Baked Lemon Pudding

Recipe from JR Ryall

Adapted by David Tanis

Updated March 11, 2026

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1 hour
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Rating
4(5,724)
Comments
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My repertoire of sweet lemon recipes is limited. But, as it happened, my friend the Irish pastry chef JR Ryall was in town with his new cookbook “Ballymaloe Desserts,” for which I wrote the foreword. It contains a recipe for a homey hot lemon pudding. It's not a soufflé, but it has a light, airy feel. And, as it bakes, it separates into distinct layers, custardy on the bottom and spongy on top. —David Tanis

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 1 tablespoon/15 grams unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons/225 grams granulated sugar

  • 3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated

  • 3 tablespoons/30 grams all-purpose flour

  • 2 large lemons, grated and juiced (about 2 tablespoons zest and 6 tablespoons juice)

  • 1 cup/250 milliliters whole milk

  • Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

  • Softly whipped cream, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

83 grams carbs; 108 milligrams cholesterol; 408 calories; 2 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 8 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 57 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein; 76 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees and set a rack in the middle of the oven.

  2. Step 2

    Place butter in a medium mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar as you mash the mixture with a wooden spoon until it looks like damp sand.

  3. Step 3

    Mix egg yolks into sugar mixture, then beat in the flour. Add lemon zest and juice, then whisk in the milk.

  4. Step 4

    In a separate clean large bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold whites by hand gently into batter.

  5. Step 5

    Pour mixture into a 5-cup ceramic or glass baking dish (or Pyrex pie plate). Bake in the middle of the oven for about 40 minutes, or until mixture is just set and top is golden brown. (Alternatively, bake in individual ramekins or custard cups for about 20 minutes.)

  6. Step 6

    Serve warm, dusted with confectioners’ sugar, with softly whipped cream alongside.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
5,724 user ratings
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Comments

Sue Eastman

There is also a Turkish Yogurt Cake, made with 2 cups of Greek yogurt, juice and zest of 1 lemon, 3 tablespoons of flour, 4 separated eggs, egg whites whipped to soft peaks, no butter, and a half cup of sugar. Bake in a grease pan, 40 minutes. Just delicious.

Hearty Eater

Yes, this is very similar to the Joy of Cooking recipe, which is one of my all-time favorite desserts. I only make gluten free desserts and this turns out very well with either almond flour or a gluten-free flour. The recipe is also forgiving as to lemon-sugar ratios. I usually cut down on sugar in all my baking, by at least a third, so I often use Meyers lemons when they are in season, as they are less acidic. Whipped cream unnecessary, as the pudding has its own sauce.

Jim

This is very similar to The Joy of Cooking lemon sponge custard, one of my favorite all time desserts. I think you’d get a better separation of the pudding and cake if this was cooked in a water bath.

Elise

I made this yesterday for a picnic. It was room temp and delicious. I didn’t add whipped cream or powdered sugar (forgot them) but we all agreed it wasn’t necessary. Also we thought it would be delicious cold.

Winifred Williams

My rule of thumb of equal measure of lemon juice and sugar is recommended for this recipe

Lily D

Each serving has 76 grams or 18 teaspoons of sugar. Is the nutritional information correct?

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Credits

Adapted from "Ballymaloe Desserts," by JR Ryall (Phaidon, 2022)

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