Imagine a delicate, light and airy sponge cake, followed by a fluffy soufflé middle layer, and a creamy tangy lemon curd on the bottom. I can’t think of a more perfect summer dessert than this. What is most amazing is that the batter will miraculously separate into these three distinct layers as it bakes. You can serve it hot, warm, or my preference is cold with fresh berries and a baby scoop of vanilla ice cream – all drizzled with our own maple syrup. Casual enough to serve spooned straight from the baking dish, or fancy it up in individual ramekins.
This one was easily inhaled straight out of the oven, dusted with icing sugar, all steamy and wobbly.
Separate your yolks into a large bowl, and your whites in another bowl for whipping later.
I doubled the recipe below, that’s why there’s so many egg yolks.
Whisk or blend your eggs with the sugar, flour, and salt. It will be a thick soft dough.
My lovely assistant left me at this point for a better offer of a playdate.
Whisk in the buttermilk, melted butter, lemon zest and lemon juice.
Whip your egg whites into soft peaks, then gently fold into egg mixture.
Pour batter into buttered baking dish or ramekins, and bake in a hot water bath. Add the boiling hot water to the pan once it’s in the oven, rather than trying to carry a heavy pan full of liquid and scalding yourself.
There is no “after” photo of the baking dish, for some reason…it stuck to the roof of the oven and burned. Don’t ask…
LEMON BUTTERMILK PUDDING CAKE
From Canadian Living
(I doubled this recipe for 6 individual ramekins as well as a baking dish)
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs, separated
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (75 mL) all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) buttermilk
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) salted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) grated lemon rind
- 1/3 cup (75 mL) lemon juice
- In large bowl, blend with a spatula the egg yolks with sugar until pale; beat in flour and salt.
- Whisk in buttermilk, butter, lemon rind and lemon juice.
- In separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold one-third into milk mixture, then fold in remaining whites until all is incorporated.
- Pour into buttered 8-inch (2 L) square glass baking dish. Place dish in roasting pan; pour in enough hot water to come halfway up sides of dish. If you want to be fancy, you can also pour into individual ramekins.
- Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven until top is golden, about 35 minutes. Remove from water; let cool on rack for 30 minutes.