Warm Lemon Pudding Cakes
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Spoon into these lovely lemon pudding cakes and discover a layer of luscious lemon pudding beneath the cake!
As someone who cooks for a living, I’m always mindful of dessert portion sizes, yet I make an exception for these irresistible lemon pudding cakes. They’re refreshingly light and practically guilt-free. Plus, they come with a delicious surprise: the batter separates during baking into a fluffy cake layer and a luscious lemon pudding beneath. If you don’t have ramekins, an 8-inch square or a 2-quart baking dish works just as well—the baking time will be about the same.
“Absolutely delicious and really easy! Makes such an elegant dessert…I get rave reviews when I serve this.”
What You’ll Need To Make Lemon Pudding Cakes
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, spray six (6-oz) ramekins with nonstick cooking spray then begin making the batter by whisking the egg yolks, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, melted butter, and salt in a large bowl.
Add the flour and sugar and whisk until smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
When you lift the beaters out, the peaks should curl.
Whisk a bit of the beaten eggs into the lemon mixture to lighten it. Then add the remaining beaten egg whites to the mixture.
Gently fold with a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth.
The batter will be light, foamy, and liquidy.
Place the prepared ramekins into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Ladle the batter evenly into 6-oz (180-ml) ramekins (it will come almost to the top). Using a teapot or pitcher, pour room temperature water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. The water bath (also called a bain marie) regulates the temperature and keeps the cake baking at a gentle temperature so the custard, or pudding, can form.
Carefully place the baking pan in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, or until the cakes are puffy and lightly golden on top.
Using tongs, carefully remove the ramekins from the baking dish and let cool on a rack for about 20 minutes before serving. (They will sink a bit as they cool; that’s okay.) Dust with Confectioners’ sugar and serve with berries, if desired. Enjoy!
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Warm Lemon Pudding Cakes
Spoon into these lovely lemon pudding cakes and discover a layer of luscious lemon pudding beneath the cake!
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 1 cup milk (low-fat or whole)
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, from 2 lemons
- 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- Fresh berries and Confectioners' sugar, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set a rack in the middle position. Spray six (6-oz) ramekins with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, butter, and salt. Add the flour and sugar and whisk until smooth.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. (The peaks should curl when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.) Spoon about ¼ of the egg whites into the lemon mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining egg whites and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold into the lemon mixture until smooth. The batter will be light, foamy, and liquidy.
- Place the prepared ramekins into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Ladle the batter evenly into the ramekins (it will come almost to the top). Using a teapot or pitcher, pour room temperature water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully place the baking pan in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the cakes are puffy and lightly golden on top. Using tongs, carefully remove the ramekins from the baking dish and let cool on a rack for about 20 minutes before serving. (They will sink a bit as they cool; that's okay.) Dust with Confectioners' sugar and serve with berries, if desired.
- Make Ahead: The cakes can be made a day ahead of time. Once completely cool, cover the cakes with plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Before serving, preheat the oven to 350°F and set a rack in the middle position. Remove the plastic wrap and place the ramekins on a baking sheet; heat for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (1 cake servings)
- Calories: 248
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Sugar: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 152 g
- Cholesterol: 105 g
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Made this tonight for dinner with neighbors. Even the non-dessert eaters devoured this! I made everything exactly as written but didn’t have the 6 oz ramekins so I used a 2 qt oval baking dish. It turned out AMAZING! The only thing we did differently is we used our kitchen torch to toast the powdered sugar once sprinkled on top. It made an amazing creme brûlée crust and then we sprinkled the blueberries on top of each individual serving once on the plate. This recipe is a keeper and restaurant quality. Thank you for sharing this with all of us!
Thank you for posting the suggestion to brulee them!
I lightened up on the sugar and used a round casserole. It was delicious cold and we ate off it for three days , tasted great warm or cold with blueberries.
I’ve made this a few times, first time, I hadn’t realized there would be a pudding on the bottom, so was DELIGHTED! My guests gave me a five star rating, stating they could be served at the Banff Springs Fairmont. Thanks. I will be making them AGAIN tonight for company 🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋
I made these in 6 oz ramekins and they were delicious and perfect. Then I made them four 8 oz ramekins and they browned nicely, but were still liquify inside. Should I just cook then longer?
Yes, Paula – and if they start to get too dark on top, you can cover them with foil towards the end.
First time making these and they turned out really good. Ended up taking them out a little early since the tops were very golden brown. Took out at about 35 minutes.
Hi Jenn
I’m cooking a 4 course meal for my dad and his friends as part of a Xmas present to him and these look perfect for dessert! Just wondering if you think the batter would keep in the fridge for a couple hours if I made it ahead before baking?
What a nice gift to your dad! Instead of making the batter ahead, I’d suggest just baking these in advance and reheating them. Hope everyone enjoys!
Is it possible to bake this in one, larger pan, using the water technique? If so, what size pan and how long to bake? Thank you
Yes, you can bake the cake in an 8-inch or 2-quart baking dish. Hope you enjoy!
Super light, fluffy and airy. I enjoy my treats with less sweetness so I used a 1/4 cup sugar. I also did not have fresh lemons but limes. So, I used half limes and half lemon juice for this recipe. Thank you for the recipe, it will be a keeper.
I made this dessert for lunch today and it was AMAZING – we all couldn’t believe how good it was and how easy it was to make. Just fantastic, as usual!
This is our favorite dessert! We have served it several times to guests and each time they ask for the recipe! It’s easy to make and always a hit!
I never write reviews even if I like the recipe but for this one I just had to! I honestly didn’t expect this recipe to be so delicious. Don’t get me wrong, I knew it would be good but not so good as to be on my favourites list! This was an instant hit with my family and I plan to make more tomorrow! Thank you! 😊
Is it possible to use a microwave instead of an oven?
Hi Sara, I wouldn’t recommend it — sorry!
Delectable