Meyer Lemon and Rosemary Cake

Name: Meyer Lemon and Rosemary Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 10 Servings
Ingredients: 2/3 Cup Butter (Softened); 2 1/3 Cups Powdered Sugar; 3 Large Eggs; 4 Teaspoons Fresh Rosemary (Finely Snipped or Chopped); 3 Tablespoons Meyer Lemon Zest; 3 Tablespoons Meyer Lemon Juice; 1 3/4 Cups All Purpose Flour; 3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder; 1/2 Teaspoon Salt; 1 Tablespoon Powdered Sugar

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Looking for a cake that doesn’t need frosting? Meyer Lemon and Rosemary Cake is sweet but not too sweet. This delicious cake has soft herbal notes from rosemary paired with orange-like Meyer lemons that will remind you of long, wonderful summer days.

Portrait view of Meyer Lemon and Rosemary Cake Sliced and Dusted with Powdered Sugar.

There are those cakes you make for major celebrations. You know the ones I mean? Covered in decadent frosting or filled with ganache and custard fillings, they are so beautiful and so sinfully delicious.

But sometimes you want a piece of cake, and just cake, as a mid-day treat or to top off a wonderful day and you don’t need a major showstopper. You want simple. You want sweet, buttery cake.

My Meyer Lemon and Rosemary Cake came from that exact desire for a simple cake that can hold you captive without having any frosting, icing, or glaze. The flavor of this cake is both unique and special because the lemon-orange flavor of the Meyer lemon is absolutely delicious when paired with rosemary.

About this recipe…

This recipe is based on both of my basic recipes for a butter cake and a pound cake. But, as I was developing this recipe, I realized this cake needed to be sweeter than most recipes. The standard amounts of sugar from either recipe, just wasn’t enough to balance the citrus and herb flavors.

Nearly, all of the ingredients can be found on hand. Only the rosemary, which is fresh and not dried, and the Meyer lemons are a special buy from the nearest grocer or farmer’s market. I was so very happy to find an abundance of Meyer lemons at a nearby grocery store. But, then, I do live in a state known for its citrus!

Sprigs of Rosemary in a Glass Container and Meyer Lemons Scattered on a White Washed Rustic Table

But what if you don’t have any Meyer lemons?

♥ Meyer lemons are a cross between a citron fruit and a mandarin orange.
♥ They are smaller than a Eureka lemon and have a less acidic, smooth orange-lemon flavor.
♥ You can substitute a 50/50 blend of orange and lemon zests and juices.

This cake starts simple and ends simple. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, rosemary, Meyer lemon zest and juice. Beat in flour sifted with baking powder and salt. Then spread the thick silky batter into a prepared loaf pan and… Bake!

All that’s left to do is let it cool and dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar! Oh wait! Actually, the last thing to do is… Eat It!

Close View of Meyer Lemon and Rosemary Cake. A small vase of rosemary is in the background.

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4.67 from 3 votes

Meyer Lemon and Rosemary Cake

Encharted Cook | Jan Nunes

Looking for a cake that doesn’t need frosting? Meyer Lemon and Rosemary Loaf Cake is sweet but not too sweet. It’s soft herbal notes from rosemary paired with orange-like Meyer lemons will remind you of the long, wonderful summer days.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr 15 mins

Total Time1 hr 30 mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: Servings