Frozen Lemon Cake

This frozen lemon cake is closer to a semifreddo than a traditional cake, and it’s all the better for it. A homemade lemon curd made from egg yolks, sugar, and fresh lemon juice and rind gets cooked in a double boiler until thick as heavy cream, then cooled.

Once the curd is cool, whipped egg whites and stiff whipped cream get folded in. That double folding creates a mousse-like filling that’s light, airy, and intensely lemony. It sits on a layer of graham cracker crumbs with more crumbs scattered on top for crunch.

The whole thing freezes in a springform pan until firm. When you unmold it, you get clean slices with a creamy frozen center and a crumbly base.

Chef Tips

• Stir the curd constantly in the double boiler. Walk away and you’ll get scrambled egg yolks instead of smooth custard.
• Cool the curd completely before folding in the whites and cream. Hot curd deflates both and you’ll lose all the airiness.
• Fold gently with a spatula, not a whisk. You want to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
• Wrap the springform pan tightly with plastic wrap before freezing to prevent ice crystals and freezer taste.

Variations

• Top each slice with macerated strawberries as the recipe suggests. Slice strawberries and toss with a tablespoon of sugar 30 minutes before serving.
• Use vanilla wafer crumbs instead of graham cracker for a slightly sweeter, more buttery base.
• Add a tablespoon of limoncello to the curd for an adults-only version.