Lemon Cream Cake: Greek Lemonopita (2024)

Greek Lemonopita is a dreamy fresh, moist three-layer lemon cream cake you’ll love!

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Greek Lemonopita translates to lemon pie, but it’s actually a dreamy fresh lemon cream cake. I first had this cake at Café Enasma while visiting Greece this summer. It’s a beautiful café that overlooks Agias Lake in Chania town, Crete. If you’re ever in the area, you should definitely go visit them. Not only are the views excellent, but the desserts were some of the best I tasted while in Greece. When I shared Enasma’s lemonopita on Instagram, many of you asked me about it. So, as soon as I got home, I started working on recreating it. I’m excited to share it!

What is Greek Lemonopita?

Lemon cream cake is made with three layers. The bottom is a lemon sponge cake that’s soaked in lemon syrup. Then, it has a vanilla custard layer that I wanted to make sure was creamy. So, I use my pastry cream recipe. The top is a cool lemon whipped cream that makes this cake too much for words!

Your family will have no words

• Light, moist lemon cake
• Creamy, vanilla pastry cream
• Fluffy, lemon whipped cream
• Delicious, lemony fresh cake for any time of the year!

Lemony fresh cake ingredients

For the Syrup:

• Granulated sugar
• Water
• Peel of a lemon
• Lemon juice

For the Pastry Cream:

• Whole milk
• Cornstarch
• Granulated sugar
• Salt
• Egg yolks
• Heavy whipping cream
• Pure vanilla extract

For the Cake:

• Whole eggs at room temperature
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Salt
• Olive oil
• Milk –warm
• Lemon juice
• Lemon zest
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder

For the Whipped Cream

• Heavy whipping cream
• Confectioner’s sugar
• Zest of a lemon

Garnish Options:

• lemon Slices
• ground pistachios
• sliced almonds

How to make Lemon Cream Cake

Make the Pastry Cream:

• Over medium heat, combine the milk, half of the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan and whisk until steaming hot.
• Whisk the egg yolks, remaining sugar, cream, and cornstarch until smooth in a separate bowl.
• Add a little of the hot milk to the egg mixture while whisking.
• Then, transfer the mixture back to the saucepan with remaining hot milk and cook over medium heat while whisking it constantly until thickened.
• Pass the cream through a strainer over a large bowl, and then cover the cream with plastic to prevent skin from forming.
• Set aside to cool.

Make the Syrup:

• Combine the sugar, water, lemon peel, and juice in a saucepan.
• Bring it to a boil, and when the sugar has melted, remove it from the heat and set it aside to cool completely.

Make the Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 180 °C
• Add the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a tabletop mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk over high speed until thick and fluffy –about 3-5 minutes.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and lemon zest.
• Add the olive oil and milk to the egg mixture and whisk until combined. Then, add the lemon juice and whisk together.
• Add the flour mixture in 2-3 batches while whisking at low speed until it is incorporated.
• Transfer the batter into a greased 9 x 13-inch (25cm by 35cm) baking pan.
• Bake the cake on the center rack for 30 minutes or until a toothpick that has been inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Poke holes all over the cake using the toothpick and pour the cooled syrup over the cake. Set aside to cool for at least an hour.

Make the Whipped Cream:

• In the bowl of a tabletop mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cream, sugar, and lemon zest.
• Whisk on high speed until thick and fluffy.
• Transfer the whipped cream into a pastry bag that has a large star tip in it.

Assemble the Cake:

• Spread the pastry cream on top of the cake in a smooth, even layer.
• Slice the cake into 12 equal servings, then pipe a whipped cream rosette on top of each slice.
• Garnish with lemon slices or with nuts.

You can make it ahead

You can make this cake ahead in two ways. The pastry cream can be made and chilled in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. So, you can make it ahead, and then pull it out on the day you plan on making your cake. Just whisk it together until smooth before spreading it on top of the cake. Any leftover cake will keep well chilled in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

You can also freeze your cake for up to 3 weeks. Wrap it with plastic wrap so that it does not absorb freezer odors, and then thaw before serving.

Serving

Each piece will create a beautiful presentation with the whipped cream rosette. You can decorate each piece with a lemon wedge, so everyone knows what’s inside. If you want to add a little crunch, you can even add some toasted slivered almonds or a little crushed pistachios. Pistachios and lemon really do go well together. Serve it with a perfect cup of Greek coffee, and enjoy. Kali Orexi!

More Cake Recipe:

• Ultra Moist Coconut Cake
• Politiko Thessalonikis: Greek Semolina Cake with Custard
• Mango Cake
• Greek Chocolate Walnut Cake: Karidopita
• Zoumero Keik: Greek Ultra Moist Chocolate Cake

Lemon Cream Cake: Greek Lemonopita

Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients

For the Syrup:

• 3 cups (620g) granulated sugar
• 2 and 1/2 cups (500ml) water
• peel of a lemon
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

For the Pastry Cream:

• 4 cups (950ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (80g) cornstarch
• 1 and 1/2 cups (375g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Cake:

• 4 whole eggs at room temperature
• 3/4 cups (175g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (130ml) olive oil
• 1 cup (250ml) milk, warm
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 and 1/2 cups (350g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons (20g) baking powder

For the Whipped Cream

• 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup (25g) confectioner's sugar
• zest of a lemon

New Group

• Garnish Options:
• lemon Slices
• ground pistachios
• sliced almonds

Instructions

Make the Pastry Cream: Combine the milk, half of the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan and cook it over medium heat until steaming hot. Combine the egg yolks, remaining sugar, cream, and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk together until smooth. Add the hor milk to the egg mixture and whisk together. Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat while whisking it comstantly until thickened. Pass the cream through a strainer that has been set over a large bowl. Cover the cream with plastic to prevent a skin from forming and set aside to cool.

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The pastry cream can be chilled in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Whisk it together until smooth before spreading it on top of the cake.

Make the Syrup: Combine the sugar, water, lemon peel, and juice in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil and when the sugar has melted remove it from the heat and set aside to cool completely.

Make the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 180 °C.

In the bowl of a tabletop mixer that has been fitted with the whisk attachment, add the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Whisk over high speed until thick and fluffy. 3-5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and lemon zest. Whisk them together.

Add the olive oil and milk to the egg mixture and whisk together until combined. Add the lemon juice and whisk together.

Add the flour mixture in 203 batches and whisk on low speed until it is incorporated.

Transfer the batter into a greased 9 by 13-inch (25cm by 35cm) baking pan.

Bake the cake on the center rack for 30 minutes or until a toothpick that has been inserted in the center comes out clean.

Poke holes all over the cake using the toothpick and pour the cooled syrup over the cake. Set aside to cool for at least an hour.

Make the Whipped Cream:

In the bowl of a tabletop mixer that has been fitted with teh whisk attachment combine the cream, sugar, and lemon zest. Whisk on high speed until thick and fluffy. Transfet the whipped cream into a pastry bag that has a large star tip in it.

Assemble the Cake:

Spread the pastry cream on top of the cake in a smooth even layer.

Slice the cake into 12 equal servings. Pipe a whipped cream rosette on top of each slice. Garnish with lemon slices or with nuts.

Serve with coffee. Kali Orexi!

Notes

Leftover cake will keep well chilled in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

This cake may also be frozen for up to 3 weeks. Wrap it with plastic wrap so that it does not absorb freezer odors. Thaw to serve.

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