These lovely lemon pudding cakes magically bake up with pudding at the bottom and a light as air cake on top. Make in individual servings or as one large pudding.
I am a sucker for anything lemon, but warm lemon pudding cakes might just be my favourite way to enjoy lemon. Preparing these pudding cakes involves a couple of steps.
First you make the lemony pudding base, using egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and a bit of flour, for thickening. Then separately, you whip up the egg whites with a bit of sugar. Both of these parts are then gently folded together. As it bakes, the creamy lemon pudding cooks on the bottom while the egg whites float to the top and cook up into a soft meringue-like “cake”.
I should point out that it really isn’t cake, as we typically think of it. It’s very light. Souffle-like. I’ve offered some tips on both these things below in the Recipe Tips!
If you’re looking for a dessert that is light and not too sweet, this is a perfect choice. It would be great for finishing a special meal as the flavour is fresh, but it’s light enough to be enjoyed on top of a big meal. This pudding kept well in the fridge, without suffering much at all, if you need to make it ahead a bit. Just cover with plastic wrap once cooled, refrigerate and re-warm slightly before serving.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Lemons – you will need to start with fresh lemons. You can use regular lemons or Meyer lemons. Use slightly more lemon juice if using Meyer lemons.
Recipe Tips
- The cups that I baked my puddings in are marked as oven-safe. I wouldn’t suggest using cups that don’t clearly indicate they will be safe in the oven, as bad things could happen to them and I’d feel terrible about that.
- Separate your eggs carefully. Even the smallest amount of yolks in your whites will cause your egg whites not to whip up well.
- If using the same bowl for both the cake and egg whites, be sure to wash well in between. Egg whites will not whip up well if there is any grease or oil in the bowl.
How to Whip Egg Whites
- Always start with a squeaky clean and completely dry bowl. Any bit of water or grease in the bowl will interfere with the egg whites whipping well.
- Starting with fresh, room temperature egg whites is best.
- If using a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment. Start mixing the egg whites on LOW speed until they are very foamy (like a bubble bath!). Increase the mixer speed to MEDIUM speed and continue mixing until soft peaks form. To test for soft peaks, you would stop the mixer. Dip the whisk or beaters in the egg whites then lift out and turn upside down with the peak at the top. Soft peaks will form, but then start to droop. The soft peak stage is typically when sugar is added to the egg whites. Add sugar slowly, with the mixer on low. For stiff peaks, continue mixing on medium speed a little longer, testing regularly. When you lift the beater and turn upside down, the peak will form and stay upright, without drooping. You know you have stiff peaks if you could hold the bowl of whipped egg whites over your head and stay clean :)
How to Fold in Egg Whites
Once you have your perfect egg whites, be sure you don’t stir out all the wonderful lightness you just whipped in. “Folding” involves using a rubber spatula to carefully incorporate the egg whites with the batter. Since the batter is much heavier than the whites, you need to do this slowly and lightly.
Once you’ve spooned the whites over the batter, use a rubber spatula using the following technique: Using the edge of the spatula like a blade, slice through the mixture from 12 o’clock position to 6 o’clock position. When you get to 6 o’clock, twist the spatula blade clockwise, then use it to lift some of the batter at the bottom over the egg whites. Rotate the bowl slightly and repeat this motion. Keep doing this until the whites are combined with the batter.
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Get the Recipe: Lemon Pudding Cake
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar, DIVIDED
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 1 Tablespoons lemon zest
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon (g) salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, (3-4 lemons) or slightly more if using Meyer lemons
- 2 Tablespoons icing/confectioners sugar, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F (regular bake setting/not fan assisted) with rack in centre of the oven and lightly butter one 1.5 quart baking dish or 4-6 individual, small ramekins. Have ready a high-sided roasting pan and place the prepared dish (or dishes) in to the roasting pan. Bring 8-10 cups of water to a simmer (will be added to the roasting pan to bake the puddings). Separate your eggs and have ready.
- Set aside 2 Tbsp. of the white sugar. Add the rest of the sugar to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the butter and beat (with stand mixer or electric mixeuntil mixture is grainy but light. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the lemon zest and mix in. Add the flour and salt and mix. Add the milk and lemon juice and mix until combined. Set aside, or if using your stand mixer, remove to a large bowl and wash your mixer bowl really well (you'll be whipping the egg whites in it next, so be sure it is squeaky clean!).
- In another bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat your egg whites until they're frothy and beginning to form soft peaks. Sprinkle in the reserved 2 Tbsp. of white sugar and beat again until stiff peaks form.
- Spoon the whipped egg whites on top of the egg yolk mixture. Using a spatula, gently fold the egg whites in to the egg yolk mixture by pulling a bit of the batter up and over the egg whites. Continue working gently until the mixture is uniform in color and texture. Do not over mix, but be sure there aren't any large chunks of egg whites.
- Pour or ladle your batter in to the prepared dish or dishes, set in the roasting pan. Carefully pour simmering water in to the roasting pan so it comes about halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Carefully transfer the roasting pan with the water and ramekins in to the preheated 350° oven. Pudding(will bake anywhere from 30 minutes (for small, individual servingto 45 minutes (for one large pudding). Baking times will vary though, so do watch closely. You want the top to be firm and golden, but not browned.
- Remove the pudding from the oven and transfer baking dish or dishes to a cooling rack. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before dusting with icing/confectioners sugar. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
More Lemon Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
It doesn’t say how ugh lemon juice?
Hi Maureen, Sorry, I recently converted some recipes to a new system and that ingredient disappeared. I have added/fixed it now. Thanks for the heads up!!
Omg … beautiful pictures , one of the best blogs for sure .
Thanks so much, Natasha :)
This looks so pretty and sounds delicious!
Thanks so much, Eden :)
This recipe is an old family favorite that my mom copied from a local tv show when I was maybe 10 or 11 ( I am 67 now) . I have made it many times over the last 47 years but not in ramekins – either in a shallow casserole or a souffle dish. This is very close to my recipe except mine calls for 4 eggs. My husband and daughter nicknamed it “The Lemon Thing” and it is a favorite with them as well as my daughter’s friends. After reading this recipe, I am interested in trying it in ramekins. I usually get it all together and pop it in the oven before we sit down to dinner so it is just right when it is dessert time. It is good cold too.
Some things I have learned along the way : (1) be sure your egg whites are at room temp before you whip them (kitchen rule: Whipping Cream = COLD Meringue = room temp) (2) I usually put the salt in the egg whites and add a little cream of tarter because it stabilizes the meringue and makes really good peaks. (3) I have actually made the batter in the food processor or blender then folded it into the meringue It still works. (4) if you make it in a 2 quart Pyrex casserole the cake topping is a bit denser and thinner. If you use a deep dish like the one I use which is a 3 quart souffle dish you get a souffle, with the light as a cloud sponge topping and the luscious creamy sauce under it. It is like two totally different desserts. (5) I prefer to make meringue with a hand electric mixer. that is just my preference which frees up the stand mixer for the batter.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing, Claire :)
A few weeks ago I got a text from my niece with pictures of her kids in the kitchen. Caption: ” The Grand Legacy Continues”. They were of course making Lemon Pudding Cake! I replied “I plan to make one when I visit Margaret (my daughter; her cousin)”. My middle sister: “Sarah (HER daughter) made one at Christmas and we ate it all at one meal” Youngest sister: “I made one for Bill (her son) and he licked the dish” (her grandchildren were the ones Continuing The Legacy) I hope I live long enough to teach my granddaughter how to make it. I have never fed this to anyone who did not love it.
Making one tonight as a surprise for my husband; he has been asking for a Lemon Thing!!
This looks so amazing! That texture is perfect and I love that they’re in tea cups! So cute!
Thanks so much, Eden :)
For those of you that entertain large-scale on a regular basis: these freeze fine. I made ahead and put them in the freezer. they defrost and heat up equally well in oven or microwave.
My only trouble with the recipe is that the tops browned to much before the cooking time was finished so had to cover with foil to prevent the cake-like part burning before the pudding part had finished cooking.
Thanks Rain. That’s good to know about the freezing! Great for making ahead.
Made this last Friday and was slightly surprised at how it turned out, but now that I go back and actually read the post I realize we got it just right… Only our molds were just a little bit too small so some of the pudding ended up in the bain-marie… Oh well, tasty nonetheless!
Glad it wasn’t a total loss. Hope you’ll try it again :)
Hi Jenifer,
my oven’s cooking time is incredibly short when the fan mode is selected. Should I select the fan mode or reduce the heat ? thanking you in advance for the answer.
Hi Vildan, I’m sorry, but I have absolutely no experience with fan assisted ovens, so I have no idea.
Thank you so much for reply. I’ll try it any way cause it looks perfect.
Hi
I’m wondering whether to use plain flour or self raising flour in this recipe. Pls can you help? They look delicious and I’d like to try them for a party on Friday.
X
Hi Liz, You should use plain flour.
I have served this warm and chilled and everyone – husband, friends, kids etc., all liked it best cold. I serve it with mix berries. Sometimes I also make your Hot Chocolate Pudding Cake and serve them so that everyone can choose to go light, chocolatey or take a little of both- the latter is the choice of many. That has been a big hit and perfect as I have friends who don’t like chocolate (can’t imagine!) but love lemon.
I actually like them cold, too … but, I’m always a sucker for warm lemon anything :) I LOVE your idea of serving both the chocolate and the lemon. I would have a hard time choosing between the two. I’d have to have both!
Hello!
I noticed your baking “tin” seems to be a cup? Is that correct? IS it possible to bake this in a porcelain mug??:)
Hi Zahra, Yes, I did bake mine in cups BUT, they are specifically labeled as “Oven Proof”. I don’t believe regular porcelain mugs would be safe in the oven.
Sounds amazing! Can I store the already prepared batter in the fridge for a few hours before I bake it? I want to serve it at a dinner party but want to be able to prepare it ahead of time?
Hi Rula, I’ve never done it, so I’d hate to advise you that it would work, especially for a dinner party. You can definitely bake them ahead and refrigerate, then re-warm (covered with foil) in the oven or microwave, though.
These look amazing! I love lemon!
Kari
Thanks Kari :)
Eating this right now! Came out perfect, thank you for the recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it, Rita :)
I just harvested the lemons from the Meyer lemon tree I have growing in a pot indoors and came across this recipe when searching for ways to use them. This recipe is delicious! Very light and lemony. This recipe is a keeper. Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it, Paulette! I’m due for another batch of these :)