25 Jun Dessert recipe: Lemon Delicious Pudding for under $1 per serve
A warm, old-fashioned dessert that makes its own sauce
Lemon Delicious is one of those clever old-fashioned puddings that feels more special than it looks on paper. It goes into the oven as one simple mixture, then bakes into a light, cakey lemon top with a soft lemon sauce underneath.
Even better, it uses pantry basics — and if you have a lemon tree, a neighbour with one, or someone happy to swap a few lemons for herbs, eggs or a jar of jam, it can be a very budget-friendly family dessert.
Estimated cost: Around $4–$6
Serves: 6
Estimated cost per serve: Around 70c–$1
Best for: Weekend dessert, using up lemons, winter comfort food
Ingredients
- 2 lemons, zested and juiced
- 3 eggs, separated
- ¾ cup caster sugar
- 60g butter, melted
- ⅓ cup self-raising flour
- 1 cup milk
- Icing sugar, to dust, optional
To serve
Choose one:
- Plain yoghurt
- Greek yoghurt
- Custard
- A small scoop of ice-cream
- Nothing at all — it already has its own sauce
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a medium baking dish.
- Place the lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolks, caster sugar and melted butter in a bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Add the flour and milk and whisk until smooth. The mixture will look quite runny — that’s normal.
- In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the lemon mixture. Don’t worry if it looks a little uneven; it will still bake beautifully.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish.
- Place the dish inside a larger roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the side of the pudding dish.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is golden and just firm.
- Rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. Spoon into bowls, making sure everyone gets some of the lemon sauce from the bottom.
Why it works
Lemon Delicious feels like a proper dessert without needing chocolate, nuts, cream or expensive toppings. The lemon gives it a bright flavour, while the eggs, milk and flour do the clever work of creating two layers as it bakes.
It is also a good “use what you have” dessert. The ingredients are simple, and it can be served plain or dressed up depending on what is already in the fridge.
Make it stretch and save more
If lemons are expensive, ask around. Lemon trees are common in many Australian streets, and neighbours are often happy to share or swap a few.
To make the pudding go further, serve smaller portions with yoghurt, custard or sliced banana. You can also serve it after a simple dinner when everyone wants something sweet but not too heavy.
Swaps and substitutions
You can use regular white sugar if you don’t have caster sugar.
If you don’t have self-raising flour, use ⅓ cup plain flour plus ½ teaspoon baking powder.
For a stronger lemon flavour, add extra zest rather than extra juice, as too much juice can make the pudding very tart.
Can you make it ahead?
Lemon Delicious is best served warm from the oven, when the top is light and the sauce is soft underneath.
You can make it earlier in the day and gently reheat it, but it is at its best freshly baked.
Can you freeze it?
This pudding is not ideal for freezing, as the sauce and sponge texture may change. Leftovers can be covered and kept in the fridge for 1–2 days, then reheated gently.
Busy parent tip
Put the pudding in the oven while dinner is cooking or just after dinner starts. By the time the plates are cleared, dessert is warm and ready — no icing, decorating or extra fuss needed
