This lemon curd cake recipe with lemon curd buttercream is light, sweet and citrusy and only takes 35 mins to bake.
The sponge from this lemon curd cake recipe is soft and moist – even more so with the syrup and is full of grated lemon zest which gives it a natural lemon flavour throughout. Decorate with drizzles of lemon curd and it’s ready to be enjoyed. Using a thicker lemon curd rather than a thin drizzle of syrup means that you get a rich tangy lemon flavour with enough sweetness to not make this lemon curd cake taste too tart. This lemon cake recipe would work for a classic afternoon tea cake or an after dinner dessert. You could even sneak a slice for a little lunch time pudding or have it with a cup of tea as your elevenses.
Like this? You’re going to love Mary Berry’s lemon drizzle cake!
Ingredients
- 250g butter, softened
- 250g caster sugar
- 250g self-raising flour
- 4 medium eggs
- 2tbsps milk
- Finely zested rind of 2 lemons
- 4 level tbsps caster sugar
- Juice of 2 lemons
- For the filling:
- 2 level tbsps lemon curd
- 125g unsalted butter
- 250g icing sugar
- 4 level tbsps lemon curd
- For the decoration:
- 3-4tbsps lemon curd
- 2 x 18cm (7in) round sandwich tins, buttered and base lined
- Small disposable piping bag
Method
Set the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
To make the cake: Beat the butter, add to the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.
Divide the mix between the 2 tins and level the surface. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes, until they’re just firm to the touch in the centre then remove them from the oven.
To make the syrup: Pour 4tbsps water into a small pan and add the caster sugar. Place on a low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to the boil. Allow it to boil rapidly for 1 minute, then remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon juice.
Remove cakes from the oven and immediately pour over the syrup, half over each cake. Leave in the tins for about 10 minutes, until all the syrup has soaked in, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Sandwich the 2 cakes together with the lemon-curd filling.
To make the frosting: Beat the butter until very soft, then add remaining ingredients and beat until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Spread the frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
To decorate, spoon lemon curd into the piping bag, cut off the end to create a small hole and drizzle in a zigzag over the top of the cake.
Top tip for making Lemon curd cake
This seems like a lot of syrup, but it makes the cake deliciously moist. If possible, use solid-based tins, so that no syrup leaks out.
