Easy Mini Lemon Pudding Cakes
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Mini Lemon Pudding Cakes are a refreshing, melt-in-your-mouth, lemony dream. Simple and quick to make, this dessert magically forms two layers when baked. A light and airy cake on top with a lemon pudding custard on the bottom.
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It’s a beautiful dessert worthy of any occasion when inverted, dusted with confectioners’ sugar, and topped with blueberries.
All I can say is, “Oh, my!”
Perfect to serve for an afternoon tea, a wedding shower, brunch, Mother’s Day, or another spring gathering.
If you’re hosting a tea party, you may also enjoy reading How to Serve an Easy Afternoon Tea.
When the spring blossoms begin to hint at their arrival, I’m thinking about all things lemon. Like Ginger Lemon Tea, one of my favorite homemade teas, lemon cakes, tarts, muffins, and more.
Items You’ll Need
Two mixing bowls, a whisk, a spatula, a 9×13 inch baking pan, an electric mixer, a zester, and either six (6-ounce) ramekins or an 8-inch baking dish.
Recommended Kitchen Tools
These Lemon Pudding Cakes are made in individual ramekins. But if you don’t have any, you can bake the batter in an 8-inch baking dish. The cooking time is about the same.
Ingredients for Lemon Pudding Cakes
These simple ingredients will turn into the most delicious pudding cake ever. Ingredient measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Dairy: Large eggs, milk, and butter.
- Lemons: You will use both the lemon juice and the zest.
- Pantry Ingredients: All-purpose flour, sugar, and a pinch of salt
How to Make Lemon Pudding Cakes
Spray six (6-oz) ramekins with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
You will need two bowls to make the lemon pudding cakes. Separate the eggs and place the yolks in one bowl and the whites in the other.
Whisk the milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, melted butter, and salt in the bowl with the yolks. Then whisk in the flour and sugar; stir until smooth.
Using an electric mixer or whisking vigorously, beat the egg whites in the second bowl until soft peaks form.
Fold the egg whites into the lemon mixture using a rubber spatula, a little at a time. The batter will be light and airy.
Place the prepared ramekins in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Then ladle or pour the batter evenly into the ramekins, which will come nearly to the top. Then, fill the baking pan with water to 1/2 up the sides of the ramekins. This water bath will allow the custardy pudding to form on the bottom.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
Once baked, carefully remove the ramekins from the baking dish and let cool for a few minutes. Once slightly cooled, carefully invert the pudding cups onto a plate, dust with confectioners’ sugar, and serve with fresh berries if desired.
How to Make Lemon Pudding Cakes Ahead
These pudding cakes can be made up to a day in advance. Let them cool completely, and then cover them with plastic and store them at room temperature.
Before serving, preheat the oven to 350°F, remove the wrapping, and place the ramekins on a baking sheet. Reheat for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
While these mini pudding cakes are incredibly delicious when warm, they are also quite tasty when you find chilled leftovers too!
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Mini Lemon Pudding Cakes
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs separated
- 1 cup fat-free half and half or milk
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
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, half and half, lemon zest, lemon juice, butter, and salt. Add the flour and sugar and whisk until smooth.
- With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. With a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the lemon mixture a little at a time until all of the eggs whites have been added and the batter is light and fluffy.
- Place the prepared ramekins into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Evenly pour or ladle the batter into the ramekins. The batter will fill most of the ramekin. Using a teapot or pitcher, add water to the 13×9 inch baking pan half-way up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
- Once baked, carefully remove the ramekins from the baking dish and let cool for a few minutes. Once slightly cooled, carefully inverted the pudding cups onto a plate, dust with confectioners’ sugar and served with fresh berries if desired.
Notes
Make Ahead Tip:
These Lemon Pudding Cakes can be made up to a day in advance. Bake as directed and then cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Before serving, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, remove the plastic wrap and place on a baking sheet. Reheat the cakes for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through.Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I was wondering how these would work if I’m baking them in silicone pans. I found some adorable flower silicone pans that are roughly the size of cupcakes. There are six flowers to a pan. If I follow the instructions and cook them in a baking dish with water, do you think this might still work? The flowers are all the same simple daisy design, and I think a nice, fat raspberry in the centers would be a perfect touch!
Hi Tracy! I’ve not tested the recipe using silicone cups, but they should work fine! I think they sound beautiful and LOVE the idea of adding raspberries! Let us know how they turn out 💕💕.
Does the half&half have to be fat-free for some reason? Will regular half&half work ok?
Hi Regina! No, you do not have to use fat-free half and half. Regular will work great!
Could you make these in mini muffin pans? Thanks!
Hi Katie! That’s a great idea but I’ve never tried this. My only concern is that the “pudding” would have time to set with a shorter baking time in the bain-marie. I love the idea of a mini version of these. If you try it, please let me know how it worked. I’m also going to add it to my list of recipes to try!
I plan to make these a day in advance of serving. When reheating the next day in the ramekins, what oven temperature do you use and for how long is sufficient? Can’t wait to try these for an upcoming dinner party. Thank you!
Hi Carrie! These are wonderful for a dinner party– and easy too! When serving the next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
These sound perfect for a tea I am having next week; in face I am using your recipes for everything! I will have to bake the cakes ahead of time and that gives me pause since it is a new recipe. If I store them in the ramekins and reheat the next day, will liquid not accumulate in the bottom? Will they still release from the ramekins nicely? Thank you for any hints and reassurance you can provide.
Hi Erlene! Thank you for using some of our recipes for your upcoming tea. I envy you, wishing I had one planned for next week too. The Lemon Pudding Cakes are such a nice addition to a tea menu and they actually do quite well storing at room temperature. Be sure to lightly spray each ramekin with cooking spray then use a paper towel to wipe out each cup, leaving a light residue.
When ready to serve, carefully run a thin knife around the ramekin edges, but don’t run it to the bottom of the cup. Then, invert the warm pudding cup onto your serving dish. This works beautifully every time for me.
I have a tea in a couple of hours and decided to also add the Mini Lemon Pudding Cakes to the menu testing your question on accumulated moisture. I actually had zero moisture after letting the pudding cups sit overnight. I reheated one for a quick bite because I couldn’t resist. So good. Hope you enjoy!
Thank you for checking that out! I am looking forward to both serving and tasting these – they are so pretty.
So far, my husband (the pre-tea quality checker) is quite taken with the Chocolate Biscuit Cake. He isn’t usually a fan of anything quite so sweet but he’s asked for a second slice – twice.
They were perfect – thank you for answering all my questions. These are adorable and delicious. This is a recipe is decidedly a keeper.
Hi Erlene— I’m so glad you enjoyed them! My guests loved them too as did the husband as I held one back for him. Served chilled from the refrigerator for his but he loved it that way 🙂.
If making a day ahead, do you turn out and then reheat next day or do you leave in the ramekins and turn out after reheating?
Hi Amanda, store the cooled pudding cakes in their ramekins. Then, reheat for 10 to 15 minutes— or until warmed through— in the ramekins before turning out.
I just made this for Easter. I had 8 oz ramekins and only used 4 instead of 6 because 6 wouldn’t fit into the 9×13 pan. Because of this it took longer to bake them, but it turned out so very good. I will be making this again. I liked that it was quite easy and didn’t require any special ingredients.
I only have 12 inch ramekins. suggestions given size?
Hi. I am doing these but ramikens are 12 inches. Thinking jusr doing double for each ramiken. Has anyone done like this?
Hi Adriana! I would recommend doubling the recipe per ramekins and then watch the baking time.