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Last Updated: September 3, 2025

You know that sharp, bright lemon flavor, the kind that makes your mouth pucker just a little and somehow wakes up everything else on the plate? The tricky part is, lemon cakes don’t always live up to the promise. They can turn out dry. Or weirdly mousse-like. Or just plain forgettable.

This Lemon Pudding Cake doesn’t fall into that trap. When it comes out of the oven, you get this golden, slightly soufflé-ish sponge on top, with a soft, tangy pudding hiding just beneath. Two layers in one dish one firm enough to cut into, the other begging to be spooned up alongside. It feels a bit dramatic when you serve it, but it’s honestly not that fussy to make. And yes, it usually wins people over.

A small but important tip: once you’ve folded in the whipped egg whites, resist the urge to stir too much. Those airy folds are what give you the magic balance cake above, pudding below.

Why This Recipe Works

The trick here is a mix of science and a little kitchen sleight of hand. Lemon pudding cake may look simple, but it’s actually a cross between two classic desserts: a soufflé and a custard. The reason you get two textures is because the batter is thinner than your usual cake mix. As it bakes, the eggs and starches settle into a silky pudding layer while the lifted, airy proteins (thank you, whipped egg whites) rise to the top and set into sponge.

Still, it’s easy to tip the balance too far. Too much acid and you’ll get a soggy, weeping pudding. Not enough, and the whole thing tastes flat and a little eggy. The recipe here threads that needle with about 80g fresh lemon juice (roughly three average lemons). Add in the cream of tartar or just a squeeze of lemon in the egg whites, and everything holds together in the oven.

One other important note: the water bath isn’t optional. Without it, the bottom sets too hard, and the eggs can curdle. With it, you get a smooth custard that scoops beautifully under the cake.

Ingredients

• Whole eggs: 120 g (2 large) — structure, moisture, custard base.
• Granulated sugar: 150 g (¾ cup) — sweetness, tender crumb.
• All-purpose flour: 40 g (⅓ cup) — light structure, helps the pudding set.
• Lemon zest (finely grated): 6 g (2 tsp) — bright aroma without bitterness.
• Fresh lemon juice: 80 g (⅓ cup) — tang, aids set, activates leavening.
• Whole milk: 240 g (1 cup) — custard base and moisture.
• Unsalted butter, melted: 28 g (2 Tbsp) — richness, tender texture.
• Baking powder: 3 g (¾ tsp) — gentle lift for the top sponge.
• Fine salt: 1 g (¼ tsp) — balances sweetness and sharpness.
• Cream of tartar (optional): 2 g (½ tsp) — stabilizes whipped whites.
• Powdered sugar, for dusting: as needed — finish and contrast.

Science in Plain English

• Water bath (bain-marie): keeps the temperature steady, so the custard bakes gently instead of scrambling.
• Whipped egg whites: trap air for lift. Cream of tartar (or lemon juice) keeps them stable.
• Acid to sugar balance: too sour, and you’ll end up with juice pooling at the bottom; too sweet, and the lemon disappears.

Kitchen Callouts

• Fresh lemon juice really is better than bottled. You’ll notice it in both flavor and texture.
• Full-fat milk—Amul, Mother Dairy, or whatever’s local to you—gives a creamier pudding.
• Eggs whip best if you separate them cold but let the whites warm up for about 10 minutes.

Step-by-Step (Highlights)

Water bath first. Preheat your oven, butter the baking dish, and nest it into a roasting pan. The hot water should come about halfway up the sides.

Egg white moment. Whip to soft, glossy peaks—don’t push to stiff or your cake ends up tall and then collapses without pudding.

Yolks + sugar. Whisk until pale. Add butter, then lemon and milk. It should look like thin custard.

Bring it all together. Fold flour and baking powder into the yolks, then gently fold in the whites. A few streaks are fine; you don’t want to overwork it.

Bake in water bath. About 40 minutes, until the top is golden and the center jiggles just slightly. Think custard wobble, not liquid slosh.

Serve warm. After a short rest, dust with powdered sugar. The first spoonful will reveal that saucy pudding layer underneath.

Kitchen Notes from Testing

• Over-whipped whites? The cake rose high and sank, leaving almost no pudding.
• Bottled lemon juice? Wet pudding, muted flavor. Fresh was worth the effort.
• Skipping the water bath? Total disaster curdled pudding and rubbery sponge.
• Heavy hand folding the whites? Dense cake, thin pudding.

Final method: medium-stiff whites, fresh lemon, gentle folding, and faithful bake time. That’s when it landed perfectly a soft sponge, tangy pudding, and that satisfying little gasp from the table when someone cuts into it.

Ready to bake?

This is one cake that rewards patience, precision, and a love of lemon. Save the recipe, share the joy, and don’t forget the powdered sugar.

Lemon Pudding Cake Recipe – Golden Dome, Tangy Puddle

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

220

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

This lemon pudding cake is a kitchen marvel: a golden, soufflé-like cake floats atop a tangy, creamy lemon custard layer, with both textures in every warm, spoonable bite. No stand mixer, no fancy pans, just a whisk and your regular oven. Perfect for small gatherings or keeping all to yourself.

Ingredients

• 2 large whole eggs (120g)

• Granulated sugar (150g / ¾ cup)

• All-purpose flour (40g / ⅓ cup)

• Lemon zest (6g / 2 tsp)

• Fresh lemon juice (80g / ⅓ cup)

• Whole milk (240g / 1 cup)

• Unsalted butter (28g / 2 Tbsp)

• Baking powder (3g / ¾ tsp)

• Salt (1g / ¼ tsp)

• Cream of tartar (2g / ½ tsp, optional)

• Powdered sugar (to taste)

Directions

• Step 1: Prep
  Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F), rack in middle. Grease 20-cm (8-inch) round baking dish. Set roasting pan in oven; fill with 2.5 cm (1 inch) hot water after placing cake dish inside.
  Visual cue: Butter coat is thin and even; no pools at bottom.
• Step 2: Whip egg whites
  Separate eggs; place whites in clean, dry bowl. Add cream of tartar if using. Whip to soft peaks (3–5 min by hand, 2 min with mixer). Gradually add 50g (¼ cup) sugar, whip to medium-stiff peaks (peaks gently curl over).
  Visual cue: Whites are glossy, not dry or lumpy; peaks curl when beater is lifted.
• Step 3: Mix yolks and flavors
  Whisk yolks, remaining sugar (100g/½ cup), lemon zest, salt until pale and thick (2 min). Whisk in melted butter, then lemon juice and milk until smooth.
  Visual cue: Mixture looks like thin custard; no butter streaks.
• Step 4: Fold in dry ingredients
  Sift flour and baking powder over yolk mixture. Whisk gently—no need for perfectly smooth, just no dry patches.
• Step 5: Fold in egg whites
  Add ⅓ of whites to batter; whisk to lighten. Gently fold in remaining whites in 2 additions; stop when no white streaks remain.
  Visual cue: Batter is slightly streaky, pourable, and aerated—not uniform.
• Step 6: Bake
  Pour batter into prepared dish. Place dish in roasting pan in oven; carefully pour hot water into pan until halfway up sides of cake dish. Bake 38–42 min until top is golden and center jiggles slightly but is set (internal temp 75–77°C/167–170°F).
  Visual cue: Top is lightly browned, center wobbles like set custard. If top browns too fast, tent with foil.
• Step 7: Cool & serve
  Let cake cool in water bath 10 min, then remove. Dust with powdered sugar, serve warm.
  Visual cue: Pudding pools at bottom when cake is cut; sponge springs back lightly.

Notes

• Troubleshooting
  Cake is all pudding, no sponge: Overmixed batter or under-whipped whites. Whip whites properly; fold gently.
  Top dry, pudding thin: Overbaked or oven too hot. Reduce temp, check early.
  Pudding watery/separated: Too much lemon juice or old eggs. Use 80g juice, fresh eggs.
  Cake collapses: Door opened too early or temp shock. Don’t open oven until last 10 min; cool gradually.
  Dense/rubbery: Overmixed, too much flour, or old baking powder. Measure flour by weight, check powder freshness.