Lemon Sheet Cake

Preheat your oven to 175℃ / 350℉ (no fan) and grease a 9x13-inch / 22x33 cm pan or line it with parchment paper on the bottom and sides for easy removal.

Finely zest the lemons into a small mixing bowl using a microplane grater then massage the lemon zest into the granulated sugar for a minute.

In a large bowl, cream the softened lemony butter and sugar together for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Add the oil, followed by the room-temperature eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Finally, stir in the room-temperature yogurt and vanilla extract.

Sift the dry ingredients—flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt—into the butter mixture. Gently fold them in with a rubber spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Avoid overbaking, as it can cause the cake to dry out.

Place the softened, room-temperature butter in a mixing bowl and whip it for 2 minutes. Add the sifted powdered sugar and continue whipping for another 2 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Next, incorporate the full-fat cream cheese and vanilla extract, whipping for an additional 2 minutes. Slowly drizzle in the lemon juice while the mixer is running, and stop once it's fully incorporated. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using.

Once the sheet cake has cooled to room temperature, it's time to pipe the ombre lemon cream cheese frosting on top. Move 1/3 of the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe the white frosting all over the cake. Next, add a drop of yellow food coloring to the remaining frosting, then take half of it and pipe it also on the cake. Finally, color the leftover 1/3 of the frosting with another drop of yellow food coloring (this will create the darkest hue), and finish the piping decoration. Garnish with lemon slices, mint, or basil.

Serve the lemon sheet cake fresh. Any leftovers can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.