Lemon Pudding Cake

Lemon Pudding Cake

A moist lemon cake sits atop a delicate custard in this recipe, adapted from Ian Knauer’s book “The Farm.” The magic is in the cooking: Setting a 8-inch baking dish in a roasting pan filled halfway with water allows the custard to form while the top bakes. It’s an excellent party dish, warm and just out of the oven. But it’s equally as good out of the fridge, its flavors melded and mellowed. —Julia Moskin

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

4 large eggs, separated

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

⅓ cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1 cup sugar

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1½ cups whole milk

Place a large roasting pan on a rack in the center of the oven. Fill the pan halfway with water. With the pan inside, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square or round baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and butter. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, flour and salt. Whisk half the flour mixture into the egg yolks, then half the milk. Whisk in remaining flour mixture, then remaining milk.

Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gently fold them into the batter.

Pour batter into the buttered dish. Place the dish in the pan of water in the oven. Bake until the cake is set, about 45 minutes.

TIP: I've been making this since the 1960s. I think the recipe came from Fannie Farmer. I use almost twice as much zest and extra lemon juice, less sugar (3/4 cup) and plain yogurt thinned with water instead of milk. It has a slightly cheese cake-y or maybe cheese danish taste which I like very much.

Next time you bake this recipe place the pan containing the batter for the pudding cake in the water bath pan first and then fill the water bath pan with hot water from the tea kettle. Then place in the oven.

I've made a similar recipe for years, using buttermilk, but I fold in a cup of fresh raspberries to the mixture before pouring it into the baking dish. I then serve more fresh raspberries on the side. You could use any kind of berries, or even a mix. In addition to adding flavor, and a bit of texture, the pop of color from the berries is great.

And when baking, the deeper the water, the more custard, and the shallower the water, the more cake. Adjust to your preference!