The best low calorie lemon cake

Spring is around the corner and of course that means it’s officially citrus season! This low calorie lemon cake is moist, packed with delicious lemon flavor and topped off with a tangy lemon frosting. And the best part? This cake contains just 58 calories per slice or 234 calories for the ENTIRE cake plus the frosting! So if you’ve ever wanted to eat an entire cake to yourself whilst still losing weight, now you can!

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here. 

I don’t know about you but eating an entire lemon cake for just 234 calories sounds like the most ideal way to lose weight. Being in a calorie deficit can feel really restricting if have a major sweet tooth. Cakes with a thick layer of frosting have always been my weakness. And in the spring and summer, I want ALL the lemon flavoured desserts! But a traditional slice of lemon cake has close to 600 calories which when you’re in a deficit, is A LOT of calories for a small slice of cake with very little nutritional value. That’s where this low calorie lemon cake comes in! It has just 234 calories for the entire cake and frosting, it is super filling and delicious. Plus, it’s very easy to work into your deficit so there’s no reason to miss out on delicious sweet treats whilst losing weight!

If you are looking for more calorie deficit friendly cakes, I have a ton of low calorie cakes that taste just as good as their high calorie counterparts. My low calorie chocolate cake was such a hit that I then made this low calorie vanilla funfetti cake and that too was a massive hit! I then got tons of requests for different cakes and then my 72 calorie carrot cake was added to the bunch. Now that spring is on the horizon, I’ve been getting lots of requests for lemon cake. Lemon cake has always been one of my favorite cakes so I jumped at the opportunity to make a low calorie version 😉

LOW CALORIE LEMON CAKE 

Lemon desserts are such classic staples in the spring and summer time. From lemon cake to lemon loafs, everyone loves them a slice of lemon. And there’s no reason anyone should miss out just because they’re trying to lose weight! This low calorie lemon cake is seriously so easy to make and is absolutely incredible! You would never know it’s any different to its full-fat, high calorie counterpart!

Although this recipe technically contains 4 servings, I have no problem eating it all to myself. And at just 58 calories a slice, there is definitely no need to stop at 1!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE:

• Super simple recipe that comes together in just one bowl!
• You can have this delicious low calorie lemon cake ready from start to finish in under 30 minutes! 
• This cake is super moist, soft and fluffy.
• Filled with delicious lemon flavor throughout.
• This recipe can easily be made gluten-free.
• Only 58 calories per slice!
• The BEST low calorie lemon cake ever!

INGREDIENTS 

Exact ingredient quantities can be found at the bottom of this page.

To make the best low calorie lemon cake you will need:

Egg – This recipe calls for just 1 egg. Ensure your egg is at room temperature and not cold. To quickly get your egg to room temperature from the fridge, set it on the kitchen counter for 30 minutes!

Stevia or granulated sweetener – I always recommend stevia when it comes to low calorie baking. It adds sweetness without adding any calories. You can use any sweetener of your choice here but keep the conversion in mind. The stevia I use is a 1:2 ratio of stevia to sugar. So feel free to adjust according to the sweetener you use.

Full-fat yogurt – This recipe contains very little fat and therefore calls for full-fat yogurt. This adds moisture to the cake giving it that classic soft and fluffy texture. You could use low-fat yogurt in a pinch but the cake may be a little dry.

Lemon – This recipe calls for 1 small lemon. You will need both the zest and the juice of the lemon for this recipe. You can opt for lemon extract here but I find a lemon adds better flavor.

Plain/all-purpose flour – This recipe calls for plain or all-purpose flour. For a gluten-free alternative, you can use gluten-free flour or oat flour.

Baking powder – Baking powder helps the cake rise.

0 calorie icing sugar – 0 calorie icing sugar keeps this recipe sugar-free. If you don’t have any 0 calorie icing sugar to hand, you can make your own by blitzing granulated sweetener in a food processor! You can also opt for regular icing sugar but it will add a few extra calories.

How to make low calorie lemon cake

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (356°F).
2. Make the frosting by mixing together the yogurt, lemon zest and 0 calorie icing sugar. Set aside in the fridge.
3. Using an electric hand whisk, beat the egg until fluffy. Whisk in the stevia and whisk again until light and fluffy. Mix in the yogurt and lemon juice.
4. Fold in the dry ingredients and lemon zest, mix until well combined.
5. Transfer the batter to a 5-inch cake pan and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Allow the cake to cool before frosting. Cut into 4 slices, serve and enjoy!

TOP TIPS

Don’t over mix the batter – When folding in the dry ingredients, do so gently. The thick egg is what gives this cake volume so you don’t want to deflate it! Fold the ingredients in until the batter is well combined but try not to over do it.

Chill the frosting – The frosting is already quite thick but to really give it that thick, creamy ganache feel, chill it in the fridge. I like to make the frosting first and set it in the fridge whilst the cake bakes and cools.

Allow the cake to cool – If you add the frosting to the cake before it cools, it will melt. Make sure to allow the cake to cool completely before adding the frosting.

more low calorie cakes…