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Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd Frosting Recipe
5 from 16 votes

Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd Frosting Recipe

Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd Frosting offers a tender, moist cake made with buttermilk and fresh lemon zest, layered and topped with a fluffy lemon buttercream frosting blended with lemon curd. The layers have a slight tang from buttermilk balanced by the sweetness and brightness of the lemon flavor, making for a classic citrus-flavored dessert suitable for celebrations or simple treats.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Additional Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 639 kcal
Course: Cake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the Cake:
  • 5 egg room temperature, white
  • ¾ cup buttermilk divided
  • 2 lemon zested (about 2 Tablespoons of zest, plural
  • ¾ cup butter softened, unsalted
  • 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 ½ cups cake flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Frosting
  • 1 cup butter softened, unsalted
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 lemon zested and juiced
  • 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
  • ¼ cup lemon curd

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. To prepare cake, grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper (cut circles to fit). Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, beat egg whites, 1/4 cup of the buttermilk and lemon zest. Set aside.
  3. In mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in dry ingredients and mix until combined. Slowly add in egg white mixture. Beat in remaining buttermilk.
  4. Pour evenly into cake pans. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25-28 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Remove and cool in cake pans 5 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
  5. For the frosting, beat butter for 3-5 minutes until pale in color. Add powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice (about 2 Tbsp from fresh lemon). Don’t add the heavy cream yet. Beat for 3-5 minutes until fluffy. Remove 1 cup of this frosting mixture. Set aside for now.
  6. To the big bowl of frosting add 2 Tablespoons of heavy cream and beat an additional 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
  7. To make the filling, take that 1 cup of the frosting and add ¼ cup of lemon curd and beat until combined.
  8. To assemble, place the first layer of the cake on a server or cake platter. Gently tuck strips of parchment paper under the cake to keep the frosting off your serving dish. 
  9. Spread the lemon curd frosting over the top of the cake.
  10. Place the second cake layer on top of the filling and press down slightly to secure.
  11. Spread the remaining frosting over the sides and the top of the cake. Remove parchment paper slips. Enjoy.

Notes

  • Use homemade or store-bought lemon curd for the frosting to add bright citrus flavor.
  • Separate eggs when cold for easier handling, and save yolks to make lemon curd.
  • The cake batter yields tender layers with a moist crumb due to buttermilk.
  • Prepare lemon curd and bake cake layers up to one day ahead, storing properly wrapped.
  • Freeze leftover cake slices wrapped tightly; thaw in refrigerator overnight before serving.
  • Trim domed cake tops or use bake even strips to create level layers.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1slice Calories 639kcal (32%) Carbohydrates 93g (31%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 29g (45%) Saturated Fat 18g (90%) Polyunsaturated Fat 9g (53%) Cholesterol 81mg (27%) Sodium 242mg (10%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 68g (136%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 639

% Daily Value*

Serving 1slice
Calories 639kcal 32%
Carbohydrates 93g 31%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 29g 45%
Saturated Fat 18g 90%
Polyunsaturated Fat 9g 53%
Cholesterol 81mg 27%
Sodium 242mg 10%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 68g 136%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.