Fresh Lemon Pudding Cake
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Yields: 12 mini cakes
Author: Ireland Lindsay
Ingredients:
For the Lemon Pudding Cakes:
4 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon (12g) sugar, for whipping whites
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (42g) all-purpose
1 cup (240g) buttermilk
1/4 cup (60g) lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar (160g)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest of 2 lemons*
4 tablespoons softened butter, for molds
Extra white sugar, for molds
For the Chantilly:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract, or one vanilla pod
*Feel free to swap out the lemon for most citrus fruits in this recipe (limes, Meyer lemon, grapefruit, etc.)
FOR THE LEMON PUDDING CAKES:
START by preheating the oven to 325F. Prepare a standard 12 cup muffin tin*. To do this, coat the bottom and sides evenly with a thin layer of butter, then dust with sugar and flip the tray over to get out any remaining loose sugar granules.
*You can also use six 6oz ramekins, or one 8 cup soufflé dish.
SET the muffin tray in a 10x15 inch baking pan* (with the sides enough to pour water in later on) lined with a tea towel. Set aside. This step seems tedious and unimportant, but it will help our cakes rise properly later on.
*The measurements don’t have to be exact, it just has to be large and tall enough to fit the muffin pan.
INTO the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the 4 egg whites and 1 tablespoon of sugar whisk until medium-stiff peaks, avoid over whipping as then the meringue won’t combine properly, and the mixture will be grainy.
IN a separate bowl, combine the remaining sugar, flour, and lemon zest and run the mixture together with your fingers. This will help enhance that lemon flavor. Add in buttermilk, eggs, and lemon juice and whisk till homogenous.
AT this point you should have 2 separate mixtures, the egg white mixture, and the flour/lemon/buttermilk mixture. Add 1/4 of the egg whites to the flour/lemon/buttermilk mixture and gently fold, once lightened and combined add another 1/4 and fold again.
NEXT, pour the lightened flour/lemon/buttermilk mixture into the remaining egg whites and fold gently to combine, making sure to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Avoid overmixing and deflating all that air.
ONCE the 2 mixtures are fully combined, portion 1/3 cup to each prepared mold, filling almost to the top.
TENT with foil and bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until they rise, are golden in color, and spring back when you touch the tops. A tester inserted to the deepest point should come out with moist crumb, but not wet.
ONCE fully baked let them cool to room temp. To de-mold them, simply run a non-serrated knife around the edges of all molds to loosen them. Get a large cutting board that fits over the entirety of your muffin pan and with confidence and one swift movement flip over. Give the bottoms a tap and they should release immediately.
THESE pudding-cakes can be served warm, at room temperature, or even chilled. They can be made ahead and stored in the ramekins until serving time. If you serve them chilled the pudding may be a bit denser.
FOR THE CHANTILLY:
FOR the Chantilly, combine the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip until soft peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes.
TO ASSEMBLE:
TO assemble, top with a quenelle of Chantilly. To do this, simply get a cup of hot water and dip your spoon, once heated push forward into the Chantilly, turn 180 and pull back. Top with lemon zest, or edible flowers
STORE in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe by @IreBakes
