I’ve been baking a lot lately. A lot of bread. As summer quickly approaches I am furiously trying to finish up all of my recipe testing for the cookbook. I know that come July, when the heat and humidity set in, the last thing I will want to be doing is standing in my kitchen amongst cup of flour.

Ages ago, when I started this blog, I was not a baker. I have always loved baked goods, but baking was not my domain. It was too finicky, too time consuming. I never would have dreamt that I would become a baking instructor, and now am working on my second baking cookbook. But I have come to love the exactitude and the purposeful nature of baking. And I love the final product!

However, there are instances when I don’t have the time to contribute to making a baked good. Yet, I’m looking for something quick, warming, and deliciously homemade, to satisfy my sweet tooth. And this Lemon Pudding Cake fits the bill. It is not too sweet. It is neither frosted or glazed. It does not scream– I am dessert! It is humble. And aren’t there times when that is all you want?

This is an old recipe. In fact, I have a recipe for a Lemon Pie-Cake that is quite similar to this, in my first cookbook. So, it’s an oldie, but a goodie.

This is one of those amazing desserts, that completes more than one task while it’s in the oven. It creates a moist spongecake on the top, while hiding a luscious lemon curd beneath. Chances are, you have all of the ingredients to make this “cake” already in your kitchen. Which is a good thing, because I have a feeling you’ll be making it frequently… and often.

Lemon Pudding Cake
from Gourmet Magazine

2 large lemons
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1 1/3 cups whole milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 1 1/2 quart baking dish, or other shallow baking dish. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together, flour, salt, and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, milk, zest and juice together until blended. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, whisking just until combined.

In another bowl, with an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Gradually, beat in remaining 1/4 cup of sugar until whites hold stiff peaks. To lighten, whisk about a quarter of the whites into the yolk batter. Then fold the remainder of the whites gently but thoroughly into the batter.

Pour into the prepared baking dish. Place in a hot water bath, and bake 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. Transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm, or at room temperature.