Light Lemon Mini Cakes Recipes

LIGHTER LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly oil a 20cm round x 5cm deep cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. For the cake, put the flour, baking powder, ground almonds and polenta in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and sugar, then make a dip in the centre. Beat the eggs in a bowl, then stir in the yogurt. Tip this mixture along with the oil into the dip (see step-by-step number 1), then briefly and gently stir with a large metal spoon so everything is just combined, without overmixing.
• Spoon the mixture into the tin and level the top (step 2). Bake for 40 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil for the final 5-10 mins if it starts to brown too quickly.
• While the cake cooks, make the lemon syrup. Tip the caster sugar into a small saucepan with the lemon juice and 75ml water. Heat over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Raise the heat, boil for 4 mins until slightly reduced and syrupy, then remove from the heat.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool briefly in the tin. While it is still warm, turn it out of the tin, peel off the lining paper and sit the cake on a wire rack set over a baking tray or similar. Use a skewer to make lots of small holes all over the top of the cake (step 3). Slowly spoon over half the lemon syrup (step 4) and let it soak in. Spoon over the rest in the same way, brushing the edges and sides of the cake too with the last of the syrup.

WARM LEMON PUDDING CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and set a rack in the middle position. Spray six (6-oz) ramekins with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, butter, and salt. Add the flour and sugar and whisk until smooth.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. (The peaks should curl when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.) Spoon about ¼ of the egg whites into the lemon mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining egg whites and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold into the lemon mixture until smooth. The batter will be light, foamy, and liquidy.
• Place the prepared ramekins into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Ladle the batter evenly into the ramekins (it will come almost to the top). Using a teapot or pitcher, pour room temperature water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully place the baking pan in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the cakes are puffy and lightly golden on top. Using tongs, carefully remove the ramekins from the baking dish and let cool on a rack for about 20 minutes before serving. (They will sink a bit as they cool; that's okay.) Dust with Confectioners' sugar and serve with berries, if desired.
• Make Ahead: The cakes can be made a day ahead of time. Once completely cool, cover the cakes with plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Before serving, preheat the oven to 350°F and set a rack in the middle position. Remove the plastic wrap and place the ramekins on a baking sheet; heat for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through.

LEMON CAKE FROM SCRATCH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour.
• Whisk flour, lemon zest, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl.
• Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat eggs and egg yolks, 1 at a time, into creamed butter mixture on low speed, beating well after each addition before adding the next. Beat lemon juice into butter mixture. Beat flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, into butter mixture until batter is just combined. Divide batter between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cake pulls away from sides of pan, 32 to 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of pan and invert cake onto a wire rack to cool.

LIGHT LEMON MINI CAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Generously grease 8 fluted tube muffin cups with cooking spray or shortening. In medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat remaining ingredients with whisk until well blended. Gradually beat in flour mixture until well combined and batter is fluffy. Divide batter evenly among fluted muffin cups.
• Bake 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan 2 minutes. Place cooling rack upside down over muffin pan. Turn rack and pan over; remove pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

LEMON DROP MINI CAKES

Steps:

• Spray mini muffin pans with non-stick spray; set aside.
• Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl; set aside.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add water and bring to a boil.
• Pour hot mixture over dry ingredients and beat with a hand beater till barely blended. Beat in the sour cream, egg, zest, and lemon juice till smooth.
• Scoop batter into muffin pans. Bake at 325° for about 12 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then turn onto cooling racks. Cool completely before glazing.
• Dip lemon drops top side down into the glaze. Let excess glaze drip off into the bowl, then invert lemon drops bottom side down onto cooling racks. (Place waxed paper underneath the cooling racks for easier clean up.) Let sit till glaze hardens.