Mini Lemon Drop Cakes Recipe

These Mini Lemon Drop Cakes are a delightful dessert that combines a perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors. These little lemon cakes are incredibly moist, fluffy, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. They stay soft and moist even the next day, making them an ideal treat for any occasion.

Ingredients:

For the Mini Cakes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup sour cream (at room temperature)
• 1 large egg (at room temperature)
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)

For the Lemon Glaze:

• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.
2. Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
3. Prepare the wet mixture: In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the water and bring it to a boil while stirring constantly. Once boiling, remove from the heat and pour the hot mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
4. Add remaining ingredients: Add the sour cream, egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract (if using). Beat the mixture with an electric mixer at low speed just until everything is combined.
5. Fill muffin tin: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of batter into each mini muffin cup, filling them almost to the top.
6. Bake: Bake for 12-16 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool: Let the mini cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
8. Prepare the glaze: In a bowl, mix together powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and softened butter. Stir until smooth.
9. Glaze the cakes: Once the cakes are cool, dip each one into the lemon glaze or pour the glaze over the top of each cake. Let the glaze set before serving.

Tips for the BEST Mini Lemon Cakes:

• Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure all ingredients are well combined.
• Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and freshly grated lemon zest for the best flavor.
• If you don’t have enough mini muffin tins, you can work in batches.
• If the glaze thickens too much, microwave it for 10-15 seconds to thin it out.

Variations & Substitutes:

• You can use a regular-sized muffin tin, but the baking time will increase.
• Experiment with different glazes for unique variations.
• For finer lemon zest, use a microplane.

Make Ahead and Storage:

• These mini cakes can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• If you’re planning to freeze them, it’s best to do so before glazing.

Nutrition (per mini cake):

• Calories: 61 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 9g
• Protein: 0.5g
• Fat: 2.8g
• Saturated Fat: 1.7g
• Cholesterol: 12mg
• Fiber: 0.1g
• Sugar: 6.9g