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.
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.
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.
Lemon Cake for Two
Two mini lemon cakes for two baked in ramekins.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ 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:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice, as needed
Instructions
- First, spray 2 6-ounce ramekins very well with cooking spray, and set them on a mini baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and pinch of salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, sour cream (or yogurt), oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Add the dry ingredients in two batches to the wet ingredients, and stir gently to combine.
- Divide the mixture between the two ramekins.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- 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:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 448Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 197mgSodium: 252mgCarbohydrates: 77gFiber: 2gSugar: 54gProtein: 8g
Loz says
I made these twice and they were AWESOME! The second time I used whole egg but it didn’t affect the taste (if anything it helped them rise a bit more). I found the lemon glaze a touch too tart so I whipped up some fresh cream and served it with that and some raspberries. Thanks for the recipe! Looking forward to trying the others.
Brionne says
This is one of the best desserts we have made in a long time!! We also followed up the next evening trying a variation where we used lime instead of lemon and garnished with lime glaze and toasted coconut. Both were amazing!!
Heidi says
I made this last night and it was amazing! I live on a boat so space is limited and I’m very happy I stumbled on this blog.
I made this as directed except I did not have baking powder.
I don’t have ramekins on board so I used a muffin pan instead and this recipe basically made 4 “muffins”.
I added 1/8 teaspoon vanilla.
I used vegetable oil as “neutral oil”.
I did not make the glaze because I do not have powdered sugar.
These turned out moist and incredible! Super easy recipe as well. We have fresh limes, grapefruit, and blood oranges I’m going to try the same recipe with these next!
Karen says
Delish! Another hit! Keep em coming!
Julie says
I made these last night and my husband and I both LOVED them!!! Lemon desserts are my favorite and I will definitely be saving this recipe!
Karen says
I make these routinely and especially now the lemon tree is covered in lemons...my maiden name is lemons sooooooo we naturally love lemon...BUT this time I tossed in some fresh chopped rosemary! OOOO delish!
Ivy says
This cake is DELISH! I've been looking for an easy small batch lemon dessert with enough lemon flavor, and this fits the bill. I didn't have sour cream or yogurt, so I used 2 TBSP of mayo and it turned out sublime. Very moist, tender cake.