These lovely Little Lemon Lava Cakes are a lemon lovers dream, with warm lemon curd spilling from a light cake. Made with an easy homemade lemon curd.
I never tire of lemon desserts and when I spied this recipe for lemon lava cakes, I couldn’t wait to try them. They were everything I imagined and more. The warm lemon curd spilling out of the light cake shell was the perfect after-dinner dessert.
Unlike some other lava cakes, that magically create their molten centres, these require a more direct approach to achieving the lava affect. Although not magical, it is not difficult to achieve. A piping bag and a plain tip makes quick work of it, but if you don’t have a piping bag, I’ve included an alternate method of getting the curd in the middle. When using the piping bag, be sure not to squeeze until the tip is in to the batter and then squeeze very gently to avoid the curd bubbling up through the top or sides. The goal is to keep the curd encased in the middle of the batter to enjoy the full lava effect.
Cook’s Notes for Little Lemon Lava Cakes
I used round-bottomed ramekins, but regular ramekins will work just as well.
Do be sure to remove the cakes from the ramekins shortly after baking. The sugar that is used to dust the ramekins bakes up to a crispy finish, but only if they are taken out of the ramekins quickly. Otherwise, the crispy bits will be lost.
Little Lemon Lava Cakes
Ingredients
For the lemon curd:
- 1/2 cup freshly squeeze lemon juice from about 3 lemons
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- A pinch of sea salt
- 3 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butte cold, cubed
For the cakes:
- 7 Tbsp unsalted butter soft
- 5 Tbsp white sugar plus 1 tbsp for dusting
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp.)
Instructions
-
Make the lemon curd: Place all the ingredients for the lemon curd except the butter in a medium saucepan on a medium-low heat. Heat, whisking continuously for 5-8 minutes, or until the mixture thickens. You don't want the mixture to boil.
-
Once the mixture has thickened, reduce heat to low and whisk in the butter, cube by cube. Take off the heat once all the butter has completely melted. Pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours.
-
Make the cakes: Preheat the oven to 400° Butter six ramekins and dust them generously with some white sugar. Set on a baking sheet and set aside.
-
In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Lightly beat the eggs, then gradually add them to the bowl, beating all the time. Add the milk and lemon zest. Add the flour into the mix and incorporate well.
-
(*Alternate filling method if you don't have a piping bag - fill each ramekin about 1/3 full. Using a spoon, make a well in the middle by pushing the batter away from the middle to the sides. Place 1 Tbsp. or so of the chilled lemon curd in the well that you made, then gently cover the curd with more batter, until ramekin is 3/4 full.)
-
Divide the cake batter between the ramekins until each is just over half full.
-
Take your refrigerated lemon curd and place in to a piping bag, fitted with a plain tip. Insert the tip into the centre of each batter-filled ramekin. Gently pipe the curd into each one until the ramekins are two-thirds full. (*Make sure you don't leave a hole in the batter after removing the piping tip. If so, use a spoon to gently cover it in.) Place filled ramekins on a baking tray.
-
Bake in pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the cakes spring back when touched.
-
Immediately run a knife around the edges of the cakes before turning out from the ramekins on to plates. Serve straight away.
Recipe Notes
Be sure to read the "Cook's Notes" in the original post, for more tips, options, substitutions and variations for this recipe!
Recipe adapted from Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen Notebook
Looking at this makes me say to myself – why don’t I bake with lemon more?!? Plus it’s a lava cake?!? Soooo perfect for spring.
Thanks so much, Cindy :) Lemon is one of my favourite flavours, all year round!
Jennifer, these look so amazing! Just tagged it in my latest blog post.
Thanks so much, Jenny! :)
I will definitely make these again. First time making these, need to work on the curd. The egg white curdled a bit, but still came out thick. Love the taste.
Glad you enjoyed them, Karen. You can always strain the curd if you need to, as well.
Do you think you could freeze these??
Hi Tess, I’ve never frozen them, so I can’t say for sure. I’d be a little worried about how the curd would hold up.
I never seen lava cake like this before! I love the color: the lemon curd is such a vibrant shade of yellow.
Thanks Thao. The lemon version of lava cakes was a nice change!
Oh I wish I could trade you sandwich cookies for one of these darling cakes! :)
Thanks Laura. Wouldn’t that be great! :)
This is the best thing I’ve seen all day. I love the flowing lemon! Perfect for Spring.
Thanks Katrina. At least the food around here is Spring-like :)
I can’t think of a better spring dessert than these little cakes, just the thought of lemon lava gets me excited :)
Thanks Sue. There is maybe nothing better than warm lemon curd :)
Oh my, these little beauties are making me weak in the knees! Lava cakes do that to me and I love that you used lemon here. Because I could eat lemon curd with a spoon :) What a beautiful combination!
Thanks so much, Amy :)
I love almost any lemon dessert and these look amazing! I would never had thought of doing a lemon lava cake before… genius! The colors are gorgeous too.
Thanks Jessie. I’m a lemon addict myself!
This is so beautiful Jennifer! My favorite desserts are lemon ones. I could eat lemon curd with a spoon (and have!). I have never seen a lemon lava cake before, so unique!
Thanks Jessica and I have definitely eaten lemon curd with a spoon before, too :)
Oh wow, I love the idea of a lemon lava cake. It’s normally all about chocolate but these look SO GOOD.
Thanks. I thought the same thing, Kate! Loved these :)