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An intensely flavoured lemon pudding that magically separates into two delicious layers – one cake, one sauce. Make it with only 5 main ingredients – no eggs needed!
It’s not uncommon here in Australia to see bags of lemons sitting on driveways with a sign in front: ‘Free lemons’.
Nice!
Another fabulous lemon dessert!
But if you’re going to take those lemons, you really need to think of something to make with them. And relatively fast before they turn into green powder in your fruit bowl.
You might have seen something like this magic lemon pudding called self-saucing lemon pudding, or even lemon delicious pudding. You mix together:
- flour
- sugar
- lemon zest
- milk
- and butter
then you pour over lemon juice, sugar and water and bake. While in the oven, the dish ‘magically’ separates into a cake layer and a lemon sauce layer.
Add ice cream and eat. Hopefully you’ve fooled guests into thinking you’ve slaved away over this magic lemon pudding, when really it only took you 5 minutes to throw together. Massive win.
In the past, I haven’t had much success making anything that has ‘magic’ in its name. A chocolate self-saucing pudding ended up with hardly any sauce and a magic apple cake tasted divine but didn’t have the 3 clearly defined magic layers it was supposed to.
And to be totally honest, this recipe tends to divide a room. We have made it several times and love it, but it does receive mixed reviews.
The key to success is to leave the lemon pudding to cool slightly for ten to fifteen minutes after it comes out of the oven. The sauce might look a bit runny at first but if you let it stand it thickens up nicely.
But then eat it immediately. We found this tasted really nice re-heated the next day but some of the sauce had sunken into the cake.
I hope you enjoy this. It perhaps won’t ever win any beauty contests, but we think it’s a delicious ‘got-to-have-dessert-right-now’ recipe!
This is the kind of baking dish I used for this pudding:
Update: The original magic lemon pudding recipe I adapted had very mixed reviews, and so does this one! If you give this a go and like it, would you consider popping back and leaving a review? Thank you!
More really easy desserts
5-minute chocolate banana ice cream (healthy nice cream!)
6-ingredient gooey Swedish chocolate cake (you’ve got to try this!)
Addictive peanut butter Cheerio bars
No bowl chocolate pecan bars (magic bars!)
5-minute chocolate pots (only 4 ingredients!)
Easy lemon magic pudding (5 ingredients)
Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click button below for grams & ml)
for the cake batter
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- 0.5 cup sugar
- 1 lemon zest only (use the juice in the sauce)
- 0.5 cup milk warmed
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted and mixed in with the warm milk)
for the sauce
- 0.25 cup sugar
- 1 cup water boiling
- 0.5 cup lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons)
to serve (optional)
- icing / confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling
- vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 355F / 180C and grease a medium sized high-sided baking dish with butter.
- Mix together the flour, sugar and lemon zest in a medium bowl.
- Pour the milk / butter mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
- Empty the batter into the baking dish.
- Mix the sauce ingredients together, then carefully pour over the batter in the baking dish. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the sauce starting to bubble around the sides.
- Take out of the oven, then leave for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly before serving.
- Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve immediately with vanilla ice cream (if you like).
Karin Bringezu says
Can’t believe so many people had disasters – if there’s a disaster to be had then I’m your girl! But no disaster here! I cooked it about 45 mins because it refused to brown for reasons known only to itself but it tasted delicious 🙂 Plus it was so easy to make – even for disastrous me! I managed to whip it together while simultaneously cooking lemon chicken, lemon & garlic pak choy (sensing a theme here?!) plus pasta – usually attempting to do more than one thing at a time spells doom for all of them but not this time 🙂 Plenty of sauce, nice fluffy pudding – YAY!
Will definitely be making this again & again (til I run out of lemons!) Thank you!
Helen says
Hi Karin! Thank you so much for your beautiful review! Its’ so great to know that even someone who’s prone to disasters didn’t have a disaster with this! Also, the description of the rest of your meal made me drool. We have a glut of lemons at the moment too – I must follow your lead and make a lovely lemony meal like this! 😉
Caro says
ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh this is a lemon lovers dream! Tangy, warm, soft, not too sweet, I loved loved loved it, Ive this week become a sexagenarian- yes and people think aging is boring! I celebrated by making this to have with friends. I put blueberries in the batter, just cos lemon and blueberry work better than most marriages I know. SO YUM Thank you for this awesome recipe,
Helen says
Hi Caro! Sooo glad you enjoyed it! I LOVE your idea of adding blueberries and am going to try it next time. Thank you!
Rebecca says
Can’t wait to try this! Loads of lemons that will only end up turning into “green powder ” in fruit bowl, lol 😂 I am mostly dairy free however (can manage a little butter) will this work with coconut milk? Guessing canned variety will be too heavy and too intensely flavoured but refrigerated variety could work?? Or perhaps almond milk?
Helen says
Hi Rebecca! I think this recipe will work just fine with non dairy milk! I often sub dairy for non dairy myself these days and never have problems. Do let me know how you get on! Good luck!
Linda says
It’s amazingly good and so easy to make!! It browned nicely and sauce thickened up very nicely. The pudding itself was nice and surprisingly spongy. Will definitely make this again and it’s absolutely not ugly. Thank you for the recipe!!
Helen says
So good to hear this, Linda! THANK YOU for letting me know you enjoyed it. Let’s say it’s ‘rustic’ and not ugly… lol!
Amanda Mandzij says
This was amazing! A deliciously tangy desert. Such a quick easy recipe too. My husband & I reeeally enjoyed it. Thanks Helen!!
Helen says
So glad this was such a hit, Amanda! Thank you so much for leaving a review! You’re making me crave it for breakfast now… 😉
Gail says
I was dubious before I put this dessert into the oven. It didn’t work for me. The bottom of it was a strange looking pale and thin liquid, while the top browned up nicely after I left it in for longer than the required time. I had doubled everything in the recipe as I had people staying, but that shouldn’t make things any different.
I left it for the sauce to thicken, but wanted to serve it warm. The sauce still hadn’t thickened at that time, and the texture of the cake was strange. I’ll use eggs and a more traditional recipe next time. But was worth a try!
Helen says
Disappointed to hear this, Gail, but thanks for leaving your honest feedback. Unfortunately this recipe isn’t everyone’s cup of tea!
Rebecca Lingerfelt says
Guuuurl! This came out so dang good.. I used Splenda and added a little cornstarch slurry to the sauce. It is so refreshing on a winter’s day here in North Carolina. Hubby wants a full on Keto version but did agree this is worth the carbs. It’s great warm and cooled.
And it’s not ugly at all.😉
Helen says
Thank you SO much for the feedback, Rebecca! It’s so valuable, especially as this recipe gets such mixed reviews. Interesting that you added cornstarch! So glad you enjoyed it! I’m thinking of posting a chocolate version of this. Interested?
Sue says
Wonderful wonderful! Dinner in the slow cooker and then when my husband went to pick up our friends from the station quickly whipped this up ready to put in the oven when they arrived. It was so so good! I too was a bit sceptical about whether it would work without an egg but it rose and was light and fluffy with delicious lemon sauce underneath. Thank you
Helen says
Hi Sue! So wonderful to hear that this worked out well for you. I remember being a bit skeptical about the lack of egg too, but it’s amazing what you can make without eggs, oil, butter etc.! I’m thinking of coming up with a chocolaty version of this too… mmmm!
Jennifer says
For years, I’ve been looking for a lemon equivalent to my family’s “hot fudge pudding cake.” I occasionally make the version with eggs (mentioned by others) but don’t like the consistency of the cake. Beating egg whites is too much work when you don’t even like the result! So, I was excited to see your recipe. And, it’s perfect! Exactly what I was looking for. I didn’t have any of the issues that other people have posted. For some, I wonder if they accidentally used plain, and not self-rising, flour? Anyway, mine came out of the oven about an hour ago, and I”ve already eaten a quarter of it.
Helen says
Hi Jennifer! Oooh, you’ve made my day!! Thank you so much for leaving your positive feedback. This is indeed a recipe that some like, others not so much, but your tips are really helpful. I’ll add a note in the recipe about the flour – that could be an issue some are having.
Hope you managed not to eat the whole pudding all by yourself!!!
Interesting you mention a hot fudge pudding version. Oooh, I will have to try that!
Kate says
I’m another disappointed cook i’m afraid! I followed the recipe carefully but ended up with a half-set cake mix in a sea of lemony liquid. Let it cook for about 10 mins more and it was going dark on top but still not properly baked and not much distinction between the cake and the sauce. It was lovely and lemony but a bit of a visual embarrassment to serve and the cake texture was not really like cake at all… might try again with some of the adjustments people have suggested.
Helen says
Aww… shame! Sorry about that, Kate! I’ve never had this fail on me, so I don’t really have too many suggestions. I know some people have left their thoughts above though so might be worth reading through. I suppose you left it to sit for a while before eating? I’m impressed that you’re willing to give it another go! By the way it’s never going to be the best looking dessert on the block.
I’m thinking I should give this a go again soon and see how it turns out for me with a new oven. This is one of my older recipes and still always gets very mixed reviews.
Good luck!
Hannah says
Thank you so much for this! Absolutely wonderful recipe! Soo easy, Soo delicious! Needs cream, or vanilla ice-cream. It’s in the oven as we speak, for the 5th time since discovering it, 1 month ago.
Thank you!!!!
Helen says
Hi Hannah! Yay, you like it! People seem to either love or hate this recipe, so I’m pleased there’s another name added to the ‘love’ list! Do you like chocolate desserts, too? If so, try my 6-ingredient gooey Swedish chocolate cake. Just as easy to make, and always a crowd pleaser!
Henk says
Did not work for me. Had way to much liquid at the top, it never browned.
The lemon water sauce on top was way to tart for our taste, couldn’t eat more than a spoonful each unfortunately.
The texture was a lot like rubber and stuck to the roof of our mouths.
Won’t be making it again. Sorry.
Helen says
Hi Henk! So sorry it didn’t work out for you. I really can’t figure out why this works for some and not for others. I do find if you leave it standing to cool slightly the sauce thickens and sinks quite a bit, but it sounds like this recipe isn’t for you anyway and you won’t be trying it again. Mostly I think it’s down to personal preference. Thanks for leaving your honest review anyway!
Naomi says
We just tried this for Sunday lunch here in a very chilly Uk – it worked perfectly and went down a treat with everyone! Thank you 😁
Helen says
Hi, Dear Naomi! Thank you so much for reporting back! I’m so glad this went down OK (phew!). It’s a bit of a hotly contested recipe. Some like it, some don’t. So glad you’re one of the ones who did! xx
Malorie says
This doesn’t need eggs, but for me it did not turn into pudding—the super tart lemony water just ended up beneath the cake, and the portion of the cake that touched the water ended up kind of custard-like, which was yummy. I was very skeptical at “sauce” being formed from water, lemon juice, and sugar. Also, I loooove lemon, but the juice is way too tart. My cheeks are literally puckering. So hopefully this helps someone looking to make it. Temper your expectations.
Helen says
Hi Malorie, I really appreciate your honest and thorough feedback. This recipe really does divide a room, but I’m glad you enjoyed the ‘custardy’ part of the cake. I don’t remember that. My pudding usually ends up very distinctly thick(ish) sauce (as long as you give it some time to cool and thicken slightly) with cake on top.
Juanita Apostolis says
Loved this! So easy and so yummy. We made it two days in a row!
Juanita Apostolis says
So easy and so delicious – we made it two days in a row!
Helen says
Oh so happy to hear this, Juanita! Thank you so much for sharing your review!
Alex says
I just made this, and was a little worried when I saw the ratio of batter to liquid after having seen the negative reviews. But it didn’t take long for the batter to rise and the sauce to start bubbling, I wonder whether having the oven good and hot (I preheated to 220C) and a tin rather than ceramic dish might be the hit vs. miss factor?
SO…
It turned out perfectly, the sauce was so think and gooey.
And it was a definite hit with the family,so I’ll be saving it for future use!
Next time I’ll sprinkle coconut on top too.
Helen says
Thank you so much for leaving your review, Alex – I so appreciate it! This is probably my most ‘controversial’ if you like post, but I think the balance is starting to tip towards the happy people 🙂 So glad it turned out well for you and you’ll consider making it again. You could be right about the heat! I used just a ceramic dish, but good to know it works out well in a tin too! 🙂
Leah Murray says
This recipe worked for me. My neighbour gave me lots of huge lemons(1 lemon yields on average 200ml of lemon juice). I had so many lemons to get rid of so I googled lemon recipes and this was the easiest. I cooked it this morning and have already eaten a quarter..without ice cream it’s still lovely and soft and lemony.
Helen says
This is the reason I made this recipe too, Leah – I got tons of lemons from a neighbour and needed to find something to do with them! So glad it worked well for you! I must make this again some time soon!
Elsa says
Very easy to make and was delicious both warm and cold after being left overnight in fridge. I let the liquid ingredients boil with the sugar for a couple of minutes before pouring over batter. Will definitely make again and possibly double the batter next time.
Helen says
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your review, Elsa, and for the top rating. I will have to try making a double batch next time too!
Karla says
It came out great!! So easy and quick. Perfect with a scoop of icecream
Helen says
Great to hear this, Karla. Thanks so much for making the effort to leave your review!
Dan Wait says
Hello!
We were looking for a quick pudding recipe and found yours, so gave it a whirl.
Have to say we loved it – really beautiful, and we ate it straight away (no waiting 15 mins for us).
Thank you
Dan Wait (UK)
Helen says
Hi Dan, thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review and rating. I’m very pleased that you enjoyed this as much as we do, and it’s interesting that you didn’t bother waiting for 15 minutes for the sauce to thicken. Maybe I’ll try gobbling it up straight away next time too!
Peter Milner says
Yes, very easy. Worked a treat. Very nice. Magic.
Helen says
Hi, Peter. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your feedback and a rating. Really appreciate it – and glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Louise says
This worked perfectly for us, even without eggs. It’s really quick and easy and tastes really lemony. Delicious, even the next day. It is important to let it stand a bit though before you eat it.
Ree says
Same I tried to make this using this recipe and it was a disaster too, liquid stayed on top and batter was heavy and a horrid consistency, found another with eggs which worked perfectly, this DOES NEED EGGS!
Helen says
Hi Ree, sorry to hear this! Of all the recipes on my site, this is the one that seems to divide a room. The reviews on the original recipe I worked from are also very mixed. It’s always worked perfectly for us if I leave it to ‘settle’ for 15 minutes before serving. It’s not the prettiest of desserts but it isn’t supposed to be – it’s a quick ‘got to have dessert now’ recipe.
Glad you found something else that you liked better!
CA Cook says
I tried to make this and it was a disaster. The liquid stood on top of the cake and after 45 minutes there were still several inches of liquid. It didn’t taste lemony at all. The texture of the cake was really weird.
I looked up other recipes for this kind of pudding and they call for eggs. Maybe this needs eggs.
Helen says
Oh no! What a shame. The recipe definitely doesn’t include eggs, so that’s not the problem. I’m really sorry but I don’t know what could have happened. I’ve made this a few times with this same recipe and it’s always turned out well. 🙁
Anja Skrba says
oh lemon desserts are the best!
Helen says
Glad you think so, Anja! 🙂
Diana Lopes says
Can’t wait to make this on my own! I love cakes, puddings, and whatever other desserts made with lemon!
Helen says
I hope you do give it a try, Diana! 🙂
Liz says
You moved!!! So nice to connect again as I haven’t popped by in so long. Bill loves lemon his mom made a dessert like this yummy magic lemon pudding. I’ll have to treat him soon—now if I could just get someone to drop off a bag of lemons 😉
Helen says
Hi Liz – so lovely to hear from you! I must pop in on you too! Yes, we moved – again. One day we will settle!
marcie says
Having a lot of lemons is a good problem to have! I love citrus desserts and this pudding certainly does look magical! I can taste that lemon flavor just looking at it. 🙂
Helen says
It certainly is a good problem, Marcie! My favourite flavour (after chocolate!)
Marissa says
I love lemony desserts so this has me swooning! Lucky you with all of those lemons!
Helen says
I know – so lucky, hey? Australia is great for fresh and even home grown produce!
mira says
I have some lemons and can’t wait to try this! So easy and looks perfect!
Helen says
Oh please do try it, Mira! 🙂
Janette | Culinary Ginger says
I do love a good lemony dessert and these pictures have my mouth watering and I can’t think of a better use of home-grown lemons
Helen says
I know – trust me to pick a dessert!
Susan says
I will try this as soon as I get some lemons. I make a chocolate self saucing which works. The worst part is waiting for the pud to cool.
Helen says
Agreed! I just ‘might’ have sneaked a little taste before it had cooled down enough. 😉
ann says
Done deal!!
Helen says
🙂 Glad you like it!