Lemon Pudding Cake
This delicious Homemade Lemon Pudding Cake makes the perfect dessert, no need for frosting it makes its own topping. The perfect dessert for lemon lovers and it’s perfect anytime.
If you know anything about me or my husband you will know that we adore anything lemon. I am partial to Lemon Desserts and he will take lemon anyway, on fish, in salad, desserts and gelato.
I always remember my Mom making Pudding Cakes and I was always intrigued that it actually worked! And not only does it work it tastes amazing too. A creamy pudding and soft cake, can’t get much better than that!
Recipe Ingredients
- Butter – I use salted butter
- Sugar – granulated or even better fine sugar
- Lemon zest – room temperature
- Eggs – large room temperature
- Flour – all purpose flour
- Milk – room temperature, best to use 2% or whole milk
- Lemon Juice – room temperature
Why use room temperature ingredients?
Room temperature ingredients help to produce light tender baked good, in this case a cake. The ingredients will come together smoother with a lump free batter. Room temperature egg whites beat up fluffier. Using cold ingredients could deflate the stiff egg whites or solidify the butter.
How to make a Pudding Cake
In a large bowl cream the butter and half the sugar add the zest and egg yolks, beat to combine. Stir with a wooden spoon, whisk or spatula the flour alternately with the milk. Then stir in the lemon juice. Combine well.
In another bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites and remaining sugar until stiff peaks appear then gently fold into the batter. Pour into the prepared 8-inch cake pan or baking dish. Place the cake pan in a larger high sided pan filled with hot water. Bake until golden.
Let cool to warm, dust with powdered sugar and serve. If you wish you could serve with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries, such as blueberries or raspberries.
Why is a Pudding Cake baked in a water bath?
The water bath helps to insulate the thick pudding layer and prevents it from over-cooking and becoming rubbery, and at the same time it helps the the cake rise high above the pudding.
How to store it
Store the leftovers tightly wrapped or in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for up to 3 days. Re-heating can be done in the microwave. It’s best not to freeze the cake as it will deflate and won’t re-heat very well.
Recipe Information
- This recipe can also be made in individual prepared ramekins, approximately 6. Be sure to cut down on the baking time to about 20 minutes.
- The pudding cake is baked when the edges are set and the middle should be golden brown. It is over baked when there is no pudding on the bottom of the cake.
- The batter for this cake cannot be made ahead of time as it will deflate, nor should the cake be frozen.
More Lemon Desserts you may enjoy
So if you want to bring back some memories or start some new ones, then I think this Lemon Pudding Cake would be the perfect Dessert! Enjoy.
Lemon Pudding Cake
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter (softened)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (or fine/divided) (divided)
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 3 large eggs (room temperature) (separated)
- 1/4 cup flour (all purpose)
- 1 cup milk (room temperature)
- 1/3 cup lemon juice (room temperature)
For room temperature ingredients remove from the fridge about 1 hour before using. Longer if your house is cold.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C) and grease and flour an 8 inch square or round cake pan.
- In a large bowl cream the butter and half the sugar (1/3 cup), add the zest and egg yolks beat to combine. Stir in (with a wooden spoon) the flour alternately with the milk. Then stir in the lemon juice. Combine well.
- In another bowl beat the egg whites and remaining 1/3 cup sugar until stiff, then gently fold into the batter. Pour into the prepared cake pan. Place the cake pan in a larger high sided pan filled with 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) of hot water. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until golden.
- Let cool to warm, dust with powdered sugar and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from August 18, 2018.
Wonderful fresh lemon flavor. I used organic Meyer lemons.
Rich, from the lemon yet very light.
The pudding is such a surprise in the middle, when I first took it out of the oven I thought I baked it wrong! Then when you scoop it out, there it is!
Delicious!
Hi Nichol, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it. Take care!
My mom used to buy a box mix that you just add boiling water to and pop in the oven and out comes this lemon pudding cake. We haven’t been able to find that mix for years, so I tried your recipe—and I must say, it’s ten times better than the one from my childhood. Thank you for sharing it! I’ll be making this for my mom and me for years to come. 🙂
Hi Jacqueline, thanks so much, I have to say homemade is usually so much better than store bought. Glad you enjoyed it! Take care.
Hi Rosemary,
This recipe sounds delicious and lemon is my husband’s favorite. I was wondering if this would work using oat or almond milk? Will the milk make a big difference? I can buy regular milk for this recipe if needed but I do have to use gluten free flour as my husband has celiac but I’ve never had a problem substituting GF flour for regular in the past. Thank you!
Hi Christina, I can’t really say if you could use oat or almond milk, I have never tried it with either. Let me know if you do. Take care!
I made that yesterday!
In Australia it’s called Lemon Delicious, and the only difference is we use self raising flour instead of plain flour. It’s an old, well loved classic.
Yum!
Hi Anne, thanks and such a delicious classic recipe. Take care!
I want to triple the recipe however the instructions don’t triple the pan size.
Hi Cathy, no it isn’t set up to change pan size, so an 8 inch cake will hold 6 cups of batter, there for you need a pan that will hold 18 cups, you could try using a 9×13 pan which holds 14-15 cups. That could work. Let me know if you try it. Take care!
Well, I’m not sure what happened but mine turned into deliciously lemony scrambled eggs. So disappointed.
Hi Angela, I don’t know what happened but I am sorry to say you might have done something wrong. Take a look at the video, that should help. Let me know.
If I made this in ramekins, how long would you reheat it in the oven if you don’t have a microwave? Would you reheat it in a water bath?
Hi yes you could re-heat it in the oven at 350F for 5 minutes or so, it won’t come out the same way as freshly baked but it will be ok. Hope you enjoy it. Take care!
Has anyone tried doing this gluten free and if so what would be the difference flour wise like how much to use?
Delicious. It was a little more complicated to make than some cakes, but definitely worth every minute of it.
Hi Sondra, thanks so much, so glad you liked it. Take care and have a great weekend!
Can I store the batter over night in order to bake the cake the next day?
Hi Michelle, unfortunately it can’t be made ahead of time as the egg whites will deflate. 🙂
The best lemon puddle ever. Plate licking.
Hi Kerry, thanks so much, so glad you like it. Take care and have a wonderful Sunday!
The recipe does not show WHEN to add the lemon pudding to the pan…before or after the cake batter?
Hi Ingrid, the pudding is created while it bakes. Hope that helps. Take care.