My husband bought me this adorable Williams Sonoma Peanuts cakelet pan (well, I asked him to after I saw it as a “sponsored” Instagram post). Instagram truly knows me so well to put such a sponsored post in my feed because look what happened?! I went out and bought it. I've linked the Peanuts cakelet pan in the text above - I receive nothing for marketing or trying to sell this pan - this is my personal opinion based off a pan I purchased on my own.
I felt like a little kid again when I brought this “new toy” home! Just like my excited five-year-old when she’s elated over her newest toy, I was super excited to try this cakelet pan. Not knowing what a cakelet was (let’s be honest – I had never even heard of a cakelet before and I’m not ashamed to admit that as I’m not a pastry chef nor do I ever claim to be one!), after a few internet searches, I educated myself and now understand what a cakelet is.
My husband and I are both trying to lose weight so I had to carefully time the day I would bake these delicious sweet bread-tasting dessert cakes. I mean – topped with a glaze made up of powdered sugar, honey, and fresh lemon juice – how can one even go wrong?! Always knowing his affection for lemon cakes and desserts (hello, he's obsessed with my insanely delicious lemon cheesecake!), I knew he’d want to devour all these so I made them on a Sunday which is our “cheat” day (well, sort of).
My mouthwatering recipe produces the perfect level of fluffiness, moisture, and bite. Ingredients include all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, granulated sugar, eggs, lemon extract, heavy whipping cream, lemon zest, honey, powdered sugar, and fresh lemon juice, and take about 45 minutes to make.
What is a cakelet?
According to Bon Appetit’s post, a cakelet is “the pancake-omelet collab you never knew you needed.”
Cakelets are great for frittatas (although I’ve never tried cooking one in my Peanuts cakelet pan), mini cakes such as almond and lemon cakes, brownies, muffins, baked donuts, and so forth. Some people even make shaped butter in their cakelet pans which is making me want to make my Homemade Butter in one! How adorable would a Snoopy butter be?! My five-year-old would go nuts over that!
You could even make my cornbread recipe in a cakelet pan, making 6 individual corn breads! How cute would a Woodstock or Charlie Brown cornbread be?! OMG - so many recipe ideas, so little time!
Ingredients in Lemon Cakelets
All-purpose flour. Use all-purpose flour in this recipe. You can also use cake flour.
Baking powder. Baking powder reacts with liquids instantly to help the dough rise.
Baking soda. Baking soda acts as a leavening agent in this cakelet recipe, helping to produce a fluffy texture.
Salt. Salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients and helps slow down the fermentation process by slowing the growth of yeast, allowing the dough to rise at a controlled rate.
Butter. Butter helps tenderize the dough, creating the perfect level of moisture and bite.
Granulated sugar. Not only does granulated sugar offer a sweeter flavor, but it also provides structure and helps the dough rise.
Eggs. Eggs provide nutrition, flavor, and help bind the ingredients.
Lemon extract. Just a small amount of lemon extract goes a long way as you’ll notice.
Heavy whipping cream. Heavy whipping cream provides texture and flavor.
Lemon zest. Use a grater to zest one lemon.
Honey. Honey adds texture and flavor to the glaze of your Lemon Cakelets.
Powdered sugar. Powdered sugar gives the glaze a sweet taste.
Fresh lemon juice. Use the juice from the same lemon you zested earlier.
How to make the best Lemon Cakelets
STEP 1: Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature.
STEP 2: Before you preheat your oven, make sure a rack is in the lower 1/3 of your oven. Preheat your oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a cakelet pan.
STEP 3: To prepare the cakelets, in a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
STEP 4: Either with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a flat beater, beat the butter on medium until creamy, about 1 minute.
STEP 5: Pour in the granulated sugar and beat on medium until creamy and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
STEP 6: Add the eggs, one at a time, beating in between each addition. Pour in the lemon extract, beating on medium.
STEP 7: On low-medium speed, slowly add the dry flour mixture in three separate additions, alternating with the heavy cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Use your beaters to beat just until incorporated between each addition, making sure to intermittently stop to scrape the sides of the bowl.
STEP 8: Use a rubber spatula to fold in the lemon zest, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
STEP 9: Spread the batter evenly in your cakelet pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the cakelets comes out clean.
STEP 10: Let cool for 10 minutes. Lay out a piece of wax paper on a surface. Invert your cakelet pan over the wax paper, tapping gently to release the cakelets.
STEP 11: To make the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and water in a medium bowl. Pour the honey into a small saucepan, heating over low heat until warm and runny, about 2-3 minutes. Pour the warm honey into the powdered sugar mixture and whisk. Use a pastry brush to evenly spread the glaze over the cakelets. Dust with powdered sugar. Let the cakelets cool for at least 1 hour before serving.
STEP 12: If you make this dessert recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and comment!
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Lemon Cakelets
Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
Cakelets
- 1½ c all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 10 tbsp butter 1 stick + 2 tbsp
- ¾ c granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ tsp lemon extract
- ½ c heavy whipping cream or heavy cream
- 1 lemon zested
Glaze
- ¼ c powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp honey
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature.
- Before you preheat your oven, make sure a rack is in the lower 1/3 of your oven. Preheat your oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a cakelet pan.
- To prepare the cakelets, in a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Either with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a flat beater, beat the butter on medium until creamy, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the granulated sugar and beat on medium until creamy and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating in between each addition. Pour in the lemon extract, beating on medium.
- On low-medium speed, slowly add the dry flour mixture in three separate additions, alternating with the heavy cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Use your beaters to beat just until incorporated between each addition, making sure to intermittently stop to scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold in the lemon zest, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Spread the batter evenly in your cakelet pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the cakelets comes out clean.
- Let cool for 10 minutes. Lay out a piece of wax paper on a surface. Invert your cakelet pan over the wax paper, tapping gently to release the cakelets.
- To make the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and water in a medium bowl. Pour the honey into a small saucepan, heating over low heat until warm and runny, about 2-3 minutes. Pour the warm honey into the powdered sugar mixture and whisk. Use a pastry brush to evenly spread the glaze over the cakelets. Dust with powdered sugar. Let the cakelets cool for at least 1 hour before serving.
- If you make this dessert recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and comment!
Nutrition (per serving)
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