Cake with Lemon Curd Filling
Celebrate something special with this Lemon Curd Cake, made with two layers of moist yellow cake, thick and luscious lemon curd and rich lemon curd buttercream.
You will love this Cake with Lemon Curd
I couldn’t think of a better dessert to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this blog than Lemon Curd Cake.
Obviously, lemon is the right flavor choice, but this cake also exemplifies how do-able it is to make a restaurant-style dish (or dessert!) at home.
Homemade lemon curd SEEMS really fancy but that part of this cake actually only takes just a few minutes to whip up. Once you start cooking the eggs, butter and lemon juice together, it magically becomes curd in only a few minutes.
But the lemon curd is what makes this cake so special. Not only is there a luscious layer of lemon curd between the two layers of perfect yellow cake, but the entire cake is frosted with lemon curd buttercream. Yes, we added bit of lemon curd to classic buttercream to create something so special that it’s the right choice for ANY celebration!
Lemon curd frosting was a happy accident!
Not gonna lie, I wasn’t expecting this recipe to end up with a lemon curd buttercream! But, after several rounds of testing to make a batch of lemon curd big enough to be the cake filling but without leftovers, well, I still ended up with too much. Not the worst thing in the world, in my opinion.
So, as I started to make my buttercream (which I planned to add lemon juice and lemon zest to) I had a lightbulb moment – instead of thinning the buttercream with a little milk, which is the traditional method, what if I tried to thin the buttercream with lemon curd?
I wasn’t sure it would work, but I gave it a try and it did! Not only did 1/4 cup of lemon curd thin out my buttercream perfectly, but it added the lemon juice and zest flavor that I wanted to add anyway!
I *still* had a smidge of lemon curd left over after making the lemon curd frosting, so I just spread it on top of the cake! This is totally optional, but I think it looks cool and it adds another layer of lemon flavor to this vanilla cake with lemon curd filling, too.
Lemon Curd Cake Recipe Ingredients
- butter – in my opinion, a crucial element to any cake you want to taste great, including my orange bundt cake. Butter is used for this cake batter, the lemon curd AND the frosting, and I have zero regrets about that.
- oil – I also add a bit of oil to most cake batters for texture. A neutral, non-flavored oil like vegetable or canola works best here, and in my Black Forest cupcakes.
- eggs – Also critical for any great cake. At the time of this writing, eggs are expensive, so I regret to inform you that you’ll need 3 eggs + 7 egg yolks for this cake. It’s worth it, but be sure to use all the egg whites up in something like an egg white frittata.
- sugar – you’ll need granulated sugar for the cake batter and lemon curd, and then powdered (confectioner’s) sugar for the lemon curd frosting.
- flour – all-purpose flour forms the backbone of the cake batter.
- sour cream – this has long been the secret ingredient in my family’s sour cream sugar cookie recipe. We love the tang it adds to baked goods!
- baking powder – get that cake to rise!
- milk – I think whole milk is best for baking (and caramel coffee), so that’s what I used for this lemon curd cake recipe.
- lemons – you’ll be using lemon zest and fresh lemon juice for the lemon curd. Buy a few extra lemons and try my best baked salmon recipe with lemon Brussel sprouts for dinner! You can also make a batch of creamy feta dressing to use all week.
- salt – a little bit of salt appears in the cake, the lemon curd and the frosting to balance the sweet ingredients.
- vanilla extract – this is added to both the cake batter and the lemon curd buttercream for flavor.
- almond extract – my current favorite ingredient in just about any baked good, including my buttermilk blueberry muffins and recipe for blackberry muffins. I’ve even been know to add a few drops to a carrot cake smoothie.
How to make Lemon Curd Cake
- PREP. Prep the cake pans and whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- CREAM. In a stand mixer, cream the sugar and butter, then add the oil and mix until combined.
- EGGS. Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, mixing after each addition, then add the vanilla and almond extracts.
- ALTERNATE. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then the sour cream, then another 1/3 of the flour mixture, then the milk, then the remaining flour mixture, mixing until just combined after each addition.
- BAKE AND COOL. Divide the batter between the pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the layers comes out with just a few crumbs. Transfer the pans to a cooling rack, cool 5 minutes, then flip the layers out and allow to cool completely.
- MAKE LEMON CURD. In a saucepot, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook until the mixture thickens, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and salt. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, then chill.
- MAKE BUTTERCREAM. In a stand mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy, then add the vanilla and salt. Add the sugar 1 cup at a time, then beat in 1/4 cup of the lemon curd.
- ASSEMBLE. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread with some of the lemon curd. Place a few toothpicks in the bottom layer before placing the top layer over them. Frost the outside of the cake with the buttercream.
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Tips for this Lemon Filled Cake
First of all, wash your lemon before you zest and juice it. Seems like a simple thing, but it’s really easy to forget!
Lemon curd comes together very quickly once you get cooking, so be sure you have all of your ingredients measured and laid out before you begin.
Like chocolate creme brulee or really, any of my creme brulee flavors, I think it’s critical to strain lemon curd through a fine mesh strainer before cooling it. Even the most experienced pastry chef with the best technique in the world would probably tell you to strain it just in case some bits of cooked egg end up in your curd (it’s almost unavoidable, really).
Finally, when storing lemon curd, make sure you press plastic wrap right on the surface of the curd to prevent a film from forming. Then I also cover the bowl itself with another layer of plastic wrap.t –
Psst – make a double batch of lemon curd and serve some as part of a yogurt bar for brunch!
Don’t forget the toothpicks between layers:
My Dad and I used to always tease my mom, because whenever she served my birthday cake as I was was growing up (almost always after a birthday dinner of her lasagna recipe with cottage cheese!), the first thing she would say would be “watch out for the toothpicks!”
But you’ll be saying that with this lemon curd cake, too, because the toothpacks between layers are CRUCIAL here, because the lemon curd is kind of . . . slippery.
If you attempt to cut this cake without toothpicks holding everything together, it gets really messy, really fast.
After spreading the lemon curd on the bottom cake layer, I recommend poking 5 to 6 toothpicks into the bottom layer before carefully placing your top layer. I also do this with my chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting recipe. It just makes things easier.
How to store Cake with Lemon Curd Filling
Since lemon curd contains eggs and butter, cakes filled with lemon curd should be stored in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container or tightly covered with plastic wrap. It’s best to eat this cake up within 2 to 3 days.
Lemon Curd Cake FAQs
Lemon curd is made with lemon juice, sugar, eggs and butter, and it has a tangy flavor and silky texture. Custard is made with milk or cream, eggs and sugar, and has a thicker, creamier texture with less citrus tang. Curd is often used as a filling or spread, while custard is more commonly used to fill pies.
Yes, homemade lemon curd can go bad, as it contains eggs and butter. When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, lemon curd will last 1 to 2 weeks. To store it longer, you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
I think a little of the lemon curd soaking into the cake makes it moist and delicious, but if you prefer, you can create a barrier by lightly coating the cake in a thin layer of frosting before adding the lemon curd layer.
More Foxes Love Lemons Favorites
Lemon Curd Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake Layers:
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 12 tablespoons
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup sour cream at room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk at room temperature
For the Lemon Curd:
- 5 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice about 2-1/2 lemons; be sure to zest 1 or 2 of them first
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Lemon Curd Buttercream:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 sticks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch kosher salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup prepared Lemon Curd
- 5-6 toothpicks for assembly
Instructions
Make the Cake Layers:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Spray parchment and sides of pans with cooking spray. In medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt until well combined.
- In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream sugar and butter 2 minutes or until smooth. Add oil and mix until well combined.
- Add eggs and egg yolks one at a time, mixing each addition until incorporated. Add vanilla extract and almond extract and mix until well combined.
- Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Then add sour cream, another 1/3 of flour mixture, milk, and remaining flour mixture, mixing until just combined after each addition.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Transfer to oven and bake 25 to 27 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake layers comes out with just a few crumbs, but no wet cake batter. Do not over bake.
- Transfer cake pans to cooling rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes before flipping cakes out onto cooling racks and allowing cakes to cool completely before assembling.
Make the Lemon Curd:
- In medium saucepot, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth. Cook over low heat 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture thickens (do not let it come to a full boil), whisking constantly.
- Remove from heat and add butter cubes a few at a time, while whisking. Whisk until all butter is fully melted and incorporated. Whisk in salt. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Cover surface of lemon curd with plastic wrap, and then cover entire bowl with plastic wrap, and transfer to refrigerator at least 2 hours or until fully cool (up to 3 days).
Make the Lemon Curd Buttercream:
- In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Add vanilla and salt and mix until well combined.
- With mixer on low speed, add sugar 1 cup at a time until all sugar is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Add 1/4 cup Lemon Curd and mix at medium speed 1 minute or until frosting is smooth and creamy.
- To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on cake serving plate. Spread cake with some of the remaining lemon curd. You do not need to use it all. You want the lemon curd layer to be thick enough to see and taste, but not so thick that it will ooze out between layers when you add the second cake layer.
- Place 5 to 6 toothpicks in bottom cake layer before placing top cake layer over them. Frost entire outside of cake with Lemon Curd Buttercream. If desired, spread any remaining Lemon Curd over top of cake. Slice and serve right away, or store refrigerated up to 2 days.
Notes
- Recipes adapted from Tastes Better From Scratch, A Red Spatula and Wilton.
