Lemon Pudding Cake

Lemon Pudding Cake

Dorcas Annette Walker

The month of August is often the hottest summer month causing one to stay indoors seeking relief from the air conditioner to avoid the humid heat wave that saps one’s energy. Up until now, out here in the woods, I’ve been able to keep cool most days by mountain breezes coming through my open windows and ceiling fans. But with the explosion of garden produce keeping me busy canning all day in the kitchen I’ve shut my windows and turned on the central air with a grateful heart for modern conveniences. So far I’ve put up my green beans for the season and some early corn in the freezer. This week I started canning and pickling red beets with plans to get more sweet corn to freeze. These hot summer days remind me of yesteryears when relief from the heat was found under a large shade tree along with a frosty glass of cold mint tea, homemade sweet tea with a slice of lemon or tart lemonade to quench one’s thirst.

It was at a pitch-in church dinner where I had my first taste of an old fashion version of a Lemon Pudding Cake. Recipes for pudding cakes have been around for many years and began appearing in American cookbooks in the 1890’s often called pudding sponges. Researching pudding cakes I discovered many flavors abound from orange and chocolate to Bourbon. One can also make a pudding cake using the crock-pot. The magic of pudding cakes lie in the transformation of a single batter into two distinct layers during baking with cake on top and pudding on the bottom. Despite the elegance of the dessert, pudding cakes are simple enough to make that a novice cook can achieve success without fail.

My Lemon Pudding Cake recipe is a modern version of old recipes that is easy and quick to make. This Lemon Pudding Cake has a mild lemony taste that hints of hot summer days. The mixture of a velvet cake texture with creamy pudding makes this old fashioned dessert a culinary delight. You can also serve the Lemon Pudding Cake with fresh raspberries or blueberries. Preparation time for the Lemon Pudding Cake takes only ten minutes and this recipe serves sixteen.

Lemon Pudding Cake

1 yellow cake mix (any brand)
Prepare cake mix as directed and pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a medium size bowl mix together:
2 (3.4 oz) pkg Jell-O Lemon instant pudding
2 c cold milk
1 c cold water
Pour pudding mixture over cake batter and bake for one hour at 350º. Cover and cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top. Serve warm or cold. You can garnish the Lemon Pudding Cake with a sprig of lemon mint or a dab of cool whip!

Weekly tip: When baking pudding type cakes put the baking dish onto a large tray before baking to catch any sauce that happens to bubble over to keep your oven clean!

Dorcas Annette Walker is a published author, syndicated columnist, speaker, freelance magazine writer, and photographer from Jamestown, Tennessee. Contact her at: dorcaswalker@twlakes.net For more recipes check out her Creative Mountain Cookin page at: www.dorcasannettewalker.com