An easy lemon delicious pudding with a delicately light and fluffy lemon sponge over a zesty creamy lemon sauce.
This classic favourite really is the perfect winter comfort food dessert!
Have it on the table in just 40 minutes and serve with a dusting of icing sugar and plenty of ice-cream or cream!
When the weather turns cold and the heater gets turned up, that's when I NEED comforting dinners and winter desserts.
And, of course, one simple dessert that always springs to mind is my easy Lemon Delicious Pudding!
The soft and fluffy sponge layer hides a rich and creamy lemon sauce beneath....
A dollop of cream, or a scoop of ice cream on top and I'm in winter heaven!
As the pudding bakes, it separates, and the bottom remains a liquid lemony sauce while the top becomes fluffy and sponge-like. Just like MAGIC!
If you're after more delicious desserts this winter, give my Old Fashioned Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding, Butterscotch Pudding or Baileys Chocolate Pudding a try as well... indulging never tasted so good.
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
The wonderful thing about self-saucing puddings is that once cooked, the most delicious sauce sits at the bottom, while the top bakes into a soft sponge-like pudding.
- A one bowl wonder - no big wash up required - tick!
- Classic recipes - you know its a favourite when it's been around FOREVER! This is just like the lemon pudding your grandma used to make.
- Basic ingredients - the simple ingredients make this dessert a budget-friendly option.
- Can be baked as one large pudding, or individually - sometimes it looks a little bit more special to serve individual baked desserts, and this can easily be done with a self saucing pudding - and it reduces the baking time too.
- Winter favourite - I like to serve this pudding as a comforting winter pudding with cream and/or ice-cream.
- Conventional and Thermomix - you will find both methods in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
What You Need
This is a budget-friendly recipe using basic pantry and fridge ingredients:
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method!
- Caster sugar - also known as superfine sugar, caster sugar dissolves easily when creamed with butter.
- Butter - have this at room temperature to cream easily.
- Lemon zest and lemon juice - zest is the yellow outside portion of peel. It's often used with or without lemon juice to add a tangy lemon flavour to recipes. Use a fine grater for your zest.
- Eggs - I recommend using large 60g eggs, and have your eggs at room temperature for best results.
- Plain flour - also known as all purpose flour, it contains no raising agents.
- Full-cream milk - gives the best flavour in a comforting pudding such as this lemon delicious recipe.
- Icing sugar - to dust over the top (optional).
Equipment Required
Lemon delicious in the Thermomix is a breeze to make, but it really is just as easy with a beater or stand mixer.
- A hand-held beater, a stand-mixer or a Thermomix.
- A water bath (large oven tray) - the pudding dish is placed in a water bath to bake - see my Notes below.
- Oven - I specify fan-forced oven temperatures in my recipes, so if you have a conventional oven, increase the temperature by between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius.
Step By Step Instructions
This lemon delicious has all the bright citrusy flavours of lemon in a moist and fluffy pudding that I'm sure you'll enjoy...
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method!
Step 1 - Cream Butter And Sugar
Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius and grease a large ovenproof baking dish.
Zest your lemon, and separate the eggs yolks and white - set all aside.
Using hand-held beater, a stand-mixer or a Thermomix, cream the sugar, butter and lemon zest together until pale and creamy.
Step 2 - Add Egg Yolks
Add the egg yolks, one by one, beating each time.
Step 3 - Add The Lemon Juice, Flour & Milk
Add the lemon juice, flour and milk to the creamed mixture.
Gently mix until well combined.
Note: The mixture may look like it's curdled a little at this point due to the lemon juice - that is totally fine!
Step 4 - Beat Egg Whites
Place the egg whites in a clean bowl.
Beat the egg whites until firm peaks form.
Gently fold the beaten egg whites through the lemon mixture with a spoon until just combined.
Step 5 - Bake In A Water Bath
Gently pour the mixture into the prepared casserole or baking dish and place into a water bath in the oven to bake (see below for how to use a water bath).
Just prior to serving, dust this pudding lightly with icing sugar and serve immediately.
How To Cook A Pudding In A Water Bath
Cooking a pudding with a water bath simply involves placing your casserole/baking dish into a larger baking tray filled with boiling water to protect your delicate dessert or cheesecake while it's baking. The water should come halfway up the side of the baking dish. The entire baking tray is then carefully placed into the oven to cook.
Cooking a lemon pudding using a water bath can prevent the pudding top from cracking and allows it to form a delicious sponge-like layer, while the bottom remains a smooth and creamy liquid sauce.
FAQ's
If you prefer, you can divide the mixture between 6-8 small ramekins and cook them as individual desserts (you'll just need to decrease the cooking time and keep a close eye on them if you do this).
You 'can' reheat lemon pudding, however, the sauce will soak into the pudding while it's in the fridge and then even more so while it's being reheated, so you won't have as much sauce as when it's served directly from the oven. For best results, serve immediately from the oven when first baked.
Yes absolutely! My Thermomix recipe is included along with the conventional recipe in the printable recipe card below.
Cooking the pudding in a water bath means that the top will form a fluffy sponge layer, while the creamy lemon sauce will remain underneath. The water bath is essential for the layer of sauce to develop.
Expert Tips
- Baking - the pudding is cooked when the top feels sponge-like but wobbly (due to the sauce underneath). It's important not to overcook the pudding as it will reduce the amount of sauce.
- Serving - I like to dust the top of the pudding with sifted icing sugar, and then serve with cream and/or ice cream for a delicious treat. Lemon delicious pudding can also be served chilled for a summer dessert.
- Reheating - this self saucing pudding is best served immediately from the oven, however can be refrigerated and reheated. But please note, the sauce will soak into the pudding while it's in the fridge and whilst being reheated, so you won't have as much sauce as when it's served directly from the oven.
- Storing - Lemon Delicious Pudding can be refrigerated for 2-3days. It is not suitable for freezing.
More Winter Puddings
I say... bring on ALL the comforting winter puddings!!
If you're after some more yummy (family-approved!) recipes then check out a few more of my favourites:
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Lemon Delicious Self Saucing Pudding
Ingredients
- 220 g (1 cup) caster sugar
- 125 g butter room temperature
- grated zest of a lemon
- 4 eggs separated, room temperature
- 80 g (⅓ cup) lemon juice
- 75 g (½ cup) plain flour
- 310 g (1 ¼ cups) full cream milk
- icing sugar, cream or ice-cream, to serve
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease an ovenproof casserole/baking dish and set aside (minimum of 2 litre/8cup capacity).
- Beat the caster sugar, butter and grated lemon zest together until pale and creamy.
- Beat in the egg yolks one by one.
- Beat in the lemon juice, plain flour and full cream milk. Set aside.
- Beat the egg whites until firm peaks have formed. Gently mix through the lemon mixture with a spoon.
- Pour into the prepared casserole/baking dish. Place the dish into a large pan and fill halfway up the side with boiling water (to create a water bath around the baking dish).
- Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly golden and firm on the top and a sauce has formed underneath (it should be wobbly at the bottom).
- Dust with icing sugar and serve while warm with cream or ice-cream.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease an ovenproof casserole/baking dish and set aside (minimum of 2 litre/8cup capacity).
- Place the caster sugar, butter and grated lemon zest into the Thermomix bowl and mix for 10 seconds on Speed 5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat for a further 20 seconds or until pale and creamy.
- With the blades turning on Speed 3, add in the egg yolks one by one through the MC hole.
- Add the lemon juice, plain flour and full cream milk through the MC hole and continue mixing for 10 seconds or until combined. Set aside.
- In a completely clean and dry Thermomix bowl, insert the butterfly and beat the egg whites on Speed 3.5 until firm peaks have formed. Gently mix through the lemon mixture with a spoon.
- Pour into the prepared casserole/baking dish. Place the dish into a large pan and fill halfway up the side with boiling water (to create a water bath around the baking dish).
- Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly golden and firm on the top and a sauce has formed underneath (it should be wobbly at the bottom).
- Dust with icing sugar and serve while warm with cream or ice-cream.
Notes
- Individual/Mini Puddings - if you prefer, you can divide the mixture between 6-8 small ramekins and cook them as individual desserts (you'll just need to decrease the cooking time and keep an eye on them if you do this).
- Cooking in a water bath - cooking a pudding with a water bath simply involves placing your casserole/baking dish into a larger baking tray filled with boiling water to protect your delicate dessert or cheesecake while it's baking. The water should come halfway up the side of the baking dish. The entire baking tray is then carefully placed into the oven to cook. Using a water bath can prevent the pudding top from cracking and allows it to form a delicious sponge-like layer, while the bottom remains a smooth and creamy liquid sauce.
- How to test if cooked - the pudding is cooked when the top feels sponge-like but wobbly (due to the sauce underneath). It's important not to overcook the pudding as it will reduce the amount of sauce.
- Storing & Serving - Lemon Delicious Pudding is best served immediately out of the oven. You can keep it refrigerated for 2-3 days and reheat when needed (please note that the sauce will soak into the pudding while it’s in the fridge and being reheated, so you won’t have as much sauce as when it’s served directly from the oven). Lemon Delicious is not suitable to freeze.
Em says
Absolutely best-ever self saucing recipe i have ever tried, thank you, cannot wait to try self saucing chocolate pudding.
Shireen says
Hi,
Can I put this in the fridge before baking it in the day that I need it?
Lucy says
Hi there, you can prepare the mixture the day before, but it does need to be baked and then served immediately.
Carolyn Cross says
Made this regularly to feed 40 people every night.
Always a hit.
Made tonight for 8 people and used 3 passionfruit instead of the lemon juice.
Sensational
Lucy says
Ooh great idea!