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This moist lemon cake with lemon curd is the most incredible lemon dessert. It’s a soft, fluffy lemon cake topped with bright and creamy homemade lemon curd. Every slice is bursting with sweet citrusy flavors!
Lemon season is nearly here, folks. If you have a fruit bowl bursting with citrus, lemon desserts are the answer. This lemon cake with lemon curd is the perfect balance of bright, tart citrus flavors wrapped up inside a moist homemade cake. Topped with fluffy whipped cream, of course. Everything is made from scratch, right up to the silky, zesty homemade lemon curd. You’re going to love it!
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd
- Fresh lemon flavor. I use freshly squeezed lemon juice and fresh lemon zest for the best possible flavor. No bottled stuff, here! Trust me, you’ll taste the difference.
- Creamy lemon curd. Gosh, you’re going to go crazy for this homemade lemon curd. It’s rich, creamy, and buttery. Yet somehow bright and zesty at the same time. You’ll want to spread it over everything.
- 100% homemade. If the thought of making a whole cake from scratch sounds a little intimidating, don’t worry. This recipe doesn’t call for stacking layers, or any fancy equipment. It bakes up in one cake pan with simple ingredients.
Ingredients You’ll Need
With the right ingredients, this cake is destined to turn out amazing. Check out some quick notes below, and scroll to the recipe card for a printable ingredients list.
For the Lemon Curd
- Eggs – Room temperature eggs are best.
- Lemon Juice and Zest – You’ll need the juice from 2-3 fresh lemons. Zest the lemons before you juice them.
- Sugar – Regular granulated sugar works best here.
- Butter – Brought to room temperature and chopped into large cubes.
For the Cake
- Cake Flour – Cake flour is a low-protein flour with a finer texture than all-purpose. When it comes to super soft and tender cake recipes, cake flour is your gal. However, you can substitute all-purpose in a pinch.
- Baking Powder and Salt – For leavening.
- Milk and Butter – You can use any kind of milk that you’d like, and I recommend unsalted butter.
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract will give your cake the best, most natural flavor.
- Lemon (again) – I love real, freshly squeezed lemon juice in this cake. If you’d like a more intense flavor, you can add a few drops of lemon extract on top of the lemon juice. You’ll also need lemon zest.
- Eggs and Sugar – Like the curd, you’ll want to use granulated sugar and room-temperature eggs.
- Whipped Cream – Making your own whipped cream topping is easy. All you need is whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar. You can use powdered sugar if you have it, otherwise, there’s so little in the recipe that granulated white sugar also works fine.
How to Make a Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd
First, you’ll make your lemon curd. Then, you’ll make the lemon cake! There’s a bit of time involved, but it’s very easy. Just follow the steps below. Scroll down to the recipe card for printable recipe instructions.
- Make the lemon curd. Heat eggs, sugar, and lemon juice in the top bowl of a double boiler, whisking while the mixture thickens. Strain the mixture, and whisk in the butter and lemon zest.
- Chill. Afterward, place the lemon curd into the fridge to chill for 4 hours.
- Mix the dry cake ingredients. Meanwhile, whisk together the dry ingredients for the cake batter.
- Heat the milk. Next, heat butter and milk in a saucepan, then stir in vanilla and lemon juice. This makes a mixture that’s a lot like buttermilk, for extra tang.
- Combine. In the bowl of your mixer, beat eggs with sugar. Add lemon zest, and then slowly stream in the milk mixture. Finally, fold in the dry ingredients.
- Bake. Spread the cake batter into a greased 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350ºF for 20-25 minutes. Let the cake cool for a bit, then release it from the pan to cool completely.
- Make the whipped cream. Once your cake is cool, add whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar to a bowl. Cover and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge. Beat the ingredients until stiff peaks form.
- Assemble. Spread lemon curd over the cooled cake, and pipe whipped cream around the top edge (or anywhere your heart desires). Garnish with fresh berries, and serve!
Tips and Variations
- Don’t overmix. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter until they’re just combined. Be careful that you don’t overmix your lemon cake batter. You’ll end up with a dense, tough cake.
- Cover the lemon curd with plastic wrap. When refrigerating and storing lemon curd, press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the curd to prevent skin from forming.
- Make the lemon curd in advance. Don’t get caught halfway through the recipe without your lemon curd! Make the curd first. Even better, make it a few days in advance so it has plenty of time to chill. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 1 week.
What to Serve With Lemon Curd Cake
This lemon cake with lemon curd is the perfect “fancy without trying” dessert whether it’s Mother’s Day or Memorial Day. Enjoy slices as they are, or serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or vegan blueberry nice cream for a cool and refreshing treat. I love washing down this lemon cake with hibiscus iced tea in the summertime or a creamy cortado coffee or matcha latte any time of the year.
How to Store
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover lemon cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Pro tip: cover the cut section with leftover whipped cream to keep the cake moist.
- Freeze. I recommend freezing the baked lemon cake before adding the lemon curd and whipped cream. Store the cooled cake tightly wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap. Freeze it for up to 1 month. Thaw the cake in the fridge and then add the toppings before serving.
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Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd
This moist lemon cake with lemon curd is the ultimate dessert for lemon lovers! It's a soft, fluffy lemon cake recipe topped with bright and creamy homemade lemon curd.
Ingredients
For the Lemon Curd
- Water
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, (about 2 to 3 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 3/4- cups sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter, , room temperature, cut up in few pieces
For the Cake
- 1-1/2 cups cake flour
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon freshs lemon juice
- 3 large eggs
- 1-1/4 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
For the Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Blueberries for Garnish, , optional
Instructions
For the Lemon Curd
- Place a food strainer or mesh sieve over a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
- Fill a saucepan with about 1 inch of water and bring the water to a simmer. Place a heat-resistant bowl over the saucepan to create a double boiler.
- Add eggs, sugar, and lemon juice to the top bowl, and whisk until combined.
- Continue to cook the lemon mixture, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and pour the lemon mixture through your prepared strainer to remove any lumps.
- Whisk butter into the strained lemon mixture. Add the lemon zest and whisk to combine.
- Let the curd cool slightly. Press a layer of plastic wrap directly to the surface of the lemon curd, to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for 4 hours, or until thickened and cold.
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and position the rack in the middle of the oven. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform cake pan with baking spray and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk cake flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
- Set a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add milk and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Remove the milk mixture from the heat and stir in vanilla and lemon juice.
- In your mixer's bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Beat until the eggs are pale yellow and the mixture has doubled in size. Mix in the lemon zest.
- With the mixer on, slowly stream in the milk mixture. Continue to mix until it's well incorporated.
- Turn off the mixer and gently fold in the flour mixture.
- Spread the batter in the prepared springform pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and set it on a cooling rack. Release the springform pan, turn out the cake, and let it cool completely.
Homemade Whipped Cream
- In a mixing bowl, combine whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- When chilled, beat the mixture until stiff peaks form.
Assemble the Cake
- When the cake is cool, spread lemon curd over the top.
- Use a piping bag to pipe the whipped cream around the edges of the cake.
- Garnish with blueberries and serve.
Notes
- Prepare the lemon curd first. The lemon curd can be prepared the day before, or up to 1 week before you plan to use it. Store the lemon curd airtight in the fridge, with plastic wrap pressed directly to the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 201mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 640IU | Vitamin C: 5.6mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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Happy Anniversary!
I couldn’t find where you mentiond, how to store the leftovers. Can I leave it on the counter for awhile?
Hi!
Yes, that’s OK. Most cakes are perfectly fine at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Just keep it covered so it doesn’t dry up.