Lemon Curd Cake
My lemon curd cake is moist, tangy, and just sweet enough. It's filled with rich cream cheese frosting, and topped with the perfect amount of lemon curd.
I love decadent over the top layer cakes like my churro cake, Reese's cake, and Smores cake. This lemon curd cake is another favorite. It's made with cake mix, but we add fresh lemon flavor so its bright and tangy. Then the whole thing is filled with cream cheese icing and lemon curd.
Why This Recipe Works: A Sprinkle of Food Science
- Lemon Three Ways: Lemon flavor tends to get lost in sweet desserts. That doesn't happen here with zest, juice, and curd all contributing something unique.
- Use Butter and Milk not Oil and Water: This gives us a rich moist cake that doesn't dry out in the fridge.
- Add a Frosting Dam: This prevents the curd from coming out the sides so you get more in every bite.
Ingredient Notes & Shopping Tips
- Lemon Cake Mix: I like Betty Crocker's Super Moist Lemon because it has pudding in the mix.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter if possible. Ensure the butter for the frosting is at a room temperature. Around 1 hour on the counter works perfectly. You can also cut it into smaller pieces to speed up the process.
- Milk: Use whole milk for the best results.
- Eggs: Bring eggs to room temperature or place in a bowl of warm (not hot) water to help them mix together smoothly.
- Lemons: Be sure to grate only the yellow zest as the white pitch underneath is bitter. Zest first then juice. To get the most juice from your lemon, roll it on the counter and microwave for 20-30 seconds.
- Cream Cheese: Grab full fat blocks of cream cheese not the kind that comes in a tub. Soften at room temp or place the foil wrapped brick in a bowl of warm water.
- Lemon Curd: I like Trader Joe's best. It's affordable and not overly sweet. You can also use homemade.
- White Chocolate: I make my white chocolate curls by placing the chocolate in the freezer and using a peeler.
Krystle's Tips: Steal My Culinary School Secrets
- Use Parchment Paper AND Pam: This ensures your cakes will not stick. It works everytime for me.
- Weigh Your Batter: This gives you even cake layers that bake at the same rate too.
- Use a Cake Leaveler: Trim once cool using this or a serrated knife for flat stackable layers.
- Perfect Frosting Every Time: Don't skip the crumb coat! I also like to use an offset spatula and a roating cake stand for that smooth bakery look.
More Layer Cakes I Love
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Curd Cake
My lemon curd cake is moist, tangy, and just sweet enough. It's filled with rich cream cheese frosting, and topped with the perfect amount of lemon curd.
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Servings: 14 Slices
Calories: 808kcal
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Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 Boxes Lemon Cake Mix
- 6 Eggs
- 2 Cups Milk
- 1 Cup Butter Softened
- 1 Lemon Zest and juiced
For the Frosting
- 1 Package Cream Cheese Softened (8 Ounces)
- ½ Cup Butter Softened
- 3-4 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 3-4 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
- 1 Lemon Zested and Juiced
For Topping
- White Chocolate Shavings
- 2 Cups Lemon Curd
- Lemon Slices
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Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line your cake pans with a parchment round and spray with nonstick baking spray.
- In a large bowl combine cake mix, eggs, milk, butter, lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans Bake for 20-24 minutes. Cool completely.
For the Frosting
- In a large bowl cream butter, cream cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir in powdered sugar a little at a time. Add heavy cream until you reach your desired consistency.
Assembly
- Place first layer onto cake board. Use a cake leaveler to remove the domes that formed when baking.
- Pipe an outline of frosting around the outside edges of the layer to make a border. Top with around ½ cup of lemon curd.
- Repeat with remaining layers. Then apply a thin crumb coat of frosting on the tops and sides. Refriderate 15-20 minutes and then add a second coat.
- Repeat with the remaining cake layers.
- Scoop remaining lemon curd onto the top of the cake and spread evenly. Garnish with white chocolate shavings, pipes frosting and lemon slices if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 808kcal | Carbohydrates: 117g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 928mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 81g | Vitamin A: 1105IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 284mg | Iron: 2mg
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This Lemon Curd Cake is wonderfully moist and tangy. It's layered with cream cheese frosting and topped with rich lemon curd for a perfect balance of sweet and citrusy.
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
This cake was SO good and was alot easier to make than it looks! I made it for a co-worker's birthday and everyone wanted to know what bakery I bought it from so they could pick one up for themselves!
This lemon curd cake is soft, tangy, and perfectly sweet. The cream cheese frosting and lemon curd topping make it irresistible.
Lemon curd cake is delicious and moist so good with lemony feel.