Lemon Cobbler
Lemon cobbler bakes into a craggy golden cake over a soft, glossy lemon filling. The assembly is unusual but simple: melt butter in the baking dish, pour batter over it, and spoon lemon pie filling on top. Leave the layers unstirred so the cake can rise around the filling.
After a short rest, spoon out warm portions rather than cutting squares. Breaking the cake open reveals the lemon layer beneath; serve each portion with vanilla ice cream. This recipe serves 8 and takes about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes, including the rest.
Ingredients for Lemon Cobbler
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (115g)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup buttermilk (240g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 can (21 ounces) lemon pie filling (595g)
- 8 scoops vanilla ice cream, for serving
Use the lemon pie filling straight from the can; do not dilute it. Whole milk can replace the buttermilk, though the cake will have less tang. Lemon curd is another possible filling, but its thickness and sweetness vary, so do not expect identical results or an identical bake time. Lemon pudding is not a direct substitute.
How to Make Lemon Cobbler
- Preheat and melt the butter: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Put the butter in a deep 9-by-9-inch baking dish, approximately 2-quart capacity. Place the dish in the oven until the butter is just melted, about 5 minutes. Do not let it brown. Carefully set the hot dish on a heatproof surface.
- Mix the batter: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add the buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon zest; mix just until no dry flour remains. The batter should be pourable, and a few small lumps are fine. Overmixing can make the cake tough.
- Layer without stirring: Pour the batter evenly over the melted butter. Spoon the lemon pie filling in spaced dollops over the batter. Do not stir any of the layers together.
- Bake: Bake uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes, beginning to check at 45 minutes. The cake should have risen across most of the surface and be golden brown, with no wet, raw-looking batter on exposed areas. The filling should bubble at the edges. If the dish may overflow, put a baking sheet on the rack below to catch drips.
- Rest and serve: Let the cobbler stand for about 15 minutes so the filling can thicken slightly. Spoon loose portions onto plates, breaking open the cake to show the lemon filling. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream beside each warm serving.
Why the Layers Stay Unstirred
The melted butter, batter, and filling go into the dish separately. As the cobbler bakes, the batter rises into a cake topping while the lemon filling stays soft beneath and around it. Stirring after assembly blends the layers and loses that contrast.
How to Tell When Lemon Cobbler Is Done
Judge the exposed cake and bubbling edges rather than waiting for the lemon filling to become firm. A little movement beneath the golden topping is normal. Baking longer to make the cobbler sliceable can dry out the cake; the filling thickens during the 15-minute rest and remains spoonable.
How to Store and Reheat Lemon Cobbler
Cover leftovers and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Microwave individual portions for approximately 20 to 30 seconds, checking until warm, then add fresh ice cream. The topping may soften during storage. Freezing is not recommended as a standard storage method because thawing may change the cake-and-filling texture.
For a sliceable lemon dessert, try lemon bars with shortbread crust. For another warm dessert served with ice cream, try apple crisp.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 8 servings with one roughly 1/2-cup scoop of vanilla ice cream each: 535 calories, 5g protein, 19g fat, and 87g carbohydrates. Per 100g: approximately 245 calories, 2g protein, 9g fat, and 40g carbohydrates. Values vary with the brands of pie filling and ice cream, scoop size, and moisture lost during baking.
Equipment
- Oven
- 9-by-9-inch baking dish
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (115g)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup buttermilk (240g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 can (21 ounces) lemon pie filling (595g)
- 8 scoops vanilla ice cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Put the butter in a deep 9-by-9-inch baking dish, about 2-quart capacity. Place it in the oven until the butter is just melted, about 5 minutes. Do not let it brown. Carefully set the hot dish on a heatproof surface.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- Add the buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix just until no dry flour remains; a few small lumps are fine.
- Pour the batter evenly over the melted butter.
- Spoon the lemon pie filling in spaced dollops over the batter. Do not stir the layers together.
- Bake uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes, beginning to check at 45 minutes. The cake should be risen and golden brown, with no wet-looking batter on exposed areas, and the filling should bubble at the edges. Put a baking sheet on the rack below if needed to catch drips.
- Let the cobbler rest for about 15 minutes. Spoon portions onto plates, breaking open the cake to reveal the lemon filling, and serve with vanilla ice cream.
Tips
- Use the lemon pie filling straight from the can; do not dilute it.
- Keep the butter, batter, and filling in separate layers without stirring.
- Stop mixing once no dry flour remains to help keep the cake tender.
- Judge doneness by the golden exposed cake and bubbling edges; some movement beneath the topping is normal.
- Let the cobbler rest so the filling thickens slightly before serving.
Variations
- Whole Milk Version: Replace the buttermilk with whole milk; the cake will have less tang.
- Lemon Curd Version: Lemon curd can replace the pie filling, but its thickness and sweetness vary, so baking results may differ.