Lemon Curd Cake Recipe
Lemon curd cake is a fresh and flavorful moist lemon cake with layers of creamy tart lemon curd, frosted with a sweet, creamy and tangy lemon cream cheese frosting. With it’s beautiful bakery worthy appearance and easy preparation, this lemon cake with lemon curd is the perfect cake for all your spring and summer gatherings.
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with whisk attachment and paddle attachments or hand mixer with beaters
- 2 8 inch (20 cm) cake pans
- 2 parchment paper
- 2 cake strips
Ingredients
Lemon Cake
- 2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large lemons, zested
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 ml) oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream
- ¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting and Lemon Curd Filling
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 oz. (113 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 - 4½ cups (480 - 540 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ - ½ cup homemade or store bought lemon curd
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Lightly grease and line the bottom of (2) 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the all purpose flour, baking powder and salt until well combined.2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour, 2½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment mix the lemon zest and sugar until it’s the consistency of wet sand. Add the beat oil and softened butter. Cream on medium speed for 3 minutes or until fluffy and well combined.1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar, 2 large lemons, zested, ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, ¼ cup (60 ml) oil
- On low, beat in the the eggs, vanilla extract and sour cream one at a time until fully combined. On the lowest setting or by hand, mix the dry ingredients into the wet, alternating with the buttermilk and lemon juice in this order: dry, lemon juice, dry, buttermilk, dry.3 large eggs, room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup (120 g) sour cream, ¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice, ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- Evenly scoop the lemon cake batter into the prepared pans (the total weight of the cake is about 1210 g). Bake the moist vanilla and lemon cake for 28 - 32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cakes in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan to cool completely on a cooling rack. Loosely wrap the cakes in plastic wrap to chill in the fridge for an hour. The cakes must be completely cooled before applying the frosting.
- While the lemon cake layers cool, make the lemon cream cheese frosting. In a mixing bowl fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese on medium speed for 4 -5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Mix in the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla extract and lemon juice until smooth and well combined.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, 8 oz. (113 g) cream cheese, room temperature, 4 - 4½ cups (480 - 540 g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Scoop ½ cup frosting into a piping bag or zip lock bag. This is for the “frosting dam.”Place the first lemon cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Pipe a “frosting dam” around the edge of cake. Evenly spread the lemon curd filling on top of the cake layer, inside of the frosting damn. Transfer the cake to the fridge to chill for 15 - 20 minutes.¼ - ½ cup homemade or store bought lemon curd
- After chilling the bottom cake layer, top with the second layer of lemon sponge cake. Apply ½ - ¾ cup of lemon cream cheese frosting to the top and sides of the cake, smoothing it out to the edge of the cake and around the sides of the cake. This is the crumb coat. Chill in the fridge for 30 - 60 minutes.
- Apply the rest of the lemon cream cheese frosting to the lemon curd filled lemon cake. Place the cake in the fridge to set for about 20 - 30 minutes if the frosting is very soft. When you are ready to serve, top the cake with more lemon curd if you like, slice and enjoy.
Notes
Store: This easy lemon cake with lemon curd is super moist and will do great when stored in the fridge. Keep the cake in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 4 - 5 days.
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