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Mason Jar Lemon Pudding Cakes (sous vide)
by Jay Nutt & Jennifer MacKenzie

Mason Jar Lemon Pudding Cakes
Courtesy of Sous Vide Basics: 100+ Recipes for Perfect Results by Jay Nutt and Jennifer MacKenzie
These have a thin sauce in the bottom, rather than a thick pudding, but they are as tasty and comforting as old-fashioned pudding cakes. This version does hold much better than traditional pudding cakes, so they can be made ahead and enjoyed cold. We even got an “OMG” text from our friend Joanne when she ate her sample, so we declared these a sous vide win.
Sous vide time: 45 minutes
Tips
You’ll need 1 to 2 lemons for the grated zest for these cakes. Extra grated zest can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Squeeze out extra juice from the lemons and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze it — those zested lemons go bad quickly in the crisper.
We find that 2% or whole milk are best for cakes and sauces (or combination desserts, like this one); lower-fat milk doesn’t give cakes the desired tenderness, or sauces the desired body.
• Preheat water bath to 175°F (79°C)
• 4 wide-mouth 8-oz (250 mL) canning jars, with two‑piece lids
• 2 wire racks
Sauce
1⁄4 cup granulated sugar 60 mL
1 tsp grated lemon zest 5 mL
11⁄4 cups milk 300 mL
1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract 2 mL
Cakes
3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour 175 mL
11⁄2 tsp baking powder 7 mL
1⁄4 tsp salt 1 mL
1 large egg 1
2 tsp grated lemon zest 10 mL
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 30 mL
1 tsp vanilla extract 5 mL
1⁄3 cup granulated sugar 75 mL
3 tbsp butter 45 mL
1⁄2 cup milk 125 mL
1. Pour hot tap water into the canning jars to warm the glass; set aside.
2. Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine sugar, lemon zest and milk. Bring just to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved (do not let boil). Pour into a liquid measuring cup or a bowl with a spout, stir in vanilla and cover to keep warm. Set aside (reserve saucepan).
3. Cakes: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
4. In a heatproof medium bowl, whisk together egg, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla.
Makes 4 servings