Summer is here! This is the final week of school for my kindergartener (sniff…) and then summer will “officially” have arrived. I can’t wait to sleep in next week and spend some lazy days at the pool with my girls!

For me, summer also brings some fun entertaining opportunities. I love to have a few people over for small get togethers, mostly just to kick back but occasionally for a more upscale dinner. These delicious pudding cakes are PERFECT for nights like that! You can make them ahead, then just pop them in the oven to bake when you’re ready. The top layer is cakey and the bottom layer is all creamy lemon pudding with fresh raspberries baked throughout. They look gorgeous and summery, and the small portion is the perfect ending to a nice summer meal.

I made these last week for a nice dinner I made for Alan. He’d been in Mexico for work the week before; what better way to show him we missed him than with a yummy dinner, right? I made Roast Chicken with Balsamic Peaches (recipe coming!) and a side of lemony orzo and rice. These little cakes were a great ending and a fun treat for my girls, too. The portions are on the smaller side and it makes exactly six servings, so make sure to double it if you need to. And don’t let the steps fool you – it’s quite simple to make and goes very quickly. Just make sure to fold the whites in very carefully so you keep the light texture. And if you have any leftovers (yeah, right!!), they reheat perfectly in just 30 microwave seconds!

Happy Summer!

Raspberry Lemon Pudding Cakes

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Set 6 ramekins (2/3 cup size) in a 9- by 13-in. baking pan.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and granulated sugar until thick and creamy. Whisk in flour, butter, lemon zest and juice, and milk until blended.

3. In a deep bowl with a mixer on high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until whites hold stiff, moist peaks when beater is lifted. Stir one-quarter of whites into yolk mixture until blended, then gently fold in remaining whites. Gently fold in half of raspberries.

4. Spoon batter into ramekins. Pour enough hot tap water into baking pan to come 1 in. up sides of ramekins.

5. Bake until cake layers are set and tops are golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove ramekins from water; let cool at least 30 minutes. Serve with more berries on top and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Make ahead: Chill airtight up to 1 day; pudding layer will become more distinct.