Lemon Curd Cake

Lemon Curd Cake Recipe

Our recipe for Lemon Curd Cake is divided into three steps. Each component can be made ahead and the final cake assembled when needed.

We borrowed the reverse creaming method from America’s Test Kitchen to produce a moist and tender cake that’s also sturdy but with a light crumb.

Decorating and serving

If you’ve followed me for a while you probably know that I’m not an expert cake decorator. However, I think this simple cake design looks fantastic and requires very little skill, time or effort.

Lemon Curd Cake is a great dessert for birthdays, showers, Easter, Mother’s Day and any other reason you can think of. Everybody needs a sunny lemon cake in their life!

Ingredients for Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd Filling:

Lemon cake layers:

• lemon zest (no white pith)
• granulated sugar
• whole milk at room temperature
• fresh lemon juice, strained before measuring
• large egg whites at room temperature (reserve egg yolks for another use)
• vanilla extract
• bleached cake flour like Softasilk (cake flour creates a finer crumb than all-purpose flour)
• baking powder
• table salt
• unsalted butter cut into 12 pieces and softened but still cool

Filling:

• 2 cups store-bought or homemade lemon curd. We recommend our easy homemade lemon curd for this recipe.

Ingredients needed for Lemon Buttercream Frosting:

• unsalted butter, room temperature
• block cream cheese at room temperature
• Confectioners’ sugar
• table salt
• fresh lemon juice strained before measuring
• vanilla extract
• heavy cream (more or less as needed for desired consistency)

Helpful Equipment:

• three 8-inch cake pans (affiliate link)
• 8-inch parchment paper circles (affiliate link)
• electric mixer
• offset spatula (affiliate link)

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How to make Lemon Curd Cake

Prepare the lemon cake batter:

• First, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper circles. Grease the parchment and flour the pans. Set aside.

• In a small food processor combine the lemon zest with 3 or 4 tablespoons of the granulated sugar. Process until the sugar is bright yellow and the zest is in small flecks.

• Next combine the milk, lemon juice, egg whites and vanilla together and set aside.

• Using a mixer combine the flour, all remaining granulated sugar, lemon sugar, baking powder and salt on low until blended. Add the butter, 1 piece at a time, and continue mixing until only pea-size crumbs remain.

• Pour in half the egg white mixture into the dry ingredients and blend. Add the remaining egg white mixture. Blend again until combined. Stir the batter a few times by hand using a spatula scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl until well blended. Do not overmix. 

• Divide the batter between the three prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake until the tops are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean, about 18 to 22 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking.

• Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes the remove and discard the parchment. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Make the Lemon Buttercream:

• Using an electric or stand mixer beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add half the Confectioners’ sugar and salt and blend on medium-low until most of the sugar is incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and blend again.

• Add the remaining Confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and cream. Blend on medium until smooth and blended. Scrape down the bowl as needed then fold together using a spatula.

Assemble the cake:

• Place one cake layer on a plate or cake stand. Pipe a small border of buttercream around the outside edge of the cake to create a wall.

• Spoon lemon curd in the center then spread to the edge. Add another cake layer and repeat with a buttercream border and more curd filling.

• Top with the final layer of cake. Frost the sides and top of the cake smoothing or decorating as desired.

NOTE: If making buttercream flowers with lemon curd centers as shown in the photos, set aside 1/3 to 1/2 cup of curd before filling the cake layers.