Lemon pudding also known as lemon pudding cake or steamed lemon pudding is a light sponge cake batter flavoured with lemon zest is steamed and soaked in a lemon sauce. This popular British dessert is also known as lemon delicious. Learn how to make lemon pudding cake with step by step pictures.

Lemon Pudding Cake
Pudding cake with step by step pictures. Delicious lemon flavoured pudding which is steamed and served with a lemon sauce. The sponge is very light and is soaked in lemon sauce.
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This is one of the classic pudding recipe from Britain. If you know me, you know that I enjoy baking cakes but not a huge fan of eating it. But this one is totally different, Even I had 2 slices of it. This pudding is just so moist and decadent, you have to try it.
About Lemon Pudding Cake
Pudding cakes are popular desserts from Britain. It is usually steamed in a heat safe pudding bowl for many hours and served with dessert sauces. I have made so many version of puddings on this blog and this one is a classic.
If you don't prefer too sweet puddings, then this is for you. It has a sharp lemon taste to it which balance perfectly with the sweetness. The batter is a regular sponge batter flavoured with lemon zest. The pudding is steamed and served with a tangy lemon sauce.
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What I love about this lemon pudding cake?
My love for steamed cakes is endless. I have created so many flavours of steamed puddings over the year and this one is a total hit at home. This recipe is so great!
- Steamed pudding is great for people who don't own an oven or don't have access to it.
- Requires easy to access and budget friendly ingredients.
- The batter is fast to make and cane be put together easily.
- Steamed lemon cake is so moist and stays moist longer.
- Can be made in advance. You can reheat or re-steam it at any point to serve warm.
- Great for parties, because a slice goes a long way.
Lemon Pudding Cake Ingredients

Plain Flour - some recipes uses almond flour, but this particular recipe used plain flour. You can use whole wheat flour for healthy alternative.
Eggs - eggs is used to set the pudding and make it soft and fluffy.
Sugar - totally to your taste, since this has lemon added a little extra sugar is used.
Lemon & Lemon Zest - adds a lemony aroma and flavour. Lemon zest has more lemon flavour than juice.
Butter - butter in pudding makes it moist and buttery even when it is steamed for a long hours.

Steaming a Pudding (Authentic)
Preparing Pudding Bowl - Take a heat safe glass bowl or pudding bowl. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper and grease it well with oil or butter. Set aside.
How to Steam - Pour pudding batter in the bowl. Take a parchment paper and grease it with oil or butter. Place it over the pudding bowl and place a sheet of foil over it and press it well. Now seal with an elastic band.
Cooking - Now take a large pot, fill with water ½ way, place a plate in the bottom. Place the bowl on top and cover with a lid. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 1 hour and 30 mins.

How to Make Lemon Pudding Cake (Stepwise Pictures)
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first lets prepare the pudding bowl, take a heat safe bowl and line it with a circle of parchment paper in the bottom |
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add self rising flour..Recipe here or you can check the notes for alternatives |
Expert Tips
- If you don't have self rising flour, you can add 2 ½ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt when making batter.
- Orange zest and orange juice can be used instead of lemon.
- You can use any heat safe bowl or ramekins to steam this pudding.
- Whole wheat flour can be used instead of plain flour.
FAQ
How to Make Self Rising Flour at Home
This recipe uses self rising flour which is nothing but flour which has leaving agent added . If you don't have self rising flour, it is easy to make. Mix all these ingredients together to make self rising flour. or check this recipe.
- 1 - ½ cup Plain flour
- 2 - ½ tsp Baking powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
More Steamed Cake Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe Card
Steamed Lemon Pudding Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 500 ml heat safe glass bowl or pudding bowls
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- Steamer Pot
- Parchment paper & Aluminium foil
- Kitchen string
Ingredients
For Pudding
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter 115 grams
- ½ cup Sugar 100 grams
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 tsp Lemon Zest
- 3 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 cup Self Rising Flour 120 grams (check notes for alternatives)
- ⅛ tsp Salt a pinch
For Lemon Sauce
- 6 tbsp Lemon Juice
- ½ cup Water
- 4 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Cornstarch
Instructions
- Take a heat safe glass bowl or pudding bowl. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper and grease it well with oil or butter. Set aside.
- Beat butter, sugar and beat till creamy. Now add in salt and mix well. Now add in lemon zest, eggs and mix well. Add in self rising flour and mix well. Add in lemon juice and fold gently. Batter is ready. Spoon this in prepared pan.
- Take a parchment paper and grease it with oil or butter. Place it over the pudding bowl and place a sheet of foil over it and press it well. Now seal with an elastic band.
- Now take a large pot, fill with water ½ way, place a plate in the bottom. Place the bowl on top and cover with a lid. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 1 hour and 30 mins. Now insert a toothpick to check whether the pudding is done. Now remove it from pot and cool for 5 mins. Now run a knife around the edges and invert on serving platter.
- Now make sauce, take sugar, lemon juice, water in a sauce pan and boil it for 5 mins. Now add in cornstarch mixed with water into it and mix well.
- Spoon this sauce over the pudding and serve.
Notes
How to Make Self Rising Flour at Home
If you don't have self rising flour, it is easy to make. Mix all these ingredients together to make self rising flour. or check this recipe.- 1 - ½ cup Plain flour
- 2 - ½ tsp Baking powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
Expert Tips
- If you don't have self rising flour, you can add 2 ½ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt when making batter.
- Orange zest and orange juice can be used instead of lemon.
- You can use any heat safe bowl or ramekins to steam this pudding.
- Whole wheat flour can be used instead of plain flour.
Nutrition
If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.
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saba
can v use bread instead of self rising flour and any other alternate for unsalted butter
Anju Mathew
In the method you have said to add golden syrup in the bowl but this is not there in ingredients.
Anju
Monica
Hi Aarthi,
Tried this recipe today! Loved the cake.
Never had any lemon flavour pastries before.
Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe 🙂
-Monica