Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat it to 400°F. Butter the inside of 6 small ramekins or custard cups (1 teaspoon butter per cup). For easy handling in and out of the oven, arrange the cups on a rimmed baking sheet.

Crack an egg into each cup. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Spoon 1 teaspoon cream over each yolk.

Bake only until the egg whites are set, 12 to 15 minutes. Keep a close eye on the eggs during the last few minutes of baking; the yolks can go from perfect to chalky quite quickly. The yolks will continue to firm up after they come out of the oven, so serve these promptly if you want soft yolks. Run a knife around the rims to loosen the edges, invert the ramekin to release the egg, and lift the ramekin straight up.