Moroccan Lemon Cake (Meskouta) Recipe

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 40 mins

Total: 50 mins

Servings: 10 to 12 servings

137 ratings

Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
321	Calories
11g	Fat
52g	Carbs
5g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories	321
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g	14%
Saturated Fat 1g	7%
Cholesterol 63mg	21%
Sodium 281mg	12%
Total Carbohydrate 52g	19%
Dietary Fiber 1g	2%
Total Sugars 34g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 3mg	17%
Calcium 118mg	9%
Iron 1mg	8%
Potassium 70mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Moroccan cakes (meskouta) come in many flavors, and this Moroccan lemon cake is wonderfully light, fine-textured, and flavorful. This recipe takes only minutes to mix and get into the oven. It can be served while still warm and no frosting is needed, or you can add the quick glaze.

One-half of a large lemon should yield the small amount of fresh lemon juice called for in the recipe, but you can add more lemon juice if you like tarter flavor.

Try these equally delicious recipes for Moroccan Orange Cake and Moroccan Chocolate Cake.

For the Cake:

4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Note: while there are multiple steps to this Moroccan Lemon Cake recipe, it is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and assembly.

Make the Cake

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce / Kelly Ryan
Place the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 F/180 C. Grease and flour a small bundt or tube pan.

The Spruce / Kelly Ryan
In a large bowl with an electric mixer or by hand, beat together the eggs and sugar until thick. Gradually beat in the oil until smooth.

The Spruce / Kelly Ryan
Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt, and then the milk. Beat just until smooth.

The Spruce / Kelly Ryan
Mix in the lemon juice and zest, and the vanilla extract.

The Spruce / Kelly Ryan
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

The Spruce / Kelly Ryan
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cake tests done (a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean). Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan on a rack for 7 to 10 minutes.

The Spruce / Kelly Ryan
Loosen the cake from the sides of the pan with a butter knife or spatula, then turn out the cake onto the rack to finish cooling.

The Spruce / Kelly Ryan

Make the Glaze

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce / Kelly Ryan
In a small bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth.

The Spruce / Kelly Ryan
Drizzle over the top of the cake, allowing the glaze to run down the sides.

The Spruce / Kelly Ryan