Italian Grandma’s Lemon Custard Cake – Classic Recipe
This Italian Grandma’s Lemon Custard Cake is a classic recipe that combines a buttery shortcrust base with a tangy and creamy lemon custard filling. It’s a delightful dessert that is perfect for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 9-inch cake 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Shortcrust Base:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 egg yolk
- 2–3 tbsp cold water
For the Lemon Custard Filling:
- 1½ cups whole milk
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the Crust: In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add egg yolk and cold water, stirring until dough forms. Press into a tart pan or square cake pan and chill for 20–30 minutes.
- Pre-Bake the Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Prick the base with a fork and bake for 12–15 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool slightly.
- Prepare the Lemon Custard: In a saucepan, whisk sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, and yolks. Slowly add milk while whisking. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, butter, and vanilla.
- Bake the Cake: Pour custard into pre-baked crust. Bake for 25–30 minutes until just set but still slightly jiggly in the center. Cool completely before slicing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of cake)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: Italian, Lemon Custard Cake, Dessert, Classic Recipe
