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    Home » Recipes » Small Cakes

    Lemon Madeleines

    image of Lucy's face
    Modified: Oct 18, 2025 · Published: Jun 1, 2014 by bakingqueen74 · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment
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    Jump to Recipe

    Lemon madeleines are a cute French small cake, a real classic French recipe. Typically they have humps which form as they bake. This lemon madeleine recipe is simple and delicious.

    Madeleine cakes in a Madeleine tin, with lemon halves.
    Jump to:
    • What are madeleines?
    • Madeleine tin
    • Ingredients
    • More to try
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    What are madeleines?

    If you haven’t come across them before, madeleines are a small French cake baked in a shell-shaped tin.

    One side takes on the shell shape with impressions from the tin, the other side often has a dome shaped hump that forms as they bake!

    Some people seem to think they are cookies made in a special pan, but no, these are cakes. 

    In France they are often paired with a black coffee for breakfast or at tea time in the afternoon.

    They are normally baked in Commercy in the Lorraine region of North East France, which is where I spent a year working in a school as a student.

    These little cakes may have been named after a maid called Madeleine Paulmier who worked for Stanislas, the duke of Lorraine, and wowed the royal court with the sweet treat in the 18th century, making them a hit across the country.

    Madeleine tin

    Another reason I love to make madeleines is I can use my vintage madeleine tin.

    Just love it! This tin was a find on eBay. I have to make sure I prepare it well by buttering and flouring the tin to avoid sticking though.

    If you want to invest in one for your kitchen then this Amazon non-stick option would be great.

    A vintage Madeleine baking tin.

    I love making madeleines, they are so simple and yet so tasty

    I like to stick to simple flavours, so vanilla and lemon madeleines are a favourite. 

    These lemon madeleines are as easy to make as fairy cakes, and very tasty.

    It really only takes five to ten minutes to prepare them, then they are also very quick to bake, so you can be enjoying them so soon!

    Lemon madeleines in madeleine pan.

    Ingredients

    For this classic French cake you will need the following ingredients. See the recipe below for the quantities and step by step directions.

    • caster sugar
    • eggs
    • plain flour
    • butter
    • baking powder
    • vanilla extract
    • lemon zest
    • icing sugar – to dust over before you serve
    A row of shell-shaped madeleines in a pan.

    More to try

    If you like French baking why not try:

    • Pistachio, Cardamom and Rose Financiers
    • Chocolate Eclairs with Cranberry and Pistachio 
    • Almond Petit Fours

    Recipe

    Madeleine cakes in a madeleine tin, with lemon halves.

    Lemon Madeleines

    By Lucy Allen | BakingQueen74
    Simple little French sponge cakes flavoured with vanilla and lemon zest
    5 from 3 votes
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12
    Course: Baking
    Cuisine: French
    Calories: 134kcal
    Rate Save Saved! Print

    Ingredients

    • 100 g (0.5 cups) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
    • 2 medium eggs
    • 100 g (0.8 cups) plain flour (all-purpose flour)
    • 100 g (0.45 cups) butter melted
    • 0.75 tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • zest of a lemon
    • Icing sugar to dust

    Equipment

    madeleine tin
    madeleine tin

    Instructions
     

    • Prepare the tin with a little melted butter and preheat the oven to 180℃ / 350℉.
    • Whisk the sugar and eggs until frothy.
      100 g caster sugar (superfine sugar), 2 medium eggs
    • Lightly whisk in the rest of the ingredients.
      100 g plain flour (all-purpose flour), 100 g butter, 0.75 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract, zest of a lemon
    • Leave to stand for 10 minutes. Then pour carefully into the tin.
    • Bake for 8-10 minutes until risen and firm in the middle.
    • Cool in the tin for a few minutes, then carefully remove from the tin.
    • Dust with icing sugar to serve.
      Icing sugar
    Have you made this recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment below to let me know how you got on!

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    • Blackberry Mini Bundt Cakes
    • Little madeleine cakes on a white rack.
      Apple and Cinnamon Madeleines

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    5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Lucy! I'm a slow cooker addict, food blogger and also a busy working mum of two. I hope you'll enjoy the recipes I create and post which are perfect for busy families.

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