Lemon Curd Cake Recipe

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A moist and flavorful lemon cake, stacked and filled with sweet and tart lemon curd, and covered in a tangy lemon cream cheese frosting.

Welcome to #LemonWeek 2022 hosted by Rebecca from Devour Dinner and me! This week is sponsored by Rodelle and La Tourangelle. I may have received product samples from these sponsors to help in the creation of my recipes. All opinions are my own. Come join me and my fellow Lemon Week bloggers as we bring you recipes from appetizers to drinks to entrées and desserts!

Day 3 in Lemon Week 2022 brings you my easy lemon curd cake, which is just going to knock your lemon-loving socks right off. If you’ve been a reader for awhile, you may know that I got my start in baking with layer cakes, so this simple lemon cake comes from years of treating people’s tastebuds to delightfully tart and sweet layers of moist lemon cake surrounding lip-puckering homemade lemon curd.

And if that isn’t enough to get your mouth watering, just think about the lemon cream cheese frosting that holds it all together.

Now we’re really talking.

Buttery, sweet, and filled with fresh lemon flavor, it’s the perfect base for the lemon curd filling and lemon cream cheese frosting. The three elements work together seamlessly, without any one component stealing the show.

You’ll also need:

• the zest of 2 lemons
• about ½ cup of lemon juice

I’m going to stress how important fresh is here, since you just can’t beat the intense flavor you get from using lemon zest and fresh juice.

In fact, I would say that it just wouldn’t be the same if you opted for the bottled stuff instead, since the lemon zest is really what ups the ante and gives it a punchy citrus flavor.

You’ll also want to make sure your ingredients (like butter, eggs, and milk) are room temperature, as that will give you the smoothest and most lump-free cake batter possible.

Homemade is almost always better than store bought, but it may not be realistic for every baker, every time. Even though my homemade lemon curd recipe is super simple and straight forward, it’s totally ok to use a good quality store bought version instead.

If you go the homemade route, you’ll need

• egg yolks
• some sugar
• the zest of 3 lemons
• about ½ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• a touch of salt
• some softened unsalted butter

It’s pretty simple to make, and you will have a good amount leftover for gifting, freezing, or serving with your favorite baked goodies.

The ingredients will need to rest at room temperature for 1-3 hours before they’re ready, so I like to set them out the morning of my planned baking excursion, and then get baking sometime around noon.

For the lemon cream cheese frosting you’ll need some:

• unsalted butter (room temperature of course)
• brick style cream cheese that has been softened to room temperature
• powdered sugar
• the zest of 1 lemon
• and a touch of vanilla extract

Lemon layer cakes are so great for a variety of occasions, but this works particularly well during Spring and Summer when the refreshing touch of lemon is a real treat during the hot and humid days.

You’ll be happy to know that this simple cake can be made in advance and even frozen, meaning you can plan ahead to have a slice of this delicious lemon cake with lemon curd anytime, anywhere.

STEP 2. Set the prepared cake pans aside, and add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium size bowl. Stir just enough to combine.

STEP 3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a handheld mixer), add your softened butter. Add in the sugar and lemon zest and beat everything on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. This usually takes around 3 minutes.

STEP 4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium-high speed until each one is incorporated before adding the next one. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed.

STEP 5. Finally, add in vanilla extract and beat again just until combined.

STEP 6. Add your milk to a large glass measuring cup or bowl, and then add the freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir well and set aside.

STEP 7. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl and turn the mixer to low speed. Add the flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with the milk and lemon juice mixture. Once everything come together, turn off the mixer and stir with a spatula until combined and fairly smooth.

The batter will be light, airy, and fluffy, so try your best not to deflate it.

STEP 8. Spoon the lemon cake batter into the prepared round cake pans and bake for 28-34 minutes, or until the tops are very lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of each cake.

STEP 9. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool in their pans until completely cooled.

STEP 10. Once the cakes are cooled, removing them by running a butter knife around the edge of the cake pan and inverting each one onto a wire cooling rack.

If you don’t want to make a lemon curd filling from scratch, that’s totally fine! You can absolutely use a high quality store bought option instead. You’ll need just about ⅓ cup to fill the cake, so even a small jar should be plenty.

STEP 11. To make a homemade lemon curd, the process isn’t as difficult as you might think it is. If you’ve ever worked with a double boiler before, you should be pretty comfortable making your own lemon curd filling.

STEP 12. The first step is to combine egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt in the top portion of a double boiler. The water should be at a steady simmer before you start.

STEP 13. Whisk the mixture until it becomes thick and foamy, which takes about 10-14 minutes.

STEP 15. When all of the butter has melted into the curd, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the curd, and press it down gently with your hand to make sure the surface of the lemon curd is completely covered with plastic wrap.

STEP 16. Allow your curd to cool in the fridge for about 2 hours. It will thicken up nicely as it cools. Once you’re ready to use, remove the plastic wrap and use it to fill the lemon layer cake.

Any leftover lemon curd can be stored in the refrigerator (covered tightly) for up to 1 month, or in the freezer for up to 1 year. Lemon curd also makes a much appreciated hostess gift, and is a delicious addition to crepes or cheese blintzes.

You can also use homemade lemon curd in another dessert recipe like my triple lemon cupcakes, a classic lemon meringue pie, or my 5 ingredient lemon mousse recipe.

STEP 18. Add the softened butter, room temperature cream cheese, and lemon zest to the bowl and mix on medium speed until no lumps remain. This normally takes about 3 minutes.

STEP 19. Decrease the mixer speed to low, and add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Increase the speed to high and beat until everything is combined and smooth. This should take another 2-3 minutes.

STEP 20. Set your cream cheese frosting aside, and prepare for the next step, assembling the lemon layer cake.

And don’t forget to check out my book, The Home Baker’s Guide to Basic Buttercream, for expert tips and troubleshooting tips for getting the perfect frosting every single time.

How to Assemble The Lemon Layer Cake

STEP 1. Add one of the lemon cake layers on a plate or a cake stand. Using a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton #12 piping tip (or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off), pipe a round well with the lemon cream cheese frosting along the outside edge of the cake.

This well of frosting will keep the lemon curd filling from seeping out of the sides of your lemon layer cake, and will give you a smooth appearance when you add the frosting to the sides and top of the finished cake.

STEP 2. Fill the cake with lemon curd, smoothing it with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.

STEP 3. Top the lemon curd filled layer with the second cake, with the cut surface down. For the best results, and a cake that holds up to slicing and serving a bit better, refrigerate the cake for about 10 minutes before frosting.

STEP 4. Once the cake has chilled, spread your cream cheese frosting on the top and sides of the cake until smooth and even.

STEP 5. Refrigerate the frosted lemon cake for at least 30 minutes before cutting. This will give the cake and frosting the chance to set completely.

STEP 6. After chilling, decorate your cake however you like it OR leave it plain. It’s totally up to you! I like the addition of a few lemon slices to keep it simple, yet elegant.

Keep your leftovers covered tightly and they should keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To store the lemon cakes, cover them tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container and store at room temperature (or in the refrigerator) until you’re ready to pull everything together.

Store the prepared lemon cream cheese frosting in an airtight container, and the lemon curd with plastic wrap pressed onto the top layer.

About an hour before you’re ready to serve the cake (or the morning of), assemble the cakes as described in the recipe and chill for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

To freeze your cake unfrosted, wrap the layers tightly and add to a labeled freezer bag. Store it in the back of your freezer (or in a deep freezer) and use within 2 months.

If you want to freeze cake that has been frosted, you can absolutely do that. Wrap your cake tightly and gently, pressing the plastic wrap against the frosting to prevent freezer burn. Transfer to a large labeled freezer bag and store in the back of your freezer, or in a chest or deep freezer for up to 2 months.

When you’re ready to serve, thaw your lemon cake overnight in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature before serving. Then frost, fill (if the cake wasn’t frozen assembled), and serve.

And now that you’ve made this bright, simple, and elegant lemon layer cake with lemon curd filling, you’re probably wanting to make ALL the layer cakes. Am I right, or am I right?

Good news, I have made TONS over the years. You have to try a few of my favorites, including my orange creamsicle layer cake, yellow layer cake (with chocolate buttercream of course!), milk and berries cake, and (obviously) my dark chocolate layer cake with peanut butter frosting. That’s right, I said peanut butter! Talk about scrumptious!

Wednesday #LemonWeek Recipes

• Lemon Poke Cake by Blogghetti
• Lemonade Cake by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Crepes with Lemon Curd and Mascarpone by Art Of Natural Living
• Braided Lemon Bread with Blackberries by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Chicken Costoletta by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Lemon Lush by Devour Dinner
• Lemon Cheesecake Bars by Best Cookie Recipes
• Lemon Pudding Cake by The Freshman Cook
• Lemon Cheesecake Bombs by Simply Inspired Meals
• One Pot Lemon Garlic Pasta Recipe by The Fresh Cooky
• Lemon Loaf Cake by A Day In The Life On The Farm
• Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Pudding Cookies by The Spiffy Cookie
• Lemon Blueberry Crumb Bars by An Affair From The Heart
• Mini Lemon Cheesecakes by Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
• Lemon Sorbet by Jen Around The World
• Lemon Blueberry Waffles by Lemon Blossoms
• Lemon White Chocolate Chip Cookies by Home Cooked Harvest
• Lemon Rosemary Marmalade by That Recipe
• Lemon Crepes by The Redhead Baker
• Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake by Jonesin’ For A Taste
• Lemon Coriander Soup by Magical Ingredients