Moist and Zesty Lemon Curd Cake

Name: Moist and Zesty Lemon Curd Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 2 cups white sugar; 3.5 cups all purpose flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1 tbsp lemon zest (from 1 large lemon); 1 cup butter (227g softened); ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons); 1 cup buttermilk; 2 eggs (large); 1 egg white; 5 egg yolks (separated carefully); 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g); zest from one lemon; 1/2 cup lemon juice (from 4 large lemons); 6 tbsp unsalted butter (cold); 5 egg whites (( saved from the lemon curd)); ⅛ tsp cream of tartar; 1 ¼ cup sugar ((250 g) - you need 50 grams of sugar (½ cup) per egg white for the meringues.); 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar; 1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature); 2 tsp lemon zest; 2 tsp fresh lemon juice; 1 tbsp milk; pinch kosher (salt optional)

by Sam Adler on Jun 12, 2023 (updated Dec 12, 2025) 2 comments

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5 stars (1 rating)

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This Lemon Curd Cake is super moist and has three layers of fluffy lemon cake that are filled with zesty homemade lemon curd and topped with creamy lemon buttercream frosting. It is the perfect blend of tart and sweet from fresh lemon zest and juice. Plus, with the option to add meringue decorations, it’s a showstopper dessert that’s great for any party or occasion!

A lemon curd cake decorated with mini meringues and lemon slices on a light blue plate with a yellow background. — Add the mini meringues as a showstopper or skip them altogether!

With its light and refreshing lemon flavor, it’s a really great option for those warmer months when you want something bright and zesty and not too heavy.

The fluffy cake layers are moist and tender, and the lemon curd filling and lemon buttercream frosting adds a burst of tangy sweetness.

Lemon curd is one of my favorite summer desserts, so much so that I also use ir to fill these lemon curd muffins and these lemon curd cookies!

The optional meringue decorations in this recipe also totally make it a showstopper dessert that’s perfect for any special occasion, too. It’s just an extra touch you can add to take it to the next level if you want!

If you love lemon but want something quicker, check out this 5 star rated and reader favorite lemon pudding bundt cake!

For other frosting options, I recently made this lemon curd frosting which would be * chefs kiss * over this. This lemon cream cheese frosting would also work really well!

What you need

You will need a whole bag of lemons (about 8) for this recipe. 4 lemons will need to be zested. 8 lemons will need to be juiced, but you can juice the lemons that will be zested too.

Use fresh lemons for the lemon zest and juice. This will give your cake and curd a bright and vibrant lemon flavor that can’t be replicated with bottled juice or pre-grated zest. To get the most out of each lemon, use a lemon juicer.

Ingredients for a lemon curd cake. — Ingredients for the cake

For the lemon curd:

Ingredients for lemon curd — Only 4 ingredients needed for the lemon curd.

Making lemon curd cake from scratch

For this cake we use the reverse creaming method– this means that instead of creaming the butter and sugar together first, we are instead adding all the dry ingredients together and then adding the butter after. Doing it this way coats the butter in flour and reduces the structure of gluten from forming which makes the cake more fluffy-yay!

Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray 3, 8-9” round cake pans with baking spray or line them with parchment paper. Set aside.

Mix dry ingredients with butter: In the bowl of a hand or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the sugars, all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, baking soda, and lemon zest. Mix on low speed until combined. Add in the butter and mix for 30 seconds to one minute until the mixture looks sandy.

Add the wet ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, add fresh lemon juice and buttermilk. Mix again for 30 seconds, moving up from low to medium speed. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides. Add the two eggs and egg white and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Bake and cool: Pour the batter evenly into the three pans and bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then flip onto a wire rack to cool completely while you make the lemon curd.

Wet and dry ingredients for lemon cake in a mixing bowl. — Combine the ingredients for the cake.

Lemon cake batter in a stainless steel bowl. — The cake batter is thick and silky.

Make the lemon curd:

Separate egg whites and yolks: Separate the egg yolks from the whites carefully. Set the whites aside if you want to make the meringues to decorate.

Important! If you get any yellow into the whites, the meringues won’t whip, so you need to be very careful.

Eggs, lemon juice, and sugar in a glass bowl. — **Combine:** Add the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, and freshly squeezed lemon juice in a small bowl or measuring cup and whisk to combine.

Lemon curd cooking on a stove top. — Pour it into a heavy-bottomed pan over low- medium heat. Consistently stir the mixture for 10 minutes until it has thickened. You don’t want to rush this part or raise the heat, as it will cook the eggs. The mixture is done when it coats the back of a spoon. If you take your finger and make a line through the curd on the back of the spoon, and it stays in place, it’s done.

The back of a spoon coated with lemon curd. — The mixture is done when it coats the back of a spoon. If you take your finger and make a line through the curd on the back of the spoon, and it stays in place, it’s done.

Cubed butter in a pan of lemon curd. — Take the pan off the heat and immediately add the cold butter. Stir until melted.

Strained lemon curd on top of a bowl. — Strain the curd through a fine mesh strainer to make it smooth.

Lemon curd in a small glass container. — Pour the curd into a container and place a piece of plastic directly on top to prevent a film. Then cover and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

Optional meringue decorations:

Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 200 F and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.

Mix the meringue: Combine the remaining five egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer like a hand mixer or stand mixer. Whip on medium speed until foamy, then slowly pour in the sugar. Move to high speed and whip for up to 5 minutes for glossy stiff peaks. Do not overmix.

Pipe onto parchment: Add the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe meringues on the parchment paper. They can be close together as they won’t spread.

Bake and cool: Bake for 90 minutes, then shut off the oven and leave the meringues in for another hour. Remove from the oven and place in an airtight container if not using right away.

Meringue in a stainless steel bowl. — Whip the meringue until stiff peaks form. The peaks should be able to hold themselves up like this.

Mini meringues on a sheet tray. — Use different piping tips to make meringue decorations for the cake.

Make the buttercream:

Combine sugar and butter: In the bowl of a hand or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the confectioner’s sugar and butter. Mix on low speed working up to medium as the sugar combines with the butter. It takes about 1-2 minutes.

Add wet ingredients: Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides. Turn the mixer back to low speed and add the lemon zest, lemon juice, milk, and the pinch of salt if using. Mix on medium for 3 minutes until fluffy.

Assemble the cake:

Prepare the cakes and frosting: Level off the tops of the cake if needed. Fit a piping bag with a large round tip or fill a zip-top bag with the frosting and snip off the end.

Create a dam: Place one layer of cake on a cake board. Pipe a line around the edges of the cake. This is called a dam, it helps keep the lemon curd filling inside the cake without spilling out. It also creates structure and keeps the layers from sliding around.

Add the lemon curd: Fill the inside with lemon curd. Repeat with the second cake layer, then top with the last layer of cake.

Frost and decorate: Frost the cake with the remaining lemon buttercream and decorate immediately with the meringues.

A cake filled with lemon curd and a buttercream border. — First pipe the buttercream to create a dam, then fill with lemon curd. This makes sure the curd doesnt spill out.

A lemon cake filled and stacked with lemon curd filling. — Fill each layer then stack the cake on top. The dam also helps to create stability.

Alternative frosting idea!

Instead of making the lemon buttercream frosting, you can instead make the meringue as if you are going to bake them but instead use the meringue to frost the outside of the cake. Torch it with a kitchen torch and serve!

This cuts down on time and ingredients because you wont need to make the lemon frosting.

TIPS FOR RECIPE SUCCESS

Be patient when making the lemon curd. It’s important to cook the egg mixture over low heat and constantly stir to prevent the eggs from curdling. It may take up to 10 minutes for the curd to thicken, so don’t rush this step.
Level off the cake layers before assembling. This will help ensure that the cake is evenly stacked and won’t tilt or slide during assembly. A cake leveler or serrated knife works well for this step.
Make sure to save the egg whites from the curd to make the meringue decorations. You will need ½ cup (50g) for every egg white that you want to turn into a meringue.
Decorate the cake with the meringues just before serving. If you add the meringues too far in advance, they may become soft and lose their crispy texture. Also, be sure to store any leftover meringues in an airtight container to prevent them from getting stale.