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Easy Italian Lemon Custard Cake

A bright, velvety smooth Italian lemon dessert featuring a buttery graham cracker crust and a rich, creamy citrus center that sets beautifully in the fridge.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 290

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs Finely crushed for a tight crust
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter Melted smoothly to bind crumbs
  • 4 large egg yolks Provides the rich custard base structure
  • 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk One standard can for sweetness and density
  • 0.5 cup fresh lemon juice Squeezed fresh from about three lemons
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest Finely grated for intense aromatic oil

Equipment

  • 1 fluted tart pan 9 inch size with a removable bottom works best
  • 1 Wire whisk For blending the egg yolks smoothly
  • 1 glass mixing bowl Medium size for preparing the filling

Method
 

  1. Mix the fine graham cracker crumbs together with the fully melted unsalted butter inside your small bowl until it resembles wet sand.
  2. Press the buttery crumb mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of your fluted tart pan using a flat glass.
  3. Bake the empty graham shell in a preheated oven at 350°F for eight minutes until lightly toasted and fragrant.
  4. Separate the eggs carefully and place the four yolks into your medium glass mixing bowl.
  5. Whisk the egg yolks vigorously for one minute until they become slightly pale and smooth.
  6. Pour the entire can of sweetened condensed milk slowly into the bowl while continuing to whisk steadily.
  7. Stream the strained fresh lemon juice and grated lemon zest into the filling mixture causing it to thicken naturally.
  8. Pour the smooth lemon custard filling directly over the parbaked graham crust spreading it to the edges evenly.
  9. Bake the assembled dessert at 350°F for fifteen minutes until the borders look set but the center remains slightly wobbly.