Lemon Layer Cake With Lemon Curd Filling Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 04/25/22
Lemon Layer Cake With Lemon Curd Filling and cake slices on plates

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Chill Time: 35 mins
Total: 105 mins
Servings: 12 to 16 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
437 Calories
26g Fat
48g Carbs
4g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 16
Amount per serving
Calories 437
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 34%
Saturated Fat 16g 78%
Cholesterol 123mg 41%
Sodium 304mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 48g 17%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Protein 4g
Calcium 96mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This delicious lemon cake is frosted with a lemon cream cheese frosting and filled with lemon curd.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, separated, at room temp
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/3 cups buttermilk
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • For the Frosting:
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar (sift before measuring)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup lemon curd, purchased or homemade
  • For the Filling:
  • 1 cup lemon curd, purchased or homemade
  • To Serve:
  • Berries or lemon zest, to decorate cake, optional

Steps to Make It

Make the Cake

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Cake ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, or spray with nonstick baking spray with flour.

    Greased and floured cake pans

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. In large bowl, combine cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, and salt.

    Cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, and salt mixture in a glass bowl with a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. In a mixing bowl, cream 3/4 cup of butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy.

    Creamed butter and sugar mixture in a white bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla.

    Egg yolk and creamed butter mixture in a white bowl, next to a hand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. With the mixer on low speed, beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture (about 4 flour additions and 3 buttermilk additions). Beat just until blended.

    Batter in a white bowl, next to a hand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. In small glass or metal bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.

    Whipped egg whites in a metal bowl, next to a hand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. With a rubber spatula, gently fold egg white mixture, in thirds, into the cake batter.

    Batter in a white bowl with a spatula

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  9. Spread batter in prepared pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on racks for 10 minutes. Invert onto racks and cool completely.

    Baked cakes in a cake pans, on a cooling rack

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Make Frosting and Assemble

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Cake frosting and decoration ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup of butter for 2 minutes, until fluffy.

    Cream cheese and butter mixture in a metal bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. At low speed, beat in confectioners sugar, cream, and 1/3 cup of lemon curd until smooth. Cover; chill 20 minutes, until spreadable consistency.

    Cream cheese and butter mixture with confectioners sugar, cream, and lemon curd in a metal bowl, next to a hand mixer

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Using a serrated knife, level tops of cake layers if necessary. Place 1 layer on serving plate; spread with the 1 cup of lemon curd. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes to set the lemon curd.

    Cake layer with lemon curd on top

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Top with remaining cake layer.

    Two layers of cake with lemon curd in the middle

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the cream cheese frosting; refrigerate. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.

    Lemon layer cake covered with icing

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Garnish with fresh berries or lemon zest, if desired.

    Lemon Layer Cake With Lemon Curd Filling

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga