Mini Lemon Cakes (Printable version)
Moist, tender mini cakes infused with fresh lemon zest and juice, topped with sweet glaze.
# 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
# Directions:
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 the 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 three-quarters full.
07 - Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Let cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to achieve a thick but pourable consistency. Drizzle glaze over completely cooled cakes.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The texture is impossibly light like eating a lemon scented cloud
- Individual portions mean everyone gets their own perfect little cake
- The glaze soaks into the warm tops creating this sweet tangy crust that makes people stop talking after the first bite
02 -
- Overmixing once the flour is added makes these tough and dense
- Glazing warm cakes turns into a sticky mess instead of that pretty drip effect
03 -
- Microplane zests more finely than a box grater distributing flavor evenly
- Room temperature ingredients incorporate better creating a uniform crumb