Lemon Cake Custard
This light and creamy Lemon Cake Custard is so mouth watering delicious, that it needs only a dusting of powdered sugar on top. You’ll have a hard time deciding whether you want to eat it cold or warm. It’s simply delicious any way you eat it.

Lemon Cake Custard is one of those mouth watering desserts that you crave when you’re in the mood for winter to be gone and Spring to arrive. It’s getting closer to spring weather and I can’t wait.

It’s almost March, closer to Spring, and for some reason when I start thinking about Spring I think about Lemon desserts. I originally posted this mouth-watering Lemon Cake Custard recipe in 2018, but I felt like it was time for some updated pictures and I’ve also been craving it.

I came across this recipe for Lemon Cake Custard in one of my very old cookbooks, the 1975 Derby Town Cookbook. I made a few minor changes, increasing the lemon flavor of course. You might know this recipe as Lemon Pudding Cake as I’ve seen it called with very similar recipes.
This is one of the most creamy, lemony and moist cake desserts ever!!! The hardest thing is trying to decide how you want to eat this cake. It’s excellent warm, room temperature and cold. It’s excellent by itself with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or with whipped cream on top. It’s just plain lemon heaven!
Ingredients
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 large lemons
- 5 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups full fat buttermilk
- 3 large egg whites
- powdered sugar for dusting, optional
Instructions
- Butter a 1.5 quart baking dish, or an 8 inch square baking dish. Set the dish in a roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with water until it comes half way up the baking dish. Remove the dish from the roasting pan. Leave the roasting pan in the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, butter, lemon zest, salt and lemon juice and set aside.
- Whisk the flour into the buttermilk and add to the wet mixture.
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until soft to medium peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the wet mixture.
- Pour batter into buttered baking dish and carefully place the dish in the hot water bath.
- Bake for approximately 45 to 50 minutes or until the cake is light golden on top and springs back when touched in the center.
- Transfer cake to a wire rack to cool. Dust the top with powdered sugar or serve with ice cream.


Water Bath Tip
The top layer of the cake is just that…cake. The bottom layer bakes into a custard. If you want to have equal layers of cake and custard, make sure the water level is exactly halfway up the sides of your baking dish.

Notice in the picture below how moist & spongy the cake layer is. This picture shows the dessert after it’s been chilled. You’ll noticed the custard has thickened some. I love eating this dessert slightly warm or room temperature with a small dollop of whipped cream, but you might like it better chilled. It’s great either way.

Ramekin Tip
You can divide and bake the batter in ramekins if you want, but make sure you keep the water level low, only coming halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
The picture below shows the Lemon Cake Custard served when it’s till warm. The custard layer is not as thick as when chilled, but still SO delicious!

If you love all things lemon, you might also like these lemon recipes…
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Lemon Cake Custard
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 60
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This light and creamy Lemon Cake Custard is so delicious, it needs only a dusting of powdered sugar on top. You’ll have a hard time deciding whether you want to eat it cold or warm. It’s simply delicious any way you eat it.
Ingredients
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 large lemons
- 5 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups full fat buttermilk
- 3 large egg whites
- powdered sugar for dusting, optional
Instructions
- Butter a 1.5 quart baking dish, or an 8 inch square baking dish. Set the dish in a roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with water until it comes half way up the baking dish. Remove the dish from the roasting pan. Leave the roasting pan in the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, butter, lemon zest, salt and lemon juice and set aside.
- Whisk the flour into the buttermilk and add to the wet mixture.
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until soft to medium peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the wet mixture.
- Pour batter into buttered baking dish and carefully place the dish in the hot water bath.
- Bake for approximately 45 to 50 minutes or until the cake is light golden on top and springs back when touched in the center.
- Transfer cake to a wire rack to cool. Dust the top with powdered sugar or serve with ice cream.
- Refrigerate leftovers.
Notes
- This cake is even better the next day. It is excellent cold or warm.
- Keep cake refrigerated until ready to serve.
Originally posted 1/23/18. Updated 2-24-22.
We used this recipe , from a 4-H bulletin, 60-65 years ago!
It is still delicious, and special.
love this recipe! so easy and a delicious dessert that is now a family fav. thanks for sharing!
Hi Valerie, I’m so glad it was a hit! 🙂
Would love to make this recipe but is it a total of 6 egg whites and 3 egg yolks
Hi Kiki, the recipe calls for 3 of each, egg whites and egg yolks. Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Thank you so much…I misread it. I remember Lemon Custard Pudding from my childhood days. Cant wait to try it.
Lemonilouciousness…. may not be a word but wow. Reminds me of the hot fudge cake I make in texture. Love this lemon dessert
Can I substitute milk for buttermilk in the Lemon Cake Custard recipe.
Hi Nora, Yes. You can also add about 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to the milk and let it sit for 3-4 minutes.
You didn’t include the number of servings this recipe makes. Could you please specify the size of oval dish for one large serving and the number of ramekins for individual servings. That would be very helpful. Thanks!
Hi Carol, It’s on the recipe card in step #1. It makes 8 servings. Use a 1.5 quart casserole dish.