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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I love anything with lemon. I also love anything I can make easily after work for a weeknight family dessert. This recipe checks both those boxes. It’s light and delicious. And the kids loved having their very own ramekin!
My family loves all things lemon, so I thought I’d give this a try. Everyone loved it, and I’ve been making it ever since. As with any of the recipes included in the blog, everything is perfectly explained, directions easy to follow. I am eagerly awaiting my copies of the cookbook.
First of all, this is a wonderful dessert. I’m on Weight Watchers and since several of the reviews recommended decreasing the sugar I made it with 1/2 cup sugar. I used low fat milk and I calculated one portion as 7 Smart Points. Well worth it!!
Hi Jenn,
I’d like to double the recipe and make it in one pan as I don’t have enough ramekins.
Would you suggest a 9×13 or bundt pan or another size? Also, what would you suggest for the cooking time?
Thanks a bunch… I love your recipes!
Lori
Hi Lori, I would suggest the 9 x 13-inch pan. The baking time should be about the same if not just a wee bit longer. Hope you enjoy (and glad you like the recipes)!
Hi Jen,
I absolutely love this recipe. I didn’t have ramekins so I made it in a small loaf pan and it was delicious. I was wondering if I could possibly make it for Passover using matzah cake flour. Have you ever tried that? Your thoughts?
Hi Marsha, Glad to know it worked in a loaf pan. I wish I could be more helpful but, honestly, I’m not sure how well the recipe would work with matzah cake flour. I’d definitely give it a test run first — and please lmk how it turns out if you try it.
Hi Jenn,
Thought I replied but with all the craziness of Passover must have forgotten. It turned out great with the matzah cake meal.
Was excited to get your cookbook. Looking froward to meeting you at the JCC event.
Thanks for the follow-up – I’m sure other readers will be happy to know that works! Look forward to meeting you in May!
I cut the recipe down to two servings & it was a nice change from ice cream. A real dessert!
I’ve been wanting to try this for a long time. So glad I did! Love the texture and flavor –
which reminds me of the lemon bread that you poke holes in and pour a lemon simple syrup over.
What yummy treat! I did substitute fat free milk and results were delicious. Will definitely make this often.
Wonderful recipe! I made ahead of time and reheated just before serving.
Absolutely fantastic!
My kids ate it up faster than anything. This is their new fav.
Hi Jenn,
I love your recipes and share them with friends! I love how you include metric measurements for Europeans too! One question though: for trying to make it sugarless, I usually put 10-12 dates in milk, wait overnight and use the mixture. Do you think it will work for this recipe as well or sugar adds texture also?
So glad you like the recipes! Unfortunately, I don’t think the date/milk mixture would work for these – sorry!
I love this dessert! So nice and light and lemony! I’ve made it several times for company and it always turns out great. And the timing works out perfectly for entertaining – just pop them in the oven when you sit down to eat, and they’ll be ready when you are.
I have 4oz ramekins — how long should we cook the cakes for?
Hi Christine, they will likely take a bit less time in the oven, but not much, so just keep a close eye on them. Hope you enjoy!
Another hit—these were so good on a freezing Washington DC night! I made with gluten free flour (King Arthur Brand) and they were perfect! Texture, taste and presentation are exceptional! Another Jenn Segal homerun!
I have to comment this!!
The Lemon Pudding is so easy to make and really delicious!! Five stars from Hamburg, Germany
Christine
This was absolutely delicious! Made for a dinner party, and everyone raved about it!
Very tasty and light. I will definitely be making this again and again…
Made this today and I don’t have ramekins so I used a bread loaf pan and it turned out great! I used half the amount of sugar and I think it was her perfect balance. Thank you for the recipe 😁
Love anything lemon. Great mix of a little cake and pudding. Easy to put together and low cal, two other pluses.
I have 4 oz. ramekins. Can the recipe be adjusted to use them?
Sure, Phyllis, 4 ramekins would work here. Enjoy!
Well once again, Jenn, you don’t disappoint. What a curious little recipe this is – only using 6 Tbsp of flour – but it turned out great! I love lemon and as such took others’ advice about using just a bit less sugar….
Looking forward to trying the Brussels Sprouts Gratin this Thanksgiving (Canada’s is Oct 9th); keep the winners coming!!!
Love your website and all the recipes I have tried they are so good… your step by step instructions makes every recipe easy to follow… I have made this recipe multiple times, first time I made it with lemon, but I am not a big fan of lemon cakes. So decided to make it with orange instead, it was yummy! I didn’t have the ramekins so I used glass oven safe dishes, I kept the same time for baking. Love love this recipe my kids loved it as well. Thank you Jenn for another great recipe!
Delicious! Wondering if I can make these ahead, freeze, defrost and warm up as instructed?
Hi Aner, glad you like them! Sorry, but they won’t freeze well.
I love all your recipes! Thank you! I am making the warm lemon pudding cakes, for a dinner party. Can they be refrigerated after they have cooled and then warmed up in the microwave just before serving tomorrow?
Hi Debbie, Yes, the cakes can be baked a day ahead and stored at room temperature, covered in plastic wrap. Before serving, preheat the oven to 350°F and set a rack in the middle position. Remove the plastic wrap and put the ramekins on a baking sheet. Heat for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through.
Dear Jenn, I made these for friends to celebrate some July birthdays and they were a hit!! They all want the recipe. I was reading Dorie Greenspan’s Paris Sweets cookbook and saw her recipe for a lemon or orange cake. She said to take your fingers and rub/mix the moist zest with your fingers into the sugar to help intensify the lemon flavor before mixing into the batter. I used this technique with your recipe and I thought it was a great addition to the recipe. Love your website. I am an avid recipe collector, cook and baker and love to try new recipes out on my friends which they also enjoy!!
Hi Jenn. If I want to make for 8 what changes do I make to the recipe for 6.
Thanks ! Can’t wait to impress my dinner guests. What a perfect summer dessert.
Teri
Hi Teri, I’d multiply all the ingredients by 1.5 and make 9 — it’s a little tricky because of the eggs but it should work.
Hi Jenn – thanks for a great recipe! This was a hit. But they didn’t rise nearly as high as your photos. The whites never got to soft peaks – more of a stiff foam. Did I underbeat? Also, it was difficult to incorporate the beaten whites to get it smooth as the recipe states. After 10 mins of folding I still had quarter size lumps so I had to resort to the whisk to get it smooth. Did I deflate the whites? How do you get the batter smooth and get those lumps out? Need your help for my next attempt! Thank you.
Hi Kay, Glad they tasted good, even if a little flat :). It actually sounds like you over-beat the whites to me. They’ll be much easier to incorporate if they’re not as stiff (think soft foam). Hope that helps!
I made these exactly as specified and they turned out perfectly. However way too sweet for my taste, will reduce sugar by 25% next time.
Hi Jenn. I’ve made these twice before and that are heavenly! Wondering if I can just put the full amount in a smaller baking tray and serve it from one dish instead of ramekins? Thank you for your incredible recipes!!
So glad you like them! You can bake it in an 8-inch or 2-quart baking dish.
Excellent. Delicious flavor and love the pudding on the bottom of the ramekin.
My husband loves anything lemon and couldn’t get enough of these. Definitely will make again.
Oh my goodness! These were incredible! Easy to make and came out perfectly. By the way, they are just as delicious the next day straight out of the refrigerator with no reheating. Thank you!
Hi Jenn, just wondering whether brown sugar can be used in this recipe? Or does the sugar in the recipe refer to white sugar? Thanks heaps for your help, I made your brownies recently and they were gorgeous =)
Hi Mel, The sugar in this recipe refers to white granulated sugar and I’d definitely stick with that. Glad you enjoyed the brownies!
I am addicted to these cakes. I’ve made them four times and now include fresh lemons on my shopping list in case I get a craving for them. Following the recipe exactly, they turn out perfect every time, light fluffy cake over a creamy lemony pudding. I always get 7 ramekins out of this recipe. For reheating, I find that 15 seconds in the microwave works well.
I didn’t have ramekins so I used a small oven proof dish inside a larger dish. Getting it out of the oven without dropping boiling hot water on myself was challenging. I’m also not entirely sure my first attempt at folding egg whites into the batter was particularly successful. Given the success I’ve had with the lemon bars and pound cake, this one I might not repeat again.
These are so easy and they look so pretty at the table. I like to have sorbet with them. Like almost all lemon things you can make an orange version pretty easily too.
I baked them with aluminum cups, they were yummy! But for some reasons mine didn’t rise up much when they were being baked. I’m wondering if it’s the egg White’s problem? I think i might over beat a little bit. Will that affect whether it rises or not? And also, if I like to have a bit more cake on top, what should I do?
Hi Serena, I’m guessing you may have under beat the egg whites (as opposed to over beating them like you mentioned). And in terms of making the cake layer a little thicker, you can try baking them a little longer but I don’t think it will make a huge difference.
I made these exactly by the recipe. Although they were very good, I found them too sweet for my taste. Can I cut the sugar by half?
Hi Polly, I think you can cut back on the sugar, but I’d suggest cutting it by 25% rather than half so as not to change the texture.
Love this dessert! Wondering if you think I could substitute the milk with almond milk…thank you.
Hi Mary, although I haven’t tried them with almond milk, I think it should work. Lmk how they turn out!
I thought the pudding was thinner using the almond milk, but my husband didn’t. Guests thought the dessert was delicious! Thanks, Jenn
Glad it worked out– thanks so much for reporting back!
FABULOUS. Followed directions and came out looking just like the photos. Just as good the next day. Was hesitant to store the remaining covered at room temperature but they were fine. Perfect after a rich meal. Already requests for a repeat performance.
Perfection! This dessert makes me think of spring! I plan to make it often during graduation season.
Another perfect recipe! Made these over the weekend and were a wonderful hit. I chilled the last two in the refrigerator and had them the next morning with a hot tea and was a perfect start for the day!
Wow, what a delightful surprise! We don’t care what season we are in, this will be a go to dessert for sure. In fact, I have some leftovers I will be warming up in the oven tonight.
Fun to make. A little too lemony for my taste but family members loved them.
Delicious and easy to make. I put mine in the oven as my guests arrived and they baked while we ate dinner. Perfect size for a light dessert. Great lemon flavor.
I made these recently. The recipe was easy and the outcome was perfect. A rich, light, combination of textures, flavor and then, that pudding on the bottom! Such bright happiness in my mouth. AND you can make it ahead! I actually did eat one at room temperature and it was good, but reheating as the instructions yielded the same awesome deliciousness as if they had just been made. These are crazy good, so easy. A dessert stunner for sure.
This cake is easy to make and perfect after a rich meal, as it is light and wonderfully intense in flavor. I’ve made it for two dinners and have received great plaudits. Thanks for this and your many other terrific recipes.
Hi Jenn, if I wanna gift this, is there other type of cups I can use instead of ramekins?
Maybe you could use something like these. Hope the recipients enjoy!
What about if I use those aluminum ramekins? Do I need to adjust any temperature or bake time?
Yes, I think you could use those with no adjustments.
These are delicious! I divided the recipe by 3 (used 1 egg, 1/3 cup milk…) and did two for my husband and I to have after dinner. Same cooking time.
These were delicious! I used blackberries with them but any fresh fruit will complement these. Definitely a dinner party dessert. Never had a bad meal from this site, thanks Jenn.
I have made this recipe for my family and it was a hit even for the non-lemon lovers. I am having a dinner party this week and would like to make it but would need enough for 10 servings. How would you suggest I do this for ingredients and size of serving dish?
Your recipes are, without fail, excellent!
Your site is the one I go to now!
Tannis Stewart
Ontario, Canada
Hi Tannis, so glad everyone enjoyed it! To serve 10, I would suggest doubling the recipe and baking it in a 9 x 13 dish. This may leave you with some leftovers (unless your guests go back for seconds :).
Yummmmm! I made these for my son’s homecoming dinner (heis living and working in Shag Hai). What a delicious tangy yet sweet lemony treat. They were easier to make than I thought. My husband loved it and he is not a dessert eater.