Serves a Crowd

Lemon Pudding Cake

March 22, 2016
4.7
3 Ratings
Photo by Maya Visnyei
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

This old-fashioned dessert is a light-as-air sponge on top with a creamy pudding base. Its bright and zingy flavour makes it perfect for spring entertaining. —Ceri Marsh

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
Directions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Lightly grease a 1.5 quart (1.4 litre) ramekin.
  3. Remove 2 tablespoons of sugar and set aside.
  4. With the remaining sugar, add the butter to it and beat it with a mixer until it's light (it will still be grainy). Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each. Blend in the zest. Mix flour and salt into your batter. Now add your milk and lemon juice and give it all another mix.
  5. In another bowl (be sure it's super clean, egg whites don't like grease of any kind) mix your egg whites until they're frothy soft peaks. Sprinkle the 2 Tbsp of reserved sugar over them and continue to beat the whites until they form stiff peaks.
  6. Gently fold your whites into the batter. Start by pouring the whites on top of the batter. Use a spatula and stir the batter around the bowl, then gently lift up and turn it over the whites. You're looking to combine the two elements without crushing all those little bubbles you just built into your whites. Eventually it will all be the same colour and texture. Once it is, stop
  7. Place your ramekin into a high-edge roasting pan. Ladle your batter into the ramekin. Now carefully pour water into the roasting pan so that it comes up about halfway the ramekins.
  8. Pop them in a hot oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Watch it closely at the end - you want it to be golden but not brown. It will be a firm but soft sponge on the top. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes before shaking some confectioner's sugar through a sieve over the top. Use a large spoon to scoop out a portion, making sure you go right to the bottom for some of the delicious pudding sauce.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Emily Cooper
    Emily Cooper
  • Ceri Marsh
    Ceri Marsh

2 Reviews

Emily C. March 23, 2016
Could this be made in individual sized ramekins? Any idea of cooking time for that size?
 
Ceri M. March 23, 2016
Hi Emily, I'm so glad you asked! I should have put it right in the recipe. You could absolutely do smaller ramekins. Depending on the size of your ramekins, I think you'd get 6 little ones out of this recipe. And I'd be keeping a close eye at the 30 minute mark. Will you let me know if you try it? I hope it's a hit!