Lemon Pudding Cake

This recipe for Lemon Pudding Cake results in a thick, creamy pudding on the bottom with an airy cake-like layer on the top. Lemon lovers will appreciate the combination of tart and sweet in this delicious, easy dessert!

I love lemon desserts! There is just something about that zesty flavor that I enjoy. Pies, cakes, cookies—lemon goes perfectly in all of them. So, when I happened on this Old-Fashioned Lemon Pudding recipe in The Fanny Farmer Cookbook, I knew I had to give it a try.

What’s so great about lemons?

Besides that acidic, tart lemon flavor that tastes so good in baking, lemons have health benefits too! They are rich in Vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that protects your cells from damage. It also helps support your immune system.

The citric acid in lemons helps prevent kidney stones, and lemon juice has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. That’s one reason lemons are often used in cleaning ingredients. So, while you’re not going to chomp on a lemon anytime soon, it might not be a bad idea to find ways to incorporate lemon juice into your diet!

What kind of lemons should I use?

Meyer lemons and regular lemons are both great choices to use in this recipe. Meyer lemons have thinner skin and a sweeter flavor. They can be hard to find in grocery stores though, so use regular lemons if you want!

What other ingredients are in Lemon Cake with Pudding?

You’ll need just a handful of ingredients for this homemade pudding recipe. Gather the following things:

• Butter
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Whole Milk
• All-purpose flour
• Fresh Lemons
  • Fresh Lemon juice
  • Lemon rind
• Heavy cream

How to make Homemade Lemon Pudding

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 1 ½ quart baking dish by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside for later.

In a large bowl, beat the butter until soft, then gradually combine sugar with the butter, beating it until completely incorporated. Then, separate your eggs and add the egg yolks into the butter mixture one at a time, mixing each one in thoroughly.

Add the milk, flour, lemon juice, and lemon rind, and beat to mix well.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then fold them into the pudding mix.

Place the batter in the prepared baking dish and set the dish in a hot water bath. Use a container big enough so that the water comes halfway up the sides of the pudding pan. I place my 8 X 8-inch baking dish into a 9 X 13-inch pan as pictured below. Bake for 50-60 minutes, then let cool completely.

Serve either tepid (barely warm, just above room temperature) or chilled with my Stabilized Whipped Cream or Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream.

What is the difference between lemon rind and lemon zest?

This recipe calls for the use of grated lemon rind. The rind is the entire covering of the fruit, while the zest is just the fine, colored outer part. That white layer between the zest and the fruit is called the pith, which is a little bitter and adds to the acidic flavor of the lemon in this recipe.

If you like your lemon a little sweeter, don’t use the whole lemon peel and instead just stick to the zest.

Helpful Tips

Here are some helpful tips so your lemon pudding comes out the way you want it to.

1. There was quite a bit of rind, so I think next time I’ll lessen that and only grate half of the lemon.
2. The stabilized whipped cream on the top really added to it too. It took some of the tartness away and was a great combination!

What’s your favorite lemon dessert?

Try one of the many delicious lemon treats on the blog. I suggest you start with one of these:

• Lemon Dream Bars
• Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake
• Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
• No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake
• Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
• Lemon Marshmallow Poke Cake

Creamy Dessert Recipes

In need of some other recipes? Here are a few that I think you’ll love!

• Stabilized Whipped Cream
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Bars
• Chocolate Mint Dream Bars
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Cake
• Banana Pudding Dream Bars