Dessert for Two

Small batch recipes that serve two people. Desserts for two, dinners for two, and drinks for two.

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Lemon Cake for Two

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Mini lemon cake for two, made in ramekins. Small batch serving cake.
Lemon cake for two made in ramekins.

Fun fact: I only own 2 ramekins.

So, while I’ve been on this self-imposed journey to miniaturize all the cakes into ramekins (see: chocolate cake for two), I’ve been washing a lot of ramekins. More specifically, I’ve been washing them when they’re still scalding hot, right out of the oven.

Whenever I have a cake failure, I have to remove the evidence immediately. If I don’t trash my cake fails, then I eat them. All of them. By myself, in the kitchen. It’s not a good scene.

I had a lot of failures with this lemon cake in ramekins, because the lemon juice played games with the baking soda. But rest assured: we got it right.

Mini lemon cake in ramekins. Serves two.

Well, almost.

I wanted a soft, fluffy cake, not a domed muffin-like cake. So, we have to accept a leetle compromise: a teeny tiny divot after baking.  Don’t worry, it’s going to be TOTALLY FINE. Just bake the cake all the way through (use a toothpick to be sure), and then let it cool. The slight dimple that forms while it cools is just making way for more lemon glaze frosting, ok?

Trust me on this one. If I gave you a lemon cake for two recipe that didn’t slightly sink, it would have the texture of a scone. Lemon scones are good. Tender, moist, fluffy cake is better.

Cake made in ramekins to serve two. Lemon cakes.

Do you see the tiny dimple?

No, no you don’t. Because it’s full of bright lemon glaze.

Are you a lemon lover like me? I crave these little lemon cakes almost weekly, but just know that I’m working on a spice cake version, a red velvet version, and a funfetti version. My fingertips are already burning at the thought. But I do it all for YOU.

Me, you, and mini cakes in ramekins. We have a sweet life, don’t we?

These are the exact ramekins I use.

Yield: 2 ramekins

Lemon Cake for Two

Two mini lemon cakes for two baked in ramekins.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream (or full-fat yogurt)
  • 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons neutral oil
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

For the glaze:

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice, as needed

Instructions

  1. First, spray 2 6-ounce ramekins very well with cooking spray, and set them on a mini baking sheet.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and pinch of salt. Set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, sour cream (or yogurt), oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
  5. Add the dry ingredients in two batches to the wet ingredients, and stir gently to combine.
  6. Divide the mixture between the two ramekins.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  8. While the cakes cool, make the frosting: whisk together all ingredients, adding more lemon juice to thin it out to a pourable consistency.

Nutrition Information:


Amount Per Serving:Calories: 138 Total Fat: 3g Carbohydrates: 26g Protein: 3g
© Christina Lane

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Comments

  2. Yum! I LOVE lemon (I was the kid who would suck on lemon slices, and I'm still lamenting the fact that lemon jolly ranchers aren't a thing anymore) but always forget about it in baked goods, these look great!
    Reply

  7. Hi Christina! Do you suggest letting this cool in the fridge (if you can wait) or enjoy at room temp? Thanks! Planning on making these tomorrow for an anniversary.
    Reply

  9. These look delicious. And so cute. I am totally biased because I adore lemon cake. Can't live without it. I'll have to try these mini cakes. Thanks for sharing.
    Reply

  10. I have been obsessed with lemon lately! These look perfect. I love the color these have too. I always see a divot or creases as excuse to add more frosting or glaze. more of that is never a bad thing in my book. I will have to make these for my husband and I soon. Thanks for doing the hard work, because I wouldn't be able to toss any of my fails. I would eat them ALL.
    Reply

  11. Have been surfing your site and find so many comments on how great everything looks - and it does. Would be helpful to have more comments where people had actually made the recipes and how they turned out but that is the downfall of blogs.....I have an order in for your first two cookbooks from Amazon but will hold off on the last one just to see if the recipes turn out as good as the pictures...will try the brioche buns today for my husband for a test drive. I stay away from flour and sugar for me but would like to make the smaller portions for his sweet tooth,
    Reply

  12. Looks great... so happy to hear you are working on other flavors! Can I suggest doing an orange version with a buttercream frosting? It may just be the recipe above but using orange juice or orange emulsion (or extract) in the lemons place...Still hoping to see the small versions of a chocolate whoopie pie and a pumpkin whoopie pie :-)
    Reply

  13. I made this today and it was sooo good! Hubby loved it and asked me to make it again tomorrow. It was very moist and so lemony. Thank you!
    Reply

  14. Sooo delicious !!!I live alone and really appreciate those small batch recipe ! (otherwise i eat it all still)This lemon cake is fantastic ! thank you for that piece of Heaven :)
    Reply

  15. Love this recipe for two. Does it matter what size ramekins they bake in....6 oz? Also, love the comment about the divot in the cake. I make a chocolate guinness cake that contains 1 cup Guinness, 1/2 cup sour cream, two eggs... yada yada (bakes in a 9in springform pan). And it never fails to leave a divot in the center of the cake, no matter how closely I follow the recipe. Oh, does this give you an idea of making chocolate guinness cake for two in ramekins? ;) Thanks for all your hard work and sharing your recipes with the world!
    Reply

  16. My mother absolutely loves lemon cake (not that I don't enjoy it myself). She will be thrilled with this. I may just bake up a couple of us this weekend. So excited about your cake for two adventures!
    Reply

  19. I have made this recipe twice now, and both times the cakes have domed beautifully! Wondering if maybe the yogurt/sour cream makes a difference: I used full-fat Greek yogurt. They are just lovely: moist and fluffy and tender and lemony. Thank you for the recipe!
    Reply

  20. I can't believe how delicious this is. It was a refreshing burst of lemon flavor, and the texture was so light and fluffy. And really ridiculously easy to make as well!
    Reply

  22. Light and delicious!! I was however disappointed with the size of the divot.....it only held a small scoop of ice cream ???? Another great recipe that will certainly be repeated.
    Reply

  23. This was my second successfully prepared recipe from this site after the lemon blueberry cheesecake. Yes, I am a fan of the lemon! These came out just perfect, light and fluffy cake with a good zing of lemon! I loved it. The only thing I didn't do well was the glaze topping. I dumped my 1.5 tablespoons of lemon juice right into the 1/2 cup of sugar so it came out too thin and yellow-tinted. I should have slowly added the lemon juice to the sugar in small increments until I had the right consistency. Quick, easy, and will definitely use it in the future!
    Reply

  24. Just now, made this incredible lemon cake. So easy, so good. It is now my go to dessert. Can's wait for more such recipes. Thank you.
    Reply

  25. I made these for my husband las night hoping that there would be one left for him after dinner tonight. No such luck he ate them both and now wants to know when I am going to make them again. I used Gluten Free plain flour in the same ratio as plain flour.
    Reply

  29. This sounds wonderful. I will use the egg white & make a merengue rather than the glaze; for me glaze makes cakes too sweet. AND I like any opportunity I can find for a merengue on my desserts.
    Reply

  30. I adored them!! They are incredible perfect balance of sweet and sour I absolutely love this site . Christina you are a genius!!
    Reply

  32. I would like to put lemon curd in the center of the cake. Would you suggest I do it after the cake is baked or could I put a generous spoonful in the center of the batter and carefully cover with more batter.
    Reply

    • So, since lemon curd is made with eggs, do not put it in raw cake batter. It will bake into something strange and probably ruin the cake. After baking, spread it between the cooked cake layers and enjoy!
      Reply

  33. I made these last night following recipe exactly with sour cream for my husband and myself. They were delicious and baked perfectly. Will definitely make again.
    Reply

  34. These are wonderful! I am about to make my second batch. Previously my favorite flavor was always chocolate, deep dark chocolate or mocha, but these are in the running for my top favorite cake. And because of the small portion size, no guilt about making dessert for 1 person. Thank you so much !
    Reply

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