California {Lemon} Sheet Cake

That's right. Texas Sheet Cake.... California style. 

So basically nothing like Texas Sheet Cake really. At least not where the fudge-chocolate is concerned. But the rest is definitely true to all of the things you really love about a good sheet cake. 

Ever since I was little one of my very favorite desserts was Texas Sheet Cake. My mother would make it every so often and almost every single year for my birthday. 

Even though it's not your typical birthday-style cake (meaning one of the rectangular or round three-inch tall cakes with too-thick frosting and your name in cursive piped across the top).  

Totally yummy in it's own nostalgic birthday tradition way. 

But for my birthday,  it couldn't hold a candle to a well-frosted Texas Sheet Cake. 

(Please note my perfectly placed and quite brilliant pun.)

Sometime I'll be sharing my mother's Texas Sheet Cake with you. I know there are a lot of recipes for Texas Sheet Cake out there but my mother's is absolutely amazing and always perfectly moist and rich. 

I'm sort of known for taking a bite right after the cake is iced and the frosting is setting. Or more like several bites. So by the time dinner is ever started there is a mis-shapen hole in the corner of the cake. 

It's practically tradition at this point. Everyone has just accepted that a piece will be missing before it's served. And they all know who stole it. 

The best part of the sheet cake is the rich icing and the moistness of the cake itself. I love it so much I decided to make a new version.

Lemon. 

And if there is one thing that lemons always remind me of, it's California. 

I am originally from Huntington Beach, California. And my love for the Golden State runs deep. 

Ever since my family moved to Utah, I've taken at least one, sometimes three or four trips back to Cali. Many times by myself, just staying with family. My brother in Santa Monica, sister back in Orange County, cousin in Ontario, and many times my mother's parents in San Diego. 

I could go on and on about the reasons I adore California and all of the memories I have from all of my trips there.  One of my favorite memories though of California is sipping the sweetest, more flavorful, fresh lemonade I've ever tasted. 

Made from lemons straight off of the tree in my grandparents' backyard. A real lemon tree. With huge juicy lemons. 

So incredibly refreshing and unbelievably delicious.

So when I whipped up this lemon sheet cake, I could think of nothing but sweet memories of croquet, walks down the Oceanside pier, and giant California lemons. 

This cake is moist, just like it's Texas friend. Maybe it's the fact that they are such humid states. Or maybe the sour cream/greek yogurt. That could be it too. Either way, I love them both and can't get enough. 

The icing on this lemon version is light and perfectly sweet and citrus-y. (Yes, citrus-y.) But it's definitley not "Woah, hello lemon."  It's more of an "Oh hey...this is lemon!". You know what I mean? 

If you really love lemon though, I'd add a few tablespoons of fresh lemon juice straight to the cake batter. It will kick that lemon flavor up several notches. 

Oh and I discovered that it's super super yummy with a fruity ice cream. We tried it with homemade pineapple-orange sorbet and with homemade mixed berry ice cream. Ohhhhh it was good. Really really good. 

So if you're looking for a perfect summer dessert to serve a crowd (or just yourself, I don't judge), you definitely need this California {Lemon} Sheet Cake. With a fruity, creamy, frozen scoop of something. 

It screams summertime.