If you're a fan of lemon desserts that strike the perfect balance between sweet and zesty, then this lemon curd cake is sure to become your new favorite cake. This cake is full of tangy lemon flavor with its lemon cake, that has the softes crumb, smooth mascarpone frosting and lemon curd.
Say hello to your new favorite cake, the irresistible lemon curd cake. Indulge in the ultimate citrusy delight with the that perfectly harmonizes sweetness and zestiness. Packed with tangy lemon goodness, this delicious cake boasts a moist lemon cake, with the softest texture, velvety mascarpone frosting, and a delicious lemon curd. Every bite bursts with zesty flavor!
For more lemon cake recipes, try Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes, Lemon and Blueberry Cookies and Lemon Meringue Cheesecake.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Full of zesty flavor: This is full of lemon flavor with a delicious lemon cake and tangy lemon curd.
- Mascarpone frosting: The most incredible frosting! This mascarpone frosting is so soft and velvety.
- Lemon curd: This delicious tart lemon curd is so delicious and easy to make.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Eggs: Take them out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking (depending how warm your kitchen is).
- Vegetable oil: I recommend using a flavor neutral oil like canola oil. The oil makes for a super soft and tender cake.
- Butter: Take it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking (depending how warm your kitchen is).
- Sour cream: Sour cream makes for a a super soft and tender cake. I suggest using one with 18% fat. Measure out the sour cream and let it come to room temperature
- Fresh lemons: For this recipe you need 2 lemons. I recommend using organic lemons as you need the zest, and organic lemons are not sprayed.
- Lemon curd: Make the homemade lemon curd, see the lemon curd recipe in the recipe card below, or use a store bought.
- Mascarpone: The mascarpone gives the most amazing texture that is super light and velvety.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here is how to make and bake these Lemon Curd Cake. This recipe needs an electric mixer. You can use either a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer. You will need a round 22 cm/ 9-inch baking pan.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
STEP 1: Start with making the lemon curd. In a medium sized saucepan add fresh lemon juice, sugar, egg, and egg yolk. With a whisk, constantly whisk the curd, while heating it up on a medium heat until it starts to thicken.
STEP 2: Take it off the heat, and pour it through a sieve over a bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and stir it in while it melts into the curd. Cover the curd with a piece of cling film so it touches the surface of the curd and place it in the fridge. Let it cool down until it’s needed.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - LEMON CAKE
Before starting preheat the oven to 170ºC/ 340ºF conventional oven. Prepare a 22 cm/ 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
STEP 1: In a large mixing bowl, add the lemon zest and granulated sugar and with your fingers message them together to release the lemon flavor. Add the butter and mix it on medium/high speed for 2 minute.
STEP 2: Add the eggs one at a time into the mixture and mix on low until combined. Continue by adding half of the dry ingredients, continuing on low speed, mixing until just combined.
STEP 3: Add the sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix until just combined, make sure not to over mix the cake batter. Add the other half of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
STEP 4: Pour the cake into the prepared pan and bake for 28-32 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - FROSTING AND ASSEMBLING
STEP 1: With an electric mixer, cream together mascarpone, agave syrup and vanilla bean paste. Then add the powdered sugar and mix it together until smooth.
STEP 2: Add the heavy cream and whip it until stiff peaks and it holds its shape. Place in the fridge, covered by plastic wrap, until ready to assemble.
STEP 3: Place the cake on your serving plate. Add the mascarpone frosting on top of the lemon cake. Add the lemon curd on top of the mascarpone creme and with a spoon and swirl it together with the frosting. Optionally decorate with lemon slices.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
Yes, replace it 1:1 with full-fat Greek yogurt.
Yes, store the lemon cake at room temperature, covered tightly by plastic wrap, and wait to add the mascarpone frosting and lemon curd, both stored in the fridge, until right before serving. It's best enjoyed within a few days.
I recommend using a cake tester. Once the time has passed, per the recipe, insert the cake tester in the middle of the cake and once it comes out clean, with no cake batter on it, then it's done.
STORAGE
Store the frosted lemon curd cake in the fridge covered by plastic wrap or in an airtight container. When serving the cake, bring it out 20-30 minutes before eating, so the cake is not too cold. If unfrosted, store the lemon cake, covered tightly by plastic wrap, at room temperature and wait to add the mascarpone frosting and lemon curd, both stored in the fridge, until right before serving. It's best enjoyed within a few days.
Other Cake Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Lemon Curd Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
LEMON CURD (can me sub for store bought)
- 80 g lemon juice about 1-2 lemons
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolks
- 50 g butter cold cut into smaller pieces
LEMON CAKE
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon zest a organic lemon about 1-2 lemons
- 70 g butter room temperature
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 120 g sour cream 18%, room temperature
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil e.g. canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice about 1 lemon
MASCARPONE CREAM
- 150 g mascarpone
- 10 g agave or honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 75 g confectioners sugar
- 90 g heavy cream
Instructions
LEMON CURD
- In a medium sized saucepan add lemon juice, sugar, egg, and egg yolk. With a whisk, constantly whisk the curd, while heating it up on a medium heat until it starts to thicken.80 g lemon juice, 100 g granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1 egg yolks
- Then take it off the heat, and pour it through a sieve over a bowl, to catch any cooked egg bits.
- Let it sit for 2 minutes to slightly cool down. Then add the cold cubed butter and stir it in while it melts into the curd. Cover the curd with a piece of cling film so it touches the surface of the curd and place it in the fridge. Let it cool down until it’s needed.50 g butter
LEMON CAKE
- Preheat the oven at 170ºC/ 340ºF conventional oven and prepare a 22 cm/ 9-inch round baking pan with parchment paper.
- Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set it aside.200 g all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a mixing bowl, add the lemon zest and granulated sugar and with your fingers message them together to release the lemon flavor. Using the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, add the butter and mix it on medium/high speed for 2 minute.200 g granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon zest a organic lemon, 70 g butter
- Add the eggs one at a time into the mixture and mix on low until combined.3 large eggs
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue by adding half of the dry ingredients, continuing on low speed, mixing until just combined.
- Add the sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix until just combined, make sure not to over mix the cake batter.120 g sour cream, 2 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste, 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- Add the other half of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Using a rubber spatula, give the batter a gentle fold to make sure all of the ingredients have combined.
- Pour the cake into the prepared pan and bake for 28-32 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. It will stay light and won’t brown.
- Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, gently remove the cake from the cake tin and let the cakes cool down completely.
MASCARPONE CREAM
- Once the cake has cooled down completely, make the frosting. With an electric mixer, cream together mascarpone, agave syrup and vanilla bean paste. Then add the powdered sugar and mix it together until smooth.150 g mascarpone, 10 g agave or honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste, 75 g confectioners sugar
- Add the heavy cream and whip it until stiff peaks and it holds its shape. Place in the fridge, covered by plastic wrap, until ready to assemble.90 g heavy cream
ASSEMBLING
- Place the cake on your serving plate. Add the mascarpone frosting on top of the lemon cake. Add as much of the lemon curd on top of the mascarpone creme and with a spoon and swirl it together with the frosting.
Iben Pernille Nielsen
Made this cake for my family at Easter. Everyone just loved this amazingly tasty cake.
Summer
Love this recipe. My whole family ate it up so fast
Abby
So delicious! I used store bought lemon curd, turned out perfect!