Lemon Curd Cake
Lemon Curd Cake is made with tender lemon cake, filled with pockets of tangy homemade lemon curd, topped with a light and creamy whipped mascarpone frosting.
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If you like lemony desserts, then you’re going to love this Lemon Curd Cake! Fresh lemon juice and zest give this cake its tart, tangy lemon flavor that’s perfectly balanced with a tender, fluffy single-layer cake, a light, creamy mascarpone whipped cream, and pockets of homemade lemon curd.
Whether you’re serving this for an Easter or Mother’s Day dessert or just a fun spring treat, you’re sure to enjoy every bite!
For the Lemon Curd
Rub sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers to help release the oils in the zest. Whisk in egg yolks and salt, followed by fresh lemon juice. Cook the mixture over low heat until it thickens or reaches 170°F. Strain the curd, then mix in butter. The lemon curd should be refrigerated and chilled completely before filling the cake with it, which will also allow the curd to thicken. Check out my Lemon Curd post for more tips and tricks on making the perfect curd!
For the Lemon Cake
The cake starts by combining sugar and lemon zest, then creaming with butter and a little oil, which helps keep the cake moist. Combine the dry ingredients and add half of them along with sour cream. Stream in half the lemon juice while mixing on low speed. Add the remaining half of the dry ingredients and lemon juice and mix until combined. Add the cake batter to an 8” square cake pan and bake at 350°F until the center of the cake springs back to the touch or a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean.
For the Lemon Mascarpone Whipped Cream
In a large mixing bowl, add mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Combine with an electric mixer, starting on low speed and increasing up to high speed once the mixture starts to thicken. Whip until it reaches stiff peaks. The consistency will be thick and fluffy.
Assembling the Cake
Using the end of a wooden spoon or a wooden dowel, poke holes all over the surface of the cake. Fill a piping bag with lemon curd, cut a hole in the bag, and pipe the lemon curd into each hole. Spread any of the excess curd flat with an offset spatula. Add the whipped cream and spread it out to the edges of the cake. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to add the lemon curd on top and swirl it into the whipped cream.
Variations
- Decorate with lemon slices or sprinkle lemon zest on top
- Serve with fresh berries
- For a richer frosting, swap the mascarpone whipped cream for cream cheese frosting
- For an orange version, swap out the lemon juice/zest for orange juice/zest in the cake with fresh orange curd
Lemon Curd Cake Recipe FAQs
What is the best way to store the cake?
Keep the finished cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can I use a different size cake pan?
This cake works best in an 8” square pan. You could try an 8” round pan instead, although it will be slightly thicker than the square pan I used. A 9” square or round pan will create a thinner cake, not giving much height for the pockets of lemon curd.
Can the cake be made in advance?
The lemon cake layer and lemon curd can be made ahead of time. I recommend poking holes and filling the cake, as well as making the frosting the same day you plan to serve the cake.
Tips for Success
- Use fresh lemons. Fresh lemon juice and zest are a must in this recipe. Bottled juice just won’t be the same, so I highly recommend juicing fresh lemons.
- Make homemade lemon curd. While store-bought lemon curd will work just fine here, nothing beats a batch of fresh lemon curd made from scratch. It’s simple, plus pretty quick and easy to make – I highly recommend giving it a try!
- Allow the cake to cool. The cake should be completely cooled to room temperature before poking the holes and piping in the lemon curd.
Baking Tip: Weigh Your Ingredients!
I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients rather than using measuring cups because it is the most accurate way to bake. Weighing your ingredients will give you more consistent results with your recipes and a better success rate, every time. Using a scale also saves you dishes which means easier cleanup! I provide gram measurements in all my recipes and this is the scale I love to use.
More Citrus Recipes You’ll Love
If you make this recipe and love it, be sure to leave a comment below. Happy baking!
Lemon Curd Cake
Ingredients
For the Lemon Cake
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) canola or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup (120ml) sour cream, at room temperature
For the Lemon Curd
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- zest of 3 lemons
- 6 large egg yolks
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 3 large lemons
- ½ cup (1 stick or 113g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
For the Lemon Mascarone Whipped Cream
- 4 ounces (113g) mascarpone cheese
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (55g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Lemon Curd: Combine the sugar and lemon zest in a medium saucepan, rubbing the mixture between your fingers to help release the oils. Add the egg yolks and salt and whisk together until the mixture lightens in color.
- Slowly stream in the lemon juice while whisking and mix until combined.
- Place the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until it thickens and reaches at least 170°F on an instant-read thermometer (up to 180°F for a thicker curd), about 7-10 minutes. The curd should coat the back of a spoon, and when you run your finger through it, the line should hold its shape without the curd running through it.
- Remove the pan from the heat and strain the curd with a fine mesh sieve to filter out the lemon zest. Stir in the cubes of butter until melted and fully combined. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until completely chilled. The curd will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Lemon Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9” x 9” square pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper to create a sling, with an overhang on all four sides.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the sugar and lemon zest on low speed to release the oils from the zest.
- Add the butter and oil, then cream the mixture at medium speed until fluffy and light in color, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for one additional minute.
- Add in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla, combining well after each addition and scraping the bowl as needed.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add half of the dry ingredients and the sour cream to the bowl. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly stream in about half the lemon juice. Mix just until combined, then scrape the bowl. Add the remaining flour and slowly stream in the remaining lemon juice with the mixer running on low speed until combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for 28-32 minutes, or until the center of the cake springs back to the touch (or a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs).
- Allow the cake to cool for at least 10 minutes before carefully removing it from the pan. Place the cake on a wire rack to finish cooling to room temperature.
- Once the cake is completely cool, use the end of a wooden spoon or a wooden dowel to poke several holes into the top of the cake. Fill a piping bag with the chilled lemon curd and cut a small hole in the tip. Pipe the lemon curd into each of the holes in the cake, reserving some for the top of the cake. Use a small offset spatula to smooth any excess lemon curd across the top of the cake.
- Lemon Mascarpone Whipped Cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix on low speed until combined, then slowly increase the speed to medium-high and whip until the frosting thickens and forms medium-stiff peaks.
- Add the whipped cream on top of the cake and spread it to the edges. Spoon on dollops of the remaining lemon curd and use the back of a spoon to swirl it into the frosting. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
