Mini Lemon Cakes (Printer-friendly)

Delicate individual cakes with bright lemon flavor and sweet glaze, ideal for afternoon tea or dessert.

# What You’ll Need:

→ 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

# How-To Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup mini bundt pan or muffin tin thoroughly.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until well blended.
03 - Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl 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 until incorporated.
05 - Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add lemon juice and mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
07 - Bake for 16–18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to achieve a thick but pourable consistency. Drizzle over cooled cakes.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of fresh lemon juice and zest creates this bright, zesty flavor that wakes up your whole palate
  • These individual cakes feel fancy enough for showers and brunches but are surprisingly forgiving to make
  • The glaze sets beautifully so you can stack them for serving without worrying about smudges
02 -
  • Overmixing once the flour is added makes tough cakes, so stop as soon as you see no dry streaks
  • Room temperature ingredients emulsify better, so take everything out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before starting
  • The glaze thickens as it sits, so if it gets too stiff, add another teaspoon of lemon juice
03 -
  • When measuring flour, fluff it with a spoon then level it off instead of dipping directly into the bag
  • If your bundt pan has detailed designs, use a pastry brush to get butter into every crevice

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