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
carol says
WHAT SIZE RAMEKIN! THIS IS NEVER MENTIONED.
Christina Lane says
6 ounces, sorry. Will update!
Joni says
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.
Scott Fite says
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!
Karen says
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.
Ila says
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.
Christina Lane says
haha, Ila! I love this :) Just tell him they weren't good (and keep making them for yourself LOL) <3
Sophia says
Last weekend I made this lemon cake and enjoyed it with hot tea. Very interesting :)
Thanks for sharing!
Danielle says
I love mug cakes but I dont always have eggs handy. Is this a recipe a "flop" without an egg?
Christina Lane says
It is, I'm sorry. There are such few ingredients in this recipe that if you leave one out, it won't work :(
Shilpa Kothapalli says
Can this recipe be made in a 6" cake pan instead of the ramekins?
Christina Lane says
I don't think so, but if you search 'lemon cake' in my search bar, you'll find a 6" version with whipped cream frosting :)
Jacki says
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.
Malala says
I adored them!! They are incredible perfect balance of sweet and sour I absolutely love this site . Christina you are a genius!!