Description
These mini lemon drop cakes combine zesty citrus notes with delicate sweetness for a perfect dessert. Home bakers can craft these delightful treats using simple ingredients and quick techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk (or milk + 1 tsp lemon juice)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp milk (adjust for consistency)
- ½ tsp lemon zest (for glaze)
Instructions
- Preparation: Gather mini muffin or mini bundt pan, mixing bowls, whisk, electric mixer, and cooling rack.
- Dry Mix: Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl, creating a uniform dry ingredient blend.
- Butter Blend: Whip butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until achieving a pale, voluminous consistency with a light, airy texture.
- Wet Ingredients Integration: Gently fold in eggs one at a time, ensuring complete incorporation, then add lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to develop a vibrant citrus profile.
- Batter Formation: Carefully fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, alternating with buttermilk and mixing until just combined to preserve the cake’s delicate structure.
- Baking Preparation: Grease mini cake pan and distribute batter evenly, filling each cavity about three-quarters full to allow proper rising.
- Baking Process: Place pan in preheated oven at 350F (175C), baking for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cooling Stage: Rest cakes in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack for complete cooling, allowing them to set and firm up.
- Glaze Creation: Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, milk, and additional lemon zest until achieving a smooth, glossy glaze with bright citrus notes.
- Finishing Touch: Elegantly drizzle or dip cake tops with glaze, ensuring even coverage and allowing 10 minutes for the glaze to set and slightly harden.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Gently fold ingredients to maintain the cake’s light, tender crumb and avoid developing tough, dense texture.
- Precise Zesting Technique: Use only the bright yellow part of lemon zest, avoiding bitter white pith for clean, vibrant citrus flavor.
- Temperature Matters: Ensure butter and eggs are at room temperature for smoother batter and more even cake texture.
- Glaze Consistency Check: Adjust powdered sugar or liquid amounts to achieve perfect drizzling thickness – not too runny or too thick.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 130 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg