Mini Lemon Cakes (Print)
Delicate, moist mini cakes bursting with fresh lemon flavor, perfect for teatime or special occasions.
# Ingredient list:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 tsp baking powder
03 - 1/4 tsp baking soda
04 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
09 - Zest of 2 lemons
10 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
11 - 1/3 cup whole milk
→ Glaze
12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup mini bundt pan or muffin tin thoroughly to prevent sticking.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract and lemon zest.
05 - Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients, starting and ending with flour. Mix in lemon juice until just combined; do not overmix.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
07 - Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to form a thick but pourable glaze. Drizzle over cooled cakes.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- They're impossibly moist with that tender crumb that makes people ask what's the secret ingredient
- The fresh lemon flavor is somehow both bright and cozy, perfect any time of year
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients really do matter here, especially the butter and eggs, or the batter can curdle and affect the final texture
- Overmixing once you add the flour will make these tough, so stop as soon as you don't see dry streaks anymore
03 -
- Roll the lemons on the counter before juicing to break down the membranes and get more juice
- Use fresh squeezed juice only because bottled lemon juice lacks that bright complexity