This Single Serve Lemon Cake recipe is super moist, bursting with lemon flavor, and is the perfect size for just one or two people. The cake batter mixes up by hand in one bowl and the cake bakes in a ramekin or other small dish. Top it with the lemon cream cheese frosting for a recipe perfect for your lemon dessert craving.
For other single serve dessert recipes, try this Instagram Viral Single Serve Chocolate Chip Cookie, or Single Serve Brownie.
⭐Why I Love It:
- Super Small Batch Cake Recipe - I love that this single serve cake recipe makes just one very small lemon cake with lemon frosting so I can satisfy my sweet craving without having to make an entire large cake and have lots of leftovers. Other favorite single serve cake recipes worth checking out is this Single Serve White Cake, Single Serve Chocolate Cake, and Single Serve Coconut Cake!
- No Mixer Needed - Because it's such a small amount of batter and frosting, you can easily mix it all up by hand instead of needing to use an electric or stand mixer.
- Moist and Zesty - The cake texture is super fluffy, moist, and loaded with lemon flavor thanks to the lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon extract! Other favorite Single Serve Lemon Recipes worth trying is this Single Serve Lemon Pound Cake and Single Serve Lemon Cookie.
🥘Ingredients
- Softened, Room Temperature Butter - I used unsalted, but if you use salted butter, just reduce the amount of salt by half. When measuring the butter, I prefer to cut from the middle of the stick since the tablespoon markers at the ends of the stick can be off. For a small recipe, it's extra important to be accurate with measurements.
- Oil - You'll want to use a neutral oil like canola oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil. I like to use the blend of both oil and butter in this recipe because oil helps keep the cake moist while butter adds flavor.
- White Granulated Sugar
- Egg White - Using only the egg white makes the cake nice and fluffy. Try using the extra egg yolk to make this Single Serve Lemon Bar or Single Serve Sugar Cookie.
- Milk - I used whole milk for the best flavor! But you can use another milk.
- Lemon Extract - For extra lemon flavor! If you don't have lemon extract, you can swap in vanilla extract but the lemon flavor in the cake will be less strong.
- Lemon Juice and Zest - We add both to the cake batter for more fresh lemon flavor. I like to set aside extra lemon zest to sprinkle on top of the frosting.
- All-Purpose Flour - When measuring flour, make sure to use the 'spoon and level' method. This is where you spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level off the top. Instead of dipping the measuring cup directly into the flour bin which can lead to over measuring.
- Baking Powder - This is the leavener to help the cake rise.
- Kosher Salt - I like the Diamond Kosher Salt. A small amount of salt is so important to balance the sweetness in cookies. If you use table salt, then I would cut the amount by half.
- For the Cream Cheese Frosting - Softened Butter, Softened Cream Cheese, Lemon or Vanilla Extract, and Powdered Sugar. If you want to make a regular frosting, check out this recipe used in the Single Serve Vanilla Cupcake.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🔪Single Serve Lemon Cake - Step by Step
This recipe for a Single Serve Lemon Cake is easy to mix up with no mixer and don't forget about the easy lemon cream cheese frosting for on top.
Photo 1 - In a medium bowl, use a rubber spatula to mix together the softened butter, sugar, and lemon zest until mostly combined. Add the oil and mix together until well combined and creamed. Add the egg white and lemon extract - use a fork to mix together so it gets slightly fluffy and lighter in color.
Photo 2 - Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold and mix together.
Photo 3 - Add the milk and lemon juice and mix together with a rubber spatula until combined and lump-free.
Photo 4 - Pour the batter into the greased ramekin.
Photo 5 - Bake in the preheated oven. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean or with a few most crumbs & if you gently touch the top of the cake then it slightly bounces back.
Photo 6 - When cooled and ready to frost - mix up the frosting. In a medium bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese, butter, and lemon extract with a rubber spatula until smooth and combined. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar until ideal thickness is achieved.
💭Recipe Tips
- Ramekin Size - I used one large ramekin (10 ounces to the top rim and ~4.25 inches wide) but you can use a bigger ramekin or smaller ramekins and just adjust the bake time. You can even bake it into a couple of cupcakes!
- Don't Over Bake - The key to a moist cake is to not over bake it! Cake is done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs and if you poke the top then it slowly bounces back.
- Softened Butter and Cream Cheese - It's important to use softened butter and cream cheese for the frosting so it can be easily mixed into the other ingredients. If your ingredients are too cold, they won't incorporate well.
- Use 'Spoon and Level' Method When Measuring Flour - When measuring flour, make sure to use the 'spoon and level' method. This is where you spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level off the top. Instead of dipping the measuring cup directly into the flour bin which can lead to over measuring.
👩🍳Recipe FAQs
Using only an egg white in a cake gives it a fluffy and tender texture. It also helps keep the cake recipe super small. For recipes to use up the leftover egg yolk check out these Single Serve Egg Yolk Recipes. Like this Single Serve Peanut Butter Cookie or Single Serve Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie.
The spoon and level method is best for measuring flour because it reduces the risk of over measuring. Start by fluffing up the flour int the container then use a spoon to spoon it into the measuring cup and use a knife to level off the top. This is much more accurate than scooping the flour directly from the container with the measuring cup.
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PrintRecipe
Single Serve Lemon Cake (Small Batch)
This Single Serve Lemon Cake recipe is super moist, bursting with lemon flavor, and is the perfect size for just one or two people. The cake batter mixes up by hand in one bowl and the cake bakes in a ramekin or other small dish. Top it with the lemon cream cheese frosting for a recipe perfect for your lemon dessert craving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 1-2 servings
- Category: Dessert, Single Serve, Cake
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
- 1 egg white
- ¼ teaspoon lemon extract, can sub vanilla, but will be less ‘lemony’
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled.
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons milk, whole milk preferred, but a lower fat works too.
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
Lemon Cream Cheese frosting
- 1 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 tablespoon salted butter, softened to room temp. Or unsalted butter + pinch of salt
- ⅛ teaspoon lemon extract. Can sub vanilla
- ~½ cup powdered sugar, adjust to preferred consistency.
Instructions
1. Prep - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a large ramekin (10 ounces to rim, ~4.25 inches wide) with butter. I like to add a circle of parchment paper to bottom as well.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar - In a medium bowl, use a rubber spatula to mix together the softened butter, sugar, and lemon zest until mostly combined. Add the oil and mix together until well combined and creamed.
3. Egg and Extract - Add the egg white and lemon extract - use a fork to mix together so it gets slightly fluffy and lighter in color.
4. Add Dry Ingredients - Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold and mix together. Add the milk and lemon juice and mix together with a rubber spatula until combined and lump-free.
5. Bake - Pour the batter into the greased ramekin. Bake in the preheated oven for 26-32 minutes (mine takes about 28-29 mins.). The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean or with a few most crumbs & if you gently touch the top of the cake then it slightly bounces back.
6. Frosting - Allow cake to cool. When cooled and ready to frost - mix up the frosting. In a medium bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese, butter, and lemon extract with a rubber spatula until smooth and combined. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar until ideal thickness is achieved.
7. Enjoy - Frost the cooled cake and enjoy!
Notes
Ramekin Size - I used one large ramekin (10 ounces to the rim and ~4.25 inches wide) but you can use a bigger ramekin or smaller ramekins and just adjust the bake time. You can even bake it into a couple of cupcakes!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ Cake with Frosting
- Calories: 493
- Sugar: 49.8 g
- Sodium: 204.7 mg
- Fat: 23.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 67.3 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 5.5 g
- Cholesterol: 45.2 mg
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