room temperature. I left mine on the counter for about 5 minutes. 

• Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest: I didn’t use fresh lemon juice for this recipe, mainly because I tend to use bottled lemon juice in most of my baking—it’s quick and convenient. While fresh juice can really enhance the flavor of a dish, it wasn’t absolutely necessary here. However, I did use fresh lemon zest. I only had one lemon on hand, so I didn’t follow the recipe’s zest measurements exactly, but it turned out to be the perfect amount of lemony goodness!

• Lemon Glaze: I used all of the ingredients the recipe called for, except I opted not to use fresh lemon juice. Instead, I stuck with bottled lemon juice, which I always have on hand. Despite that small swap, everything else stayed true to the recipe!

• Note: I know baking is often more of a science, but don’t be afraid to have a little fun and experiment in the kitchen—even if a recipe tells you otherwise! Sometimes, a little tweaking here and there can lead to delicious results. After all, cooking is all about making it your own!

  
  

  Follow These Steps to Make Yummy Lemon Treats

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper. Note: You can also use aluminum foil to line the baking dish, like I did, but make sure to use a heavy-duty foil. I used my foil from the dollar tree and it ripped in the corners a bit. Also, roll out a piece bigger than your dish so that you can lift out the squares once they’ve cooled.

2. Spray the parchment paper (or foil) with oil and set aside.

3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Whisking dry ingredients separately is key—it helps ensure everything is well incorporated and can also give your baked goods a fluffier texture when needed. Set aside. Note: If you’re using a different type of flour or unsalted butter, don’t forget to adjust the amounts of baking powder and salt accordingly!

4. In a medium-sized bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the butter that you’ve left out to soften. If you forgot to soften it, no worries—just pop it in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Be sure to watch it closely, though, as you don’t want it to melt, just soften. After beating the butter for a few minutes, it should have a smooth texture and a lighter color.

5. Beat the granulated sugar into the butter for another few minutes. You want the butter and sugar to become light and fluffy. The color will also become lighter. Note: When I mix ingredients together at this stage my hand mixer is usually set to medium-high to high.

6. Add the first egg to your sugar and butter mixture, then beat well. Once fully combined, add the second egg and beat again. Beating the mixture after each addition helps ensure the eggs are fully incorporated, resulting in a smoother, more consistent batter.

7. Add the flour mixture and continue beating until well combined. If you’re using a stand or hand mixer, lower the speed so that your flour doesn’t fly everywhere!

8. Grate the lemon zest directly into the bowl and add your lemon juice. Mix gently until everything is well combined. Be careful not to over-mix—once the zest is fully incorporated and there are no streaks of lemon juice left, stop mixing to avoid disrupting the texture.

9. Using a rubber spatula, spread the batter evenly into your baking dish. If you're using tinfoil, be careful not to tear it during this step. The original recipe suggests tapping the dish to eliminate any air bubbles, but I found that air bubbles appeared while it was baking. You can either tap the dish on the counter now or wait until you start seeing bubbles in the oven—just be sure to wear oven mitts if you decide to tap it while it's hot!

10. I baked mine for about 20 minutes, but here's where things took a turn. I had expected the batter to transform into a classic blondie texture, but instead, it became more cakey. To check if it was fully cooked, I inserted a wooden skewer into the center of the bars. The edges should be lightly browned, and the top should have a pale yellow color. Despite the difference in texture, they still turned out delicious!

11. Leave your bars to cool as you get started on the glaze. Note: If you want to speed up the cooling process you can put on a window sill with the window open then into the fridge.

12. To make the glaze, start by sifting the powdered sugar into a small bowl. Don’t skip this step—it’s essential to ensure a smooth, clump-free glaze that will drizzle perfectly over your treats!

13. Whisk in more lemon zest and juice to create the lemon flavor. I prefer to whisk the ingredients because it incorporates the ingredients better.

14. Once the bars have cooled, use a rubber spatula to spread the glaze evenly over the top. You can apply the glaze while the bars are still a little warm, but for the best results, I recommend waiting until the glaze has fully set and the bars have completely cooled before cutting into them. This will help you get clean, beautiful slices!

Comment below if you give this recipe a try! Also, message me and let me know how this recipe worked for you!. 

Follow me on Instagram @salty_and_sweet_creations for more delicious recipes and to interact with me! Don't forget to check out Spaceships and Laser Beams as well!

Lemon Cake Bars

servings: 12

prep time: 20 minutes cook time: 20 minutes

total time: 40 minutes

Lemon is, without a doubt, the quintessential flavor of Spring for me. This week, I was on the hunt for a baked good idea that wouldn’t require a last-minute trip to the store for ingredients. That’s when I came across this amazing lemon blondies recipe from Spaceships and Laser Beams. I’d never tried lemon blondies before, and I was excited to dive into something new! Below, you'll find that recipe with minor adjustments of mine!

Ingredients:

Batter:

• 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 2 large eggs

• freshly grated lemon zest

• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup (2 oz) lemon juice

  
  

Glaze:

• 1 1/4 cup (150g) powdered sugar, sifted

• freshly grated lemon zest

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  
  

Recipe:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment or foil. Leave some hanging over the edge so you can pull it out.

• Spray with oil and set aside.

• In a small bowl whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

• In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, beat softened butter until smooth.

• Beat granulated sugar with butter until light and fluffy.

• Add the eggs. Beating well after each one.

• Add the flour mixture and beat until combined.

• Add grated lemon zest and juice until well combined. Don't over mix.

• Spread the batter evenly into your baking dish.

• Bake for 20 minutes until edges are slightly brown. Let cool.

  While the bars are cooling start the glaze.

• Sift powdered sugar into a small bowl.

• Whisk in lemon zest and juice.

• Spread glaze over cooled bars. Let glaze set, cut, then serve.