Summer is here, and these lemon and vanilla bars are here to stay in our summer recipe collection. They’re absolutely delicious, and when you add in the fact that you’ll only need to dirty the bowl of a food processor and a baking tray, they’re truly a winner.
For this recipe, we recommend using Nielsen‑Massey vanilla paste made with Bourbon vanilla beans—the best of all! You’ll also need cake flour, a little cream, lemons, and powdered sugar for the glaze.
We haven’t changed the original cake recipe at all; we even cut it into small squares as suggested. Just remember, it’s the middle of summer, and these bars deserve to be enjoyed with something refreshing to beat the heat.
Lemon and vanilla bar recipe
Ingredients (for 20 bars):
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Softened butter | 200 g |
| Sugar | 300 g |
| Eggs | 4 |
| Vanilla paste | 2 tsp. |
| Lemon juice | 60 ml |
| Zest of one lemon | as needed |
| Salt | ¼ tsp. |
| Pastry flour | 260 g |
| For the vanilla glaze: | |
| Icing sugar | 150 g |
| Lemon juice | 2 tbsp. |
| Zest of one lemon | as needed |
| Vanilla paste | 1 teaspoon |
| Cream | 1 tablespoon |
Elaboration
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and line the bottom and sides of the baking tray with baking paper. You can also grease it with butter and dust it with flour, or use non‑stick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a food processor, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time. Use the whisk attachment for this step and always at the highest speed.
- Add the vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest, mixing well. Switch from the wire whisk to the flexible beater and add the salt and flour at the lowest speed. Do not overmix the batter; mix only until the flour is incorporated.
- Pour the dough into the baking tray, spread it with a spatula, and tap it a couple of times on the work surface. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, make the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar with the remaining ingredients in a bowl. If the glaze is too thick, add a little more lemon juice (always by the tablespoon), and if it’s too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside.
- Remove from the oven, let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and cover with the glaze. Let cool completely.
- We cut them into squares of five or six cm and place them in a dish.
- We serve the bars decorated with a little lemon julienne made with this groover and enjoy!
The best thing about these lemon and vanilla bars is that you’ll only need one bowl to prepare the dough; in other words, you wo
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition | Amount per Serving | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 240 kcal | 12% |
| Total Fat | 10 g | 13% |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 0 g | |
| Cholesterol | 65 mg | 22% |
| Sodium | 95 mg | 4% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 35 g | 13% |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g | 0% |
| Total Sugars | 24 g | |
| Protein | 3 g | 6% |
| Calcium | 20 mg | 2% |
| Iron | 0.7 mg | 4% |
Disclaimer: Nutrition estimates are for general guidance only, based on a 2,000‑calorie diet. Actual values vary with crust ingredients, lemon filling, and bar size.