I’ve been buying lemon pudding cakes at the supermarket and at KFC from time to time. I really enjoy those cakes with a nice large piece placed into a bowl and soaked in milk.

While enjoying a slice the other day, it made me think of the lemon sponge cakes my grandmother used to make when I was a kid. They were tasty cakes with a delicious lemon sauce on the bottom.

I had forgotten all about them and when recalling, I immediately became hungry for some. Grandpa Kessler at one time was a partner in a bakery, as well as being an undertaker, and I think this is the recipe they used to make those lemon sponge cakes.

Dust the top of the finished cake with powdered sugar to give it a nice appearance, and it will also add some sweetness.

Be sure you scrape up the sauce on the bottom when serving a piece of this cake so you can take advantage of the full flavor and textures.

I also remember that this was made in square baking pans. This made it easy to cut a square instead of a slice, so you could get a man-sized serving.

Lemon Sponge Cake

4 eggs, separated

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon butter

1-1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups milk

Powdered sugar for dusting

Use a mixing bowl in which to combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest and butter.

Beat this together well until it thickens and turns lemon color.

Combine the sugar, flour and salt and alternately add this with the milk to the yolk mixture. Beat well after each addition.

In another mixing bowl beat the egg whites until stiff. Turn your mixer to low speed and add the stiff egg whites to the lemon batter.

Put the combined batter mixture into an 8-by-8-inch square baking dish.

Use a larger pan into which you pour about a half-inch of water. Set this pan of water into your oven, set at 350 degrees.

When the water warms up put the baking dish with the cake batter down into the pan of water.

Bake approximately 45 minutes. When you remove this from the oven, dust with powdered sugar. Cut into squares and enjoy.

Place any leftovers into your refrigerator, covered. This cake is also delicious cold, so you can enjoy every bite.

Readers with questions or comments for Dave Kessler may write to him in care of this publication.