Description
Indulge in the delightful flavors of Grandma’s Italian Lemon Custard Cake, featuring a tender vanilla-scented cake layered with a luscious lemon custard. This cake is a perfect balance of zesty brightness and creamy sweetness, making it an extraordinary treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Whole Milk, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Zest
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 6 Large Egg Yolks
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar (for custard)
- 2 cups Whole Milk (for custard)
- 1/4 cup Cornstarch (or All-Purpose Flour)
- 1/2 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Zest (for custard)
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (for custard)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans, or line them with parchment paper circles and grease the parchment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light, fluffy, and pale in color, about 3-5 minutes.
- Beat in the large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with the room temperature whole milk in two additions. Begin and end with the dry ingredients.
- Gently fold in the fresh lemon zest with a spatula.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto the rack to cool completely.
- In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until pale and creamy. Whisk in the cornstarch (or flour) until no lumps remain.
- In a medium saucepan, gently heat the whole milk and fresh lemon zest over medium heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges.
- Slowly pour about half of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the yolks.
- Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens significantly and comes to a gentle boil for 1 minute.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and the unsalted butter until the butter is completely melted and incorporated.
- Transfer the hot custard to a clean bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours, or until thoroughly chilled and firm.
- Once the cake layers are completely cool, use a serrated knife to level the tops if they have domed.
- Place one cake layer on your serving platter. Spread all of the chilled lemon custard evenly over the top of the first cake layer, leaving a small border.
- Carefully place the second cake layer on top of the custard.
- For a simple finish, dust the top of the cake generously with powdered sugar just before serving.
- For best results, refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes to allow the custard to set firmly with the cake layers.
Notes
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
Keywords: Grandmas Italian Lemon Custard, Lemon Custard Cake, Italian Dessert