Introduction

This upside-down lemon, maple, and vanilla pudding is a delightful twist on a classic dessert. Caramelized lemon slices sit beneath a tender, spiced cake, all topped with a rich maple butter sauce. It’s perfect for a cozy afternoon treat or an impressive finale to dinner.

The image shows a square-shaped lemon cake with a shiny, golden brown glaze covering the entire top layer. The glaze is slightly textured with a glossy finish and is embedded with thin, round slices of caramelized lemon spread evenly across the surface. Two dark brown vanilla beans are placed diagonally on the cake, contrasting with the bright citrus colors. The cake sits on a white plate, and the backdrop is a white marbled texture. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

3 medium lemons, thinly sliced into ¼cm-thick rounds (about 24 slices), pips removed
165ml maple syrup
1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways, seeds scraped and reserved with the pod
225g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp salt
225g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature, then cut into 2cm cubes
3 large eggs, plus 1 yolk
225g light soft brown sugar
60ml whole milk
240g crème fraîche, to serve

Lemon-Maple Butter:

50ml lemon juice
120ml maple syrup
120g unsalted butter, fridge cold and cut into 1½cm cubes

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 170°C fan. Line a baking dish about 30cm x 20cm in size with baking parchment, allowing enough overhang to fold over the pudding later.
Step 2: Heat a large non-stick frying pan on high and char a third of the lemon slices on both sides for 1–2 minutes each. Repeat for all slices.
Step 3: Pour 120ml of maple syrup and the reserved vanilla pod into the base of the prepared baking dish. Arrange the charred lemon slices evenly over the syrup, overlapping slightly.
Step 4: Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Mix on medium speed to combine.
Step 5: Add softened butter, eggs, yolk, vanilla seeds, brown sugar, milk, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of maple syrup. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes until combined; some small butter pieces may remain, which is fine.
Step 6: Spoon the batter into a piping bag, snip the tip, and pipe it evenly over the lemon slices in the baking dish. Smooth gently with the back of a spoon.
Step 7: Fold the excess baking parchment over the batter, then wrap the dish tightly in foil.
Step 8: Place the baking dish into a larger roasting tin (about 40cm x 28cm). Pour boiling water into the roasting tin to come 3cm up the sides (about 1 litre).
Step 9: Bake for 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove foil and top parchment, then lift the dish from the water and let rest for 5 minutes.
Step 10: Carefully invert the pudding onto a serving platter, removing the parchment to reveal the lemon topping.
Step 11: In the last 10 minutes of baking, make the lemon-maple butter: simmer lemon juice and maple syrup for 2 minutes. Lower heat, then whisk in cold butter cubes gradually without boiling until emulsified. Remove from heat.
Step 12: Drizzle one-third of the lemon-maple butter over the pudding. Serve warm with remaining butter and crème fraîche on the side.

Tips & Variations

For extra citrus flavor, zest some lemon into the batter before mixing.
If you don’t have a stand mixer, use a hand mixer or mix by hand until ingredients are combined.
Swap crème fraîche for Greek yogurt or sour cream for a different tangy finish.

Storage

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a warm oven until just heated through. The pudding is best served warm for the full flavor experience.

How to Serve

A square orange upside-down cake sits on a white marble board. The cake's top layer is golden brown with shiny caramelized orange slices spread evenly across it, some whole and some partially shown, giving a glazed, sticky texture. The cake has a light brown sponge layer visible on the sides and where three square pieces are cut out and placed nearby. A dark roasted vanilla bean pod lies diagonally on top. To the upper left, two small white bowls hold a thick white cream and amber syrup, each with a spoon resting inside. The whole scene is bright, clean, and neatly arranged. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh lemons?

Fresh lemons are preferred for their brightness and texture, especially for the slices. However, bottled lemon juice can be used for the lemon-maple butter if needed.

What can I substitute for maple syrup?

Honey or golden syrup can be used as alternatives, but they will slightly alter the flavor profile. Maple syrup offers a unique depth that complements the lemon and vanilla beautifully.

Upside-Down Lemon, Maple and Vanilla Pudding Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.5 from 113 reviews

This upside-down lemon, maple, and vanilla pudding offers a delightful balance of tangy lemons caramelized under a layer of moist, buttery pudding infused with vanilla and sweetened with pure maple syrup. The pudding is baked in a water bath to ensure a tender, custardy texture. Served warm with a luscious lemon-maple butter sauce and cooling crème fraîche, it’s an elegant dessert perfect for special occasions or cozy gatherings.

Author: Ella
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: British

Ingredients

Scale

For the Pudding and Topping

3 medium lemons, thinly sliced into ¼ cm-thick rounds to get 24 slices, pips removed
165 ml maple syrup
1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways, seeds scraped and reserved with the pod
225 g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp salt
225 g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature, then cut into 2 cm cubes
3 large eggs, plus 1 yolk
225 g light soft brown sugar
60 ml whole milk
240 g crème fraîche, to serve

Lemon-Maple Butter

50 ml lemon juice
120 ml maple syrup
120 g unsalted butter, fridge cold and cut into 1½ cm cubes

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare the Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 170°C fan. Line a baking dish approximately 30cm x 20cm with baking parchment large enough to cover the base, sides, and with enough overhang to fold over the pudding later.
Char the Lemon Slices: Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat until very hot. Char one-third of the lemon slices on both sides for about 1–2 minutes per side, then repeat with the remaining slices until all are charred.
Assemble the Base: Pour 120 ml of the maple syrup and the reserved vanilla pod into the base of the prepared baking dish. Arrange the charred lemon slices evenly on top, overlapping slightly to cover the entire base.
Mix the Pudding Batter: In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the softened butter cubes, eggs, additional yolk, vanilla seeds, brown sugar, milk, and the remaining 45 ml (3 tablespoons) of maple syrup. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes until combined. The batter may appear slightly split with small butter cubes; this is normal.
Pipe and Cover the Batter: Spoon the batter into a piping bag and pipe evenly over the lemons in the baking dish, ensuring the lemon slices stay in place. Smooth the top gently with the back of a spoon. Fold over the excess parchment to cover the pudding, then wrap the entire dish tightly with foil.
Prepare for Water Bath and Bake: Place the baking dish inside a larger roasting tin (around 40cm x 28cm). Pour boiling water into the roasting tin until it comes about 3 cm up the sides of the baking dish (approximately 1 litre). Bake for 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Rest and Invert: Remove the foil, unwrap the top of the pudding, and carefully lift the baking dish from the water bath. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then invert the pudding onto a serving platter, removing the parchment paper to reveal the caramelized lemon topping.
Make the Lemon-Maple Butter Sauce: In the last 10 minutes of baking, combine the lemon juice and maple syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook for about 2 minutes, then reduce heat to low. When no longer simmering, gradually whisk in the cold butter cubes a little at a time, making sure the mixture does not boil. This will create a smooth, emulsified sauce. Remove from heat.
Serve: Drizzle one-third of the lemon-maple butter over the pudding. Serve warm with the remaining lemon-maple butter and crème fraîche on the side for added richness.

Notes

Charing the lemons adds a slightly smoky, caramelized flavor that balances the pudding’s sweetness.
Using a water bath ensures gentle, even cooking resulting in a tender, custard-like texture.
The batter may look slightly split before baking due to butter chunks, but it bakes up smoothly.
Be careful not to boil the lemon-maple butter sauce when adding butter to preserve its smooth texture.
Allow the pudding to rest before inverting to help it set and maintain shape.

Keywords: lemon pudding, maple syrup dessert, vanilla pudding, upside-down pudding, lemon dessert, baked pudding