Mini Lemon Cakes (Printable Version)

Delicate lemon-infused mini cakes with sweet glaze, perfect for elegant gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 teaspoon 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 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup mini bundt pan or muffin tin thoroughly.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar 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 the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix in lemon juice until just combined. Take care not to overmix.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
07 - Let cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to achieve a thick but pourable consistency. Drizzle glaze over cooled cakes.

# Chef's Tips:

01 -
  • Theyre impossibly moist with a tender crumb that melts in your mouth
  • The glaze transforms them into something elegant enough for bridal showers but casual enough for Tuesday mornings
  • Lemon zest and juice together create layers of flavor instead of just one-note brightness
02 -
  • Overmixing after adding flour makes tough dense cakes so stop as soon as you see no dry flour
  • Room temperature ingredients blend together seamlessly while cold ones can curdle or separate
  • The glaze needs to be thick enough to stay put but thin enough to drizzle beautifully
03 -
  • Use an ice cream scoop to fill the muffin cups evenly without making a mess
  • Test for doneness at 16 minutes because overbaking dries out these delicate little cakes

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