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Italian Grandma’s Lemon Custard Cake

A classic old-fashioned Italian dessert that magically bakes into a light sponge cake layered over creamy lemon custard.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 9 slices
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Autumn
Calories: 230

Ingredients
  

Cake Batter
  • 4 eggs separated
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.75 cups whole milk lukewarm
  • 0.33 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Whisk
  • Hand mixer or stand mixer
  • Baking dish

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C) and grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
  2. Separate eggs. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; set aside.
  3. Beat egg yolks with sugar until pale and creamy.
  4. Mix in melted butter, vanilla, and lemon zest.
  5. Add flour and salt, mixing gently.
  6. Slowly stir in milk and lemon juice; batter will be thin.
  7. Fold in egg whites gently, leaving visible streaks.
  8. Pour into baking dish and bake 50–60 minutes until set.

Notes

Allow cake to cool completely before slicing for clean custard layers.