Get ready to fall in love with this easy Potato Starch Lemon Cake Recipe! This cake is celebrated for its incredibly simple, buttery, and light texture that practically melts in your mouth. A beloved favorite across Europe, it’s known as a “sand cake” in countries like Germany (Sandkuchen), Sweden (Sandkaka), Denmark (Sandkage), France (Gâteau de Sable), Austria (Sandtorte), and Switzerland (Sandkuchen) – and once you try it, you’ll understand why.
If you love sand cakes, you’ll also adore this showstopper: German Frankfurter Kranz Cake.
Why does this lemon sand cake taste so incredible? Well, Europeans have long known that potato starch is the secret to creating a cake that’s perfectly moist and delicately airy. So, treat yourself to a slice of this European classic – your taste buds will thank you!
No One Can Resist This Potato Starch Lemon Cake Recipe
- Sand cake is absolutely delightful and more than just a cake. It’s a traditional European dessert renowned for its incredibly light, tender, and airy texture. The name “sand cake” comes from its fine, crumbly texture that’s so delicate, it practically melts in your mouth, just like soft sand.
- Sand cake is easy to make. Just combine a handful of simple ingredients like butter, eggs, sugar, flour, and the secret ingredient – potato starch – which creates that perfectly moist and soft crumb. It’s a cake that anyone can whip up, and it’ll impress every time.
- Sand cake is versatile. Its rich, buttery flavor is perfect for pairing with fruits, jams, or a drizzle of glaze. I even took it up a notch by adding lemon zest and lemon extract to give it a refreshing, zesty twist that will have everyone asking for seconds!
You might also love German Mandarin Orange Cake.
Ingredients in This Lemon Cake Recipe with Potato Starch
These are the key ingredients in this light and airy lemon “sand cake.”
- Lemon Zest: Lemon zest is the outermost layer of the lemon rind – the bright yellow part of the peel. It provides a bright, zesty lemon flavor and adds a touch of freshness.
- Cake Flour or All-Purpose Flour (Sifted): Cake flour creates a lighter, softer texture, making the cake more tender than all-purpose flour.
- Potato Starch: Potato starch adds moisture and gives the cake a tender, airy texture. You can usually find potato starch from Bob’s Red Mill in the baking section of most health food stores and supermarkets – or online. If you’re wondering whether you can substitute cornstarch for potato starch, I tried it and wouldn’t recommend it. The cake turns out much softer with potato starch.
- Baking Powder – Adds some rise to this wonderful recipe.
- Unsalted Butter, Softened: Provides a rich, creamy base for the cake and helps create a light texture.
- Sugar or a Sugar-Free Sweetener: Sweetens the cake and contributes to its delicate, moist crumb. I recommend making this potato starch cake with zero-calorie monk fruit sweetener for fewer carbs and calories.
- Large Eggs, Room Temperature: Bind the ingredients together, adding richness and helping the cake rise.
- Lemon Extract: Gives the cake a refreshing lemon flavor. Use a high-quality brand like Organic Lemon Extract by Flavorganics for the best taste.
- Melted Butter: Used to grease the cake pan, ensuring the cake releases easily once baked.
Sprinkle Powdered Sugar on Top or Glaze with Lemon Icing
Sprinkle powdered sugar on top of the cake for a simple, sweet finish, or glaze with lemon icing for an extra burst of citrus flavor.
- Powdered Sugar or Icing Sugar: Sift the powdered sugar to remove any lumps, ensuring a smooth finish.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice works best for a bright, tangy flavor.
How to Make This Potato Starch Lemon Cake Recipe
Here’s how to combine the dry and wet ingredients to make this European lemon sand cake.
- Grease your cake pan.
- Zest the lemon and set aside.
- Sift the cake flour, potato starch, and baking powder into a medium bowl and whisk together.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar.
- Then, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Next, add the sifted flour and the sifted potato starch, as well as the lemon extract and lemon zest. Mix the cake batter until smooth.
- Pour batter into the greased cake pan and bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 45 minutes, or until a knife or skewer comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before releasing it and transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once fully cooled, sift powdered sugar over the cake. Alternatively, mix powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice until smooth. Then, drizzle the lemon glaze over the cake for a zesty finish. For thicker icing, use less liquid.
Trending now: Keto Lemon Curd.
Cathy’s Recipe Tips
- Pan Size: I made this cake in a standard 10-cup Nordic Ware bundt pan, which is 10 inches wide. For a taller cake, use a slightly smaller pan.
- Butter the Pan Well: Make sure to butter the pan generously so the lemon potato starch cake releases easily after baking.
- Sift the Flour and Potato Starch: To ensure a smooth, lump-free batter and achieve a lighter texture, sift the flour and potato starch before adding it to the mixture.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Use butter and eggs at room temperature for better incorporation, which helps create a smoother batter and a fluffier cake.
- Zest the Lemon First: For maximum lemon flavor, zest the lemon before juicing it. This ensures you get all the oils from the zest, adding an aromatic, vibrant taste to the cake.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can result in a dense texture, which may affect the lightness of the cake.
- Check for Doneness with a Toothpick: To make sure your cake is perfectly baked, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, the cake is done.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, I tried making the cake with cornstarch, and it turned out denser and less fluffy.
No, it contains a 1:1 ratio of flour and potato starch.
I haven’t made this recipe with egg replacers so I can’t comment.
The cake isn’t overly sweet, and friends and family who tried it thought the sweetness was perfect. So, I don’t see any need to adjust it.
The difference between potato starch and potato flour is significant. They’re made from different parts of the potato and behave very differently in cooking and baking.
Despite the name “Kartoffelmehl” literally meaning “potato flour,” in Germany, it specifically refers to pure potato starch, not potato flour made from whole potatoes. It’s a fine, white powder extracted from the starch of washed and crushed raw potatoes.
Whipped cream, candied lemon slices, lemon curd, fresh fruits, fresh berries, ice cream, and berry compote are all tasty options to try with this lemony cake.
Unlike pound cake, which is rich and dense, lemon starch cake has a light finish and airy texture – more like a good European sand cake. The use of starch (such as potato starch) contributes to its delicate, tender crumb.
Absolutely! Its bright citrus flavor and airy texture make it a perfect Easter dessert or a refreshing treat for any time of year.
Equipment to Make This Lemon Potato Starch Cake Recipe
- Bundt Cake Pan or Tube Pan: I made this cake in a standard 10-cup Nordic Ware bundt pan, which is 10 inches wide. For a taller cake, use a slightly smaller pan.
- Hand Mixer, Electric Mixer, or Stand Mixer: For creaming the butter and sugar and mixing the batter.
- Kitchen Scale: For best results, follow the gram measurements.
- Knife or Skewer: Insert it into the center of the cake to check for doneness. It should come out clean, with no wet batter sticking to it.
- Large Mixing Bowl: For mixing the ingredients.
- Measuring Spoons: To measure out ingredients like lemon extract and lemon zest.
- Medium Mixing Bowl: For sifting and whisking the flour and potato starch.
- Small Mixing Bowl: For making the optional lemon icing.
- Sifter: For sifting the flour and potato starch.
- Fine Mesh Sieve or Strainer: For dusting optional powdered sugar over the cake once it’s cooled.
- Spatula: For scraping down the bowl.
- Whisk: For whisking together the dry ingredients.
- Wire Rack or Wire Cooling Rack: For cooling the cake after baking.
Storage Tips for This European Lemon Sand Cake
Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that, it starts to dry out. You can also freeze it for longer storage.
Please share the recipe by pinning the image below.
Want More Healthy Recipes?
- Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
- Dairy Free Lemon Curd
- Keto Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
- Low Carb Sweet Potato Brownies
- Vegan Lemon Curd Recipe
Scroll Down for the Recipe Card
Potato Starch Lemon Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Bundt Cake Pan or Tube Pan – I made this cake in a standard 10-cup Nordic Ware bundt pan, which is 10 inches wide. For a taller cake, use a slightly smaller pan.
- 1 Hand Mixer, Electric Mixer, or Stand Mixer – For creaming the butter and sugar and mixing the batter.
- 1 Kitchen Scale – For best results, follow the gram measurements.
- 1 Knife or Skewer – Insert it into the center of the cake to check for doneness. It should come out clean, with no wet batter sticking to it.
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl – For mixing the batter.
- 1 Medium Mixing Bowl – For sifting together the flour and potato starch.
- 1 Sifter or Sieve – For sifting the flour and potato starch.
- 1 Sieve – For dusting optional powdered sugar over the cake once it’s cooled.
- 1 Spatula – For scraping down the bowl
- 1 Whisk – For whisking together the dry ingredients.
- 1 Wire Rack – For cooling the cake after baking.
Ingredients
For perfect results, use a kitchen scale and follow the gram measurements.
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest: 1 Packed Tablespoon (1-2 Lemons)
- 125 Grams Sifted Cake Flour or All-Purpose Flour (1 Cup) – Cake flour gives the cake a soft, delicate texture. All-purpose flour works too, but it results in a slightly heavier crumb.
- 125 Grams Potato Starch (¾ Cup) – Potato starch gives the cake a tender, airy texture. You can usually find potato starch from Bob’s Red Mill in the baking section of most health food stores and supermarkets – or online. If you're wondering whether you can substitute cornstarch for potato starch, I tried it and wouldn't recommend it. The cake turns out much softer with potato starch.
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 250 Grams Unsalted Butter (18 Tablespoons), Softened – I set the butter out the night before.
- 250 Grams White Granulated Sugar (½ Cup + 1 Tablespoon) – I recommend making this potato starch cake with zero-calorie monk fruit sweetener for fewer carbs and calories.
- 4 Large Eggs at Room Temperature
- 1 Teaspoon Lemon Extract – Gives the cake a refreshing lemon flavor. Use a high-quality brand like Organic Lemon Extract by Flavorganics for the best taste.
- 1 Tablespoon Melted Butter to Grease the Pan
Decorate the Cake with Powdered Sugar or Lemon Icing
- Powdered Sugar
- Lemon Juice: Juice the Zested Lemons If Making Lemon Icing
Instructions
- Grease your cake pan.
- Zest the lemon and set aside.
- Sift the cake flour, potato starch, and baking powder into a medium bowl and whisk together.125 Grams of Flour125 Grams of Potato Starch1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar. Then, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. 250 Grams of Butter250 Grams of Sugar4 Eggs
- Add the sifted flour, potato starch, baking powder, lemon extract, and lemon zest. Mix until smooth.125 Grams of Sifted Flour125 Grams of Sifted Potato Starch1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder1 Teaspoon of Lemon Extract 1 Tablespoon of Lemon Zest
- Pour the batter into the greased cake pan and bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 45 minutes, or until a knife or skewer comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before releasing it and transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once fully cooled, sift powdered sugar over the cake. Alternatively, mix powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice until smooth. Then drizzle over the cake for a zesty finish. For thicker icing, use less liquid.
Storage Tips
- Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature. It's best eaten within 3 days. After that, it starts getting a little dry.
Notes
Wow! This vanished in one day! Delicious!
Thanks for your feedback. Glad you enjoyed it!
I was searching for recipes using potato starch and found this recipe. I am from Germany and grew up with Sandkuchen. Your recipe is almost identical to the one in Dr. Oetger’s baking book. The difference is in the amount of sugar. The real German recipe uses only 200g versus your 250g. Not a huge difference, but American recipes often use more sugar.
Thanks for letting me know!
You mentioned baking powder but I didn’t see it in the picture or recipe. I put in a little but don’t know if it should be puffier. I made cupcakes. They aren’t cool enough to eat yet.
Thanks for letting me know. I added it to the recipe card.