Lemon Pudding Cake
Calling all lemon lovers! There’s cake and there’s pudding and a great big explosion of tart, citrusy lemon flavor. If things lemony make your heart sing, today is your lucky day!
Before we get to talking about how gorgeously lemon all of this is, let’s talk about pudding cakes in general, ‘cause there’s magic there too. While the “cake” bakes, a creamy, pudding layer forms on the bottom which gets covered by a tender, light cakey layer, giving you the best of both worlds in every bite!
In this case, it’s all about the lemons!
And speaking of lemons, did you know that lemons are a great natural and environmentally-friendly cleaner? Anytime, you can avoid harsh chemicals, it’s a great thing! Check out this very informative post on how you can use lemons to create safer cleaning products and practices, https://www.bbcleaningservice.com/blog/life-gives-lemons-use-14-amazing-ways/.
Okey dokey, now back to this delightfully lemony pudding cake. While it would be amazing as a spring or summer dessert, I find that right now, in the dead of winter, when everything looks so bleak, is when we especially need that splash of color and citrusy zing most. At least, that’s my excuse, lol!
The whole thing comes together rather quickly and easily, all except the fact that you have to clean the beaters after mixing up the batter to beat the egg whites, but the end result is so, so worth this tiny annoyance cause it’s those beaten whites that keep everything light and soufflé-like! And unlike some other pudding cakes, you don’t need to bake this in a water bath, so we’re ahead of the game, right?
Anyhoo, this is what it looks like before you put it into the oven—
And this is what it looks like when you take it out of the oven. Just a regular old cake.
But no! When you dig a spoon into it, tada! You get silky lemon pudding and tender lemon cake. Maybe not the most photogenic of desserts but who cares when it’s so yummy!
It’s wonderful warm with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and equally good cold. Just make it.. I promise it’ll make you feel warm and sunny no matter how grey outside it seems!
Lemon Pudding Cake
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Bake Time: 45-55 minutes
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus extra for buttering dish
¾ cup sugar, plus a little extra for baking dish
1 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
½ cup sour cream
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 large eggs, separated
⅓ cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Confectioners’ sugar for serving
The Recipe
1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Butter a shallow baking dish (I used a pie plate) and sprinkle with sugar. Tip out the excess and set aside.
2. Place the buttermilk, sour cream, lemon zest and juice in a medium bowl and whisk together.
3. Use an electric mixer on high speed and beat the butter together with the ¾ cup sugar for 4 minutes, until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg yolks one at a time, beating to blend and scraping down the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. On low speed add the buttermilk mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the flour, beginning and ending with the buttermilk, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Wash and dry the beaters well (or use a spare pair) and beat the egg whites and salt on high speed in a medium bowl, until soft peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter in 3 additions, barely blending the whites in. You don’t want to over mix.
5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 45-55 minutes until the top is puffed and golden and center barely jiggles. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and scoop into bowls to serve.
6. This is great hot but I also love it chilled. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine. I cooked this for about 10 minutes longer than the original recipe called for. If you like less pudding ratio to cake, cook it another 10 minutes.
