Lemon Curd Cake

4.94 from 215 ratings

This lemon curd cake is so delicious and has the perfect balance of flavor between the bright, tart lemon curd and fluffy cake layers and frosting!

Prep Time45

Cook Time35

Additional Time1

Total Time2 20

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24

Calories: 505kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Equipment

Ingredients

Lemon Curd

1 cup granulated sugar 200g
2 tbsp lemon zest - zest of 2 large lemons 10g
6 large egg yolks (save the egg whites to make the frosting) 150g
1/2 cup lemon juice - juice of 2 large lemons 120g
1/2 cup butter unsalted, cold and cut into Tbsp-sized pieces 113g

Lemon Cake Layers

3 cups granulated sugar 600g
2 Tbsp lemon zest - about 2 large lemons 10g
3 cups cake flour 360g
2 1/2 tsp baking powder 10g
1 tsp fine salt 6g
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
1 cup carton egg whites or 7 large egg whites, room temperature 240g
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature 360g
2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil 28g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
yellow gel food coloring optional

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

8 large egg whites, room temperature (use the 6 egg whites from curd + 2 extra) 240g
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 500g
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 454g
Zest of 2 large lemons
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice or the juice of 1 large lemon 60g
2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g
2 tsp lemon extract 8g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g

Optional Garnish

Dried lemon slices

Instructions

Lemon Curd:

Make the lemon curd first so that it has time to cool and thicken. Separate 6 yolks from the whites and set aside the egg whites to make the Swiss meringue buttercream later. Make sure the eggs are cold when you separate them; it makes the process easier.
Add 1 cup of sugar into a small saucepan. One quick thing to note! When making the lemon curd, it's best to use a saucepan that's ceramic as opposed to metal. Some metal pans and sometimes even metal whisks can give the curd a metallic taste.
Zest 2 lemons into the saucepan and massage the zest into the sugar with your fingertips. This helps release the oil in the zest and gives this curd a bright, citrusy flavor.
Add in 6 egg yolks and whisk the mixture together until combined. Then mix in the juice of 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice.
Heat on medium-low, stirring constantly with a wire whisk until the mixture thickens. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and keep its shape. This usually takes me 5-7 minutes.
Remove the pan from heat, then add in 1/2 cup of cold butter that's been cut into smaller pieces. Mix until the butter is fully melted and the ingredients are combined.
Pour the lemon curd through a fine mesh strainer into a separate bowl to remove any bits of cooked egg, clumps of zest, or lemon seeds. This gives it a perfectly smooth texture! Set aside to cool. If you make the curd in advance, cover it with plastic wrap to prevent it from forming a skin and store in the fridge for up to a month.

Lemon Cake Layers:

Then it's time for the cake layers! Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and line and grease three 8-inch cake pans with parchment rounds and non-stick spray.
Add 3 cups of sugar and zest 2 large lemons into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Use your fingertips to massage the zest into the sugar to help release the oil in the zest.
Add 3 cups cake flour, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt into the bowl with the sugar and whisk together until combined.
Then mix in 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter with a paddle attachment or hand mixer on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture looks like moist sand.
Mix in 1 cup of egg whites on a medium speed until incorporated. The batter should be quite thick at this point.
Then add in 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix on a low speed until incorporated.
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds to make sure everything is properly mixed together. This cake recipe uses the reverse creaming method, so this step is important to help give the cake layers a lighter texture.
Pour half of the cake batter (about 900g) into a separate bowl. Use a small drop of gel food coloring to color one bowl of batter light yellow.
Alternate pouring the uncolored and yellow batter into the prepared pans to give the cake layers a marbled look. Use a butter knife or a small offset spatula to swirl the batter together. Bake for 33-36 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake layers cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then run a small offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
Flip the cake layers onto a wire rack to cool. Use a serrated knife to level the tops and remove the caramelization around the sides of the layers. I also like to torte the cake layers horizontally (see picture above) to create 6 thinner cake layers, but this is optional. You can also trim the layers, then wrap and freeze them if you're making them in advance.
If you make these cake layers in advance and freeze them, let them thaw for about 20 minutes before assembling your cake. The cake layers should still be cold to the touch, which will make it easier to assemble your cake.

Lemon Swiss Meringue Frosting:

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the lemon buttercream frosting.
Before making the frosting, be sure to thoroughly clean your mixing bowl. If there’s any grease, it can make it difficult to whip up the meringue.
In a medium-sized pot, add 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer.
Add 8 egg whites (use the 6 egg whites saved from making the lemon curd, plus two additional egg whites) and 2 1/2 cups of granulated sugar into a large metal bowl.
Place the bowl on top of the pot filled with simmering water. The bowl should create a seal over the pot. Make sure the water isn’t actually touching the bottom of the bowl, or it can cook the egg whites.
Whisk the mixture constantly for about 3 minutes, until it reaches 160°F / 71°C. You can test the mixture to see if it’s ready by rubbing a tiny bit between your fingertips. The sugar should be fully dissolved, and it should feel super smooth and hot to the touch.
Lift the bowl away from the pot and dry the bottom with a towel. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on a medium-high speed with a whisk attachment. Mix for about 10 minutes, or until you have stiff, glossy peaks.
Mix in 2 cups of unsalted butter at a medium speed, 1 stick at a time. The frosting should have a thick, whipped consistency at this point. If it looks lumpy or broken, keep mixing until it looks smooth and thick. If it doesn't seem to come together after an additional 10 minutes of mixing, check out my Swiss meringue troubleshooting guide.
Once the consistency is right, swap out the whisk attachment for a paddle attachment and add in the zest of 2 large lemons, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tsp lemon extract, and 1/2 tsp fine salt.
To make the frosting extra smooth, swap out the whisk attachment for a paddle attachment and continue mixing on a low speed for a couple of minutes.
Place half of the frosting in a large piping bag and cut a 1-inch opening at the base of the bag. Set aside.

Assembling this Lemon Curd Cake:

Stack and frost the cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or flat plate using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
Spread a thin layer of buttercream on top of each cake layer. Pipe a thick ring of buttercream around the edge of the cake layer and fill the center with lemon curd. I like to add about 1/3 cup of lemon curd between each layer. Make sure you reserve about 1/4 cup of lemon curd to decorate the cake later.
Note: If you torte the layers like I did, alternate filling the cake with layers of lemon curd and a thick layer of frosting.
Once all the layers are stacked, gently press down on top of the cake with both of your hands to help them settle and to press out any trapped air between the cake layers.
Chill the cake in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to prevent the layers from sliding, then add a thin coat of frosting around the cake that fully covers the cake layers. Smooth using a large offset spatula and/or bench scraper, then chill the cake again in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
Then add a second layer of frosting to the cake with the remaining buttercream. Use a large offset spatula to give the frosting a textured look. Use a small offset spatula to add swipes of lemon curd around the cake and blend it into the frosting. Then decorate as desired and enjoy! I added some dried citrus slices as a garnish.

Video

Notes

How Many People Does This Cake Feed?

This cake feeds about 24 people. For more information on cake sizes and servings, check out my cake portion guide.

Substitutions and Swaps

If you need to make any substitutions or swaps in this recipe, please check out the section on ingredient substitutions in the post above.

Making this Lemon Curd Layer Cake in Different Sizes

One batch of batter is about 1800g or 10 cups, so I add roughly 600g to each of my cake pans when using 3, 8-inch cake pans.

You can also use one batch of batter to make 2, 9-inch cake layers or 4, 6-inch cake layers. Bake time will be a few minutes longer at 350°F/175°C.

If you want to make a tiered cake with this recipe, check out my cake batter calculator to see how many batches of batter you'll need.

This recipe can also be used to make a lemon curd sheet cake! One batch will make a 1, 9x13-inch cake layer that's about 1.5 inches tall once leveled.

Bake for 45-55 minutes at 350°F/175°C, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Bake time can vary a lot based on the type of pan you use, if you use heating cores, and your oven. I recommend using heating cores if you have them, they help sheet cake layers bake more evenly and quickly.

Once the sheet cake is baked and cooled, spread a thick layer of lemon curd straight onto the cake, chill the cake in the freezer for 10 minutes to help it set, then top it with buttercream.

For more details on how to convert this cake recipe and others into sheet cakes, check out my sheet cake guide.

If you want to make lemon curd cupcakes, bake them at 350°F/175°C for 18-21 minutes. One batch of batter will make about 3 dozen cupcakes (yield will vary based on the size of your liners).

Tips for Making the Best Lemon Curd Layer Cake

Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
Ingredients at room temperature mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
Chill the cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. This makes it a lot easier to stack and frost.
Chill the entire cake before adding the crumb coat. This will help lock all the lemon curd filling in place and prevent the cake layers from sliding.
If your cake layers seem to be sliding, insert a wooden dowel or chopstick through the center of the cake to help keep the layers in place.
If your cake layers turn out less than perfect, read my cake troubleshooting guide to see where things might've gone awry.

Making This Cake in Advance and Storage Tips

I highly recommend making the components of this cake in stages. It breaks the process up and makes it so much more approachable!

The lemon curd can be made up to a month in advance and stored in the fridge. Just be sure you save the egg whites to make the Swiss meringue buttercream.

The cake layers can also be made in advance and frozen. They taste just as great when they're frozen as when they're fresh, I promise!

In addition, you can make the frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting. It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

Be sure to give the frosting a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store it in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition