Torta Limone Cream Cake (The Most Loved Cake in Italy)

This cake features a crisp, buttery crust surrounding a rich, tangy lemon pastry cream, often baked together for a stunning result.

Category	Ingredient	Quantity	Notes
Crust (Dough)	All-Purpose Flour	310 g (2 ½ cups)	Plus extra for dusting.
	Granulated Sugar	125 g (½ cup)
	Baking Powder	5 g (1 tsp)
	Salt (optional)	½ tsp
	Softened Butter	140 g (5 oz)	Cut into cubes.
	Egg	1 large
	Lemon Zest	Zest of 1 lemon
Cream Filling	Milk	500 ml (2 cups)	Whole milk recommended.
	Egg Yolks	2 large	The recipe often uses only the yolks for richness.
	Granulated Sugar	125 g (½ cup)
	Cornstarch (or flour)	60 g (½ cup)	Sifted, to thicken the cream.
	Cream Cheese, softened	80 g (⅓ cup)	Or use Mascarpone for a richer flavor.
	Lemon Juice	Juice of 1 lemon	Freshly squeezed.
Garnish	Powdered Sugar	To dust
	Lemon Slices	As needed	For topping.

Heat Milk: Gently heat the milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it is steaming but not boiling.
Mix Yolks & Sugar: In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and creamy. Whisk in the cornstarch until there are no lumps.
Temper & Cook: Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the cream thickens significantly. Do not let it boil.
Add Cheese & Lemon: Remove the cream from the heat. Whisk in the softened cream cheese and the lemon juice until the cream is smooth. Pour the cream into a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface (to prevent a skin from forming), and set it aside to cool completely.

Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Cut in Butter: Add the cubed softened butter and rub it into the flour mixture using your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Bind Dough: Add the egg and lemon zest. Mix briefly until the dough comes together into a ball. Do not overmix.
Chill: Divide the dough into two pieces: one piece slightly larger than the other. Wrap both in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Prep Pan: Preheat your oven to $350^{\circ}\text{F}$ ( $175^{\circ}\text{C}$ ). Grease an 8-inch round springform pan or cake tin and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Form Base and Sides: Roll out the larger dough piece and use it to line the bottom and sides of the prepared pan (as seen in the top image panel).
Fill: Pour the cooled pastry cream filling into the crust-lined pan.
Form Top: Roll out the remaining dough piece and place it over the cream filling to seal the cake. Crimp the edges to secure the top layer.
Bake: Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
Cool: Let the cake cool completely in the pan before removing the ring.
Garnish: Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh lemon slices before serving (as seen in the bottom image panel).

Enjoy this classic Italian delight!