If you like lemon, you are going to LOVE this easy and delicious homemade Lemon Curd Recipe!
It has a wonderful silky smooth consistency and flavor with just the PERFECT amount of lemony tartness.
This lemon curd recipe is our favorite lemon filling for cakes and cupcakes, and it is so simple to make!
HOW TO MAKE LEMON CURD
*Find the full, printable recipe at the bottom of this post!
Curd fillings are so easy to make and they taste amazing! This luscious lemon filling has so much flavor! It all starts with just a few ingredients.
- Combine sugar, cornstarch and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil (3-4 minutes).
- Boil, stirring, for 1 minute more.. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Spoon about 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into a small bowl with egg yolks and stir quickly until combined. Continue stirring, while pouring the egg mixture back into the saucepan. The egg yolks are what give the curd it’s lovely yellow color.
- Return pan to medium heat and cook, stirring, until the curd is thickened and lemon colored (1-2 min). Remove from heat and stir in the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Let the lemon curd cool, then press plastic wrap onto the surface, this will prevent a skin from forming on the top. Refrigerate.
What Cake Flavors go with Lemon Curd?
Lemon curd pairs wonderfully with white cakes, yellow cakes, and coconut cakes, but my FAVORITE is with our homemade Lemon Cake!
I just love lemon desserts, and everything about this filling is pure heaven.
This lemon curd has a delightful silky smooth consistency, and you’ll love how easily this light and flavorful lemon filling comes together!
How to Fill Cupcakes with Lemon Curd
- When using this lemon filling for cupcakes, try injecting the lemon curd into the unfrosted cupcakes with a disposable piping bag!
- I usually use a tip 12 for this. Simply insert the piping tip into the top of the cupcake and push it about halfway down. Then, give it a little squeeze for a second or two.
- You can do a practice run on a plate to get an idea of how quickly the lemon curd comes out of the bag and adjust accordingly since you won’t be able to see the amount of curd inside of the cupcake until you take a bite of it ;0)
- Everyone is sure to love this instant boost of lemony goodness! Top off your cupcakes with a swirl of Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (linked below) for an incredible dessert.
How to Fill Layer Cakes with a Soft Filling (like Lemon Curd)
- When using a soft filling such as lemon curd, mousse fillings, whipped cream fillings, etc. you’ll want to first pipe a dam of frosting around the edge of the cake layer (about 1/4 inch from the edge).
- I usually pipe the dam with a medium sized round piping tip, or you can simply snip the end of the disposable piping bag away to create a medium sized opening. Then, pipe your dam.
- Next, spread the soft filling within the dam and add the next layer of cake. The dam will prevent the lemon curd or other soft filling from escaping and oozing from the sides of the cake once the next layers are added.
- If you’ve ever had this happen to you, you know how difficult it can be to fix! Not only will it mess up the look of your cake, but it can also cause bulging or sliding cake layers. Frosting dams are always worth the extra minute or two of time to make one.
Love Lemon? Don’t Miss these cake recipes!
Here’s our Lemon Cake Recipe from scratch! This is one of our most popular scratch cake recipes!
We also LOVE this Doctored Lemon Cake Mix Recipe!
and this Coconut Lemon Cake! This delicious recipe has a Lemon Whipped Cream filling which is based on this lemon curd recipe.
If you are looking for a great lemon frosting to go along with this amazing lemon curd filling, our Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting recipe is perfect!
I’ve never met a cream cheese frosting recipe that I didn’t love, but there’s just something about the Lemon-Cream Cheese flavor combination that is out of this world!
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Thanks for stopping by! Make sure to check out our Recipes section for more of our FAVORITE cake, frosting, and filling recipes! If you are interested in learning more about cake decorating, don’t miss our Free Cake Tutorials Section, which includes a Free Cake Video Section!
Lemon Curd Recipe
This easy, silky smooth lemon curd recipe tastes amazing and makes a wonderful filling for cakes and cupcakes!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (150g) sugar
- 1/4 cup (30g) cornstarch
- 1 cup (236g) water
- 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 2 Tablespoons (18g) butter
- 1 Tablespooon grated lemon zest
- 4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine sugar, cornstarch and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil (3-4 minutes).
- Boil, stirring, for 1 minute more.. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Spoon about 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into a small bowl with egg yolks and stir quickly until combined. Continue stirring, while pouring the egg mixture back into the saucepan.
- Return pan to medium heat and cook, stirring, until the curd is thickened and lemon colored (1-2 min). Remove from heat and stir in the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest.-- Let the lemon curd cool, then press plastic wrap onto the surface, this will prevent a skin from forming on the top. Refrigerate.
- This will fill a 2-3 layer 8 or 9 inch cake with some leftover. The recipe can be halved.
- I have refrigerated the lemon curd for a week and it was fine....I'm not sure how long it will keep beyond that
- Makes 1 1/4 cups
Just used this recipe to make key lime curd for a key lime cake I’m making this week. SO easy to do and SO amazingly tasty. Remind me again…why have I been paying for curd all these years instead of making it myself? Never. Again. Thank you so much!
Yay! So glad that you tried (and loved) it!! We love it too!
Made this lemon curd for the first time and can I say OMG!!! This was the best. Not too tart the customer said that it went perfect with the buttercream. Can’t wait to make it again. I was thinking this would be perfect used for lemon meringue pie!
Should the cake filled with lemon curd be refrigerated?
Hi Melinda, yes you would need to refrigerate your cake with lemon curd filling. Just take it out about 1 1/2 hours before serve time to come to room temperature.
Thank you Mrs. BeBe for all your help! I’m preparing my menu for my cake business and making sure I’m complying with the Texas Cottage Food Law (anything that requires refrigeration I cannot sell from my home). So I guess lemon curd is off the menu.
Hi Melinda, I don’t like that law. You would be taking it from your refrigerator and selling it to your customer who would then take home to their refrigerator…..just like refrigerated and frozen items at the grocery store. Oh well, I’m sorry.
Yes ma’am, it kind of stinks; but am so thankful that home-based cake bakers are finally legal in Texas (since September).
You are right, we’ll celebrate that victory for the home based bakers!!
this recipe calls for butter…is this salted or unsalted? also, it calls for lemon juice…is this squeezed from actual lemons, or is it okay to use the pre-packaged juice from the container? thanks for answering, as my cake is due this thursday, and i wanted to try this out. i just joined the site, and i really love it. thanks again, and i look forward to your reply. :-)
Hi Vannessa, we used unsalted butter. We squeezed the lemons for juice……haven’t tried the pre-packaged lemon juice but if it is 100% lemon juice, I think it would be fine.
Thanks for your nice comment about the site.
I have to haul a cake 300 miles with no refrigeration and they want a lemon filling. Any suggestions? The lemon curd isn’t going to work for me! Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Hi Lonnie– Country Kitchen SweetArt (and probably others) sell fillings that are very stable at room temp. I would call them and ask them about their lemon filling.
http://www.countrykitchensa.com/shop/food-items/pastry-filling-lemon/46/532/798/619072/
The only other option that I can think of would be flavor buttercream with lemon extract.
Thank you so much Melissa!
Hi, what does T mean for the buyer and lemon?
I changed the recipe to read Tablespoon
Thanks BeBe, you are a gem
Not very familiar with making any filling but I would like to make a blueberry curd for my lemon cake. Can I substitute cooked down blueberries for the lemon juice?
Hi, I haven’t tried that but it sounds delicious. I think it should work. Let me know if you give it a try.
BeBe, thank you for responding to my question. I did make the blueberry lemon cured. I replaced 2 tbls lemon juice for 2 tbls of water. Then I used 7 tbls of the blueberry juice in place of the 4 tbls lemon juice. It was very good but I would have liked more of the blueberry flavor. I was afraid of making the filling too loose or I would have added more blueberry. I used it to fill a vanilla lemon cake (made using 2 boxes of vanilla cake mix and 1 box of lemon cake mix) so the blueberry really complimented the lemon flavor but the blueberry wasn’t as pronounced as I would have liked it to be.
Hi thyme2play, I’m sorry it didn’t turn out quite as you hoped. I would like to give that flavor a try sometime. Based on what you have said, I think I might try using blueberry jam instead of juice. Maybe 4 or more Tablespoons of blueberry jam in place of the 4 Tablespoons lemon juice (depending on how thin it was). In addition to making the blueberry curd and to try to deepen the blueberry flavor I would thin 2 or more Tablespoons blueberry jam with water if needed and warm slightly to thin, then spread over the layers. Then I would spread my blueberry curd over this. I’ll let you know if I give it a try.
Hi, please tell can we use this filling in a cake,tha has to be coverd with fondant? in that case,should we refrigerat the cake and for how many days?
Hi Sahdia– This does need refrigeration. What type of fondant do you use? We refrigerate Satin Ice brand fondant covered cakes often with no trouble.
Just made this today…very easy and so lemon tasting. Used some gorgeous lemons from the backyard and the egg yolks left over from a white cake I made using the whites only. Can’t wait to try it with vanilla buttercream and white cake..hope it turns out good. :-)….oh yes, how long will it stay fresh in a covered container in the fridge? Thanks!
Hi Paula, you are so lucky to have a lemon tree in your back yard.
I have kept lemon curd a week in the refrigerator and it was fine…….. I’m not sure beyond that number of days. I have read that it could be frozen but I haven’t tried that yet.
Thanks very much for your reply BeBe…you are right..having a lemon tree in the backyard really comes in handy!! :-)
Im making a 6 inch cake with lemon curd filling. Will this be too much?
Can this be halfed?
Ansa
Hi Ansa, this will fill a two layer 8 or 9 inch cake with a bit left over. I’ll add this information under the recipe.
Yes, you can half the recipe. Hope you like it.
I made this previously and had no problems but after trying to make it tonight I ran into something that I did not remember from the last time. I mixed the sugar, cornstarch and water together and stirred it but it ended up thickening into a gel type of mixture that I don’t remember happening before. I know the mixture should thicken before adding the eggs in but I didn’t think it should it should be that thick. Can you let me know if I went wrong with this and possibly where?
Hi James, I’m not sure what happened, possibly too much cornstarch was added is my best guess.
Used this with fresh strawberries for a strawberry lemonade filling. Fabulous!
That’s great, thanks for letting us know.
just made this for strawberry lemonade cupcakes, and I don’t think I will have enough by the time I need to use it for frosting… its soooo good, thank you :)
Made this tonight—YUM!!! and so very easy. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
This note is probably much too late to help James, but if you follow the instructions exactly, it will turn out great. Make sure to whisk constantly. Mine was thick also but once it was finished on the heat, I added the butter, zest, lemon juice and whisked it a bit, it was fine–did I mention it was YUMMY!!!
Again, thanks for sharing.
I just love all the recipes, ideas and information your cake school site provides. You are the best!!!
I have a question….If i make the white cupcakes and fill them with the curd filling, can I freeze them until I need them? Also can I freeze the cupcakes if I frost the ahead of time with the cream cheese frosting?
Thank You for your guidance!
HI Debbie, Thank you for your nice comments about the site. Yes, you can freeze the cupcakes filled with lemon curd. We usually do not freeze our frosted cupcakes. It is easier to freeze unfrosted, there is no worry about damaging the swirl of frosting, just our preference. You can freeze your cupcakes, the important thing is for them to be air tight while frozen.
THANK YOU:)
I have made this twice now and it is so delicious! I do run mine through a strainer to get out the little tiny bits of cooked egg I always seem to get and then add the zest last. It is my favorite. Yummmmm! Thanks so much.
I’m so glad to hear it, Terri! xoxo
Is there a low carb sugar free version of this. I love lemon ?
How long can this stay out of the fridge for? I read in previous comments to remove from the fridge 1.5 hrs before serving but if it is for a wedding and sitting at room for about 3 hrs will that effect anything? Thank you
Hi Mary, I am sorry but I have not experimented with a sugar free version of the recipe.
Hi Alexina, When lemon curd is used as a cake filling the cake does need to be refrigerated. I like to take it from the refrigerator just to take the chill off the cake a bit. The cold cake will help to keep the lemon curd cold. Just to be on the safe side and not knowing the temperature at the event, 3 hours out maximum.
Thank you BeBe for replying. Perhaps choosing another cake filling is best then. I’m conflicted on choosing a cake filling ( as the bride is open to any flavour) because a lot of them need to be refrigerated and the cake will be sitting at room temperature for about 3 hrs before cutting. Are there any cake fillings that you can recommend that can stay at room temperature for a few hours? Thank you :)
Hi Alexina, Buttercream is the safest way to go. If you want a lemon flavor, I would use the Classic Vanilla Buttercream (all butter) recipe on the site. Use 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon lemon extract along with the zest of a lemon. I don’t know the size of your cake, but you would need to double the recipe to have enough for decorative piping. You could also use a very simple raspberry buttercream. Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam on the cake layer, then tint your buttercream a light pink and add raspberry extract (to taste). There is also the Simple Spreadable Ganache recipe, if chocolate fits what you have planned. It is a 2 to 1 recipe (chocolate to cream). It can be whipped and spread between layers and left out for a day. Hope all goes well.
Thank you so much for the suggestions! I appreciate you taking the time to reply ? xx
Hi. If I made a strawberry or raspberry filling would it be able to stay at room temperature for a few hours? I was thinking of doing a layer of buttercream – make a dam then a strawberry filling on top. Do you have a strawberry filling recipe, I was looking but couldn’t find one on your site. Thanks!
Hi Alexina, Yes, the strawberry or raspberry filling would be fine to use for a wedding.
Strawberry Filling
1/2 to 3/4 cup water
3 T. cornstarch
2 1/2 cups strawberries, frozen or fresh cut into thin slices
1/2 cup sugar – more if strawberries are not sweet enough
Whisk the water and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add the sugar and strawberries. Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens 10 min. or more, depending on the amount of berries. Cool completely before using. Can be kept in the refrigerator 4 or 5 days.
The cakeboss raspberry cake filling is good, here is a link to the recipe, it takes a short while to load but it should come up for you,http://www.cakeboss.com/Cake-Stuff/Recipes/Raspberry-Filling
Wonderful! Thanks a million
Hi! Just wanted to say that I used this recipe as a filling for my daughter’s birthday cake and oh my goodness it tastes amazing!! It was easy to make too! Thanks for sharing :)
Hi Alexina, I am so happy you like the recipe!! Thank you so much for posting your thoughts.
Every time I make lemon curd the curd is nice and smooth. After refrigeration over night I have to whip again. The butter and perhaps the liquid separates but the butter solidifies in small pieces. Unfortunately whipping it does. not smooth the filling out. Do you have any suggestions why this happens. Therefore the filling after refrigeration is never smooth but has little clumps in it. Thank You
Hi Pat, If the butter solidifies in small pieces, the mixture was not hot enough when the butter was mixed in. Since you said the curd was smooth right after making it, I think possibly to much of the egg white might be going into the mixture with the egg yolks and the pieces you see are actually pieces of cooked egg. Do you have an egg separator for separating the yolk from the white? Some people pour the curd through a strainer after it is cooked to get out any solid pieces, though this does not seem to fit your problem since yours is smooth upon completion. Do you think either of my suggestions could be a possibility?
Hi Bebe . Thanks for your suggestions on the lemon curd. I tried to be very careful about the whites being left with the yolks. The curd I take from the burner pull it aside and then add the butter and vanilla or lemon flavoring . The chunks appear after it’s refrigerated .hard like little chunks like butter which I don’t understand because the butter was melted into the lemon card right off the burner.
I googled the problem to find other possible causes. One suggestion was that overcooking can cause the problem, also not stirring the mixture constantly. When refrigerating, press plastic wrap onto the surface of the curd so a thin crust won’t form on the top. If a crust did form, I don’t think you would refer to it as chunks but I wanted to add this possibility also.
have you made a strawberry or rasberry filling
Hi Sarah, This is a strawberry filling that I have used.
Strawberry Filling
1/2 to 3/4 cup water
3 T. cornstarch
2 1/2 cups strawberries, frozen or fresh, cut into thin slices
1/4 to 1/2 cup depending on the sweetness of the strawberries
Whisk the water and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add the sugar and strawberries. Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens 10 min. or more, depending on the amount of berries. Cool completely before using. Can be kept in the refrigerator 4 or 5 days.
Do you have an estimate in grams for the amount of yolks? I have few from yesterday in the fridge, I would like to use them for this.
Hi Nair, one large egg yolk is approximately 18 grams this recipe has 2 yolks so 26 grams.
Hello, I was wondering how to add this curd to the lemon cake recipe. Do you spread it between the two layers of cake and then refidgerate? I am new to baking!
Hi Felicia, yes, between the two layers. You can spread the cream cheese frosting over the bottom layer and then spread on the lemon curd add the top layer of cake. You can reverse the process for the top layer…….spread a thin layer of curd on the top layer for added lemon flavor, it will need to be thin so you can spread the cream cheese frosting over it easily. The recipe for lemon curd makes 1 1/4 cups so you can half the recipe if you like. Any leftovers can be covered and refrigerated for at least a week, we haven’t tested beyond that.
Hi BeBe and Melissa. I have made your lemon curd recipe many, many times and it is always wonderful. I usually use up just about all of it, but this time I have leftovers. I know I can refrigerate but can this lemon curd be frozen? Thank you.
I forgot to add to my question about freezing lemon curd: do you know if the Cake Boss’ Seedless Raspberry Puree (which I have made many times, always great) can be frozen?
Hi Paula, yes, you can freeze lemon curd. I am not sure about the length of time but I am sure I have frozen it for 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. I have never frozen raspberry puree, but I would think it would be fine to do so. Here is a link on freezing raspberry puree that you might find helpful http://www.taste.com.au/entertaining/articles/how-to-freeze-raspberry-puree/Gzsluq1d
Thanks BeBe!!
Can you use this filling for a pie?
Hi Marie, As it is written, I would not use as a pie filling.
Hi , how long should the lemon curd be refrigerated after you cover it before it is okay to apply to the cake ?
Hi Jerica, the lemon curd can be used as soon as it cools to room temperature. It is perishable so cakes that have this filling should be refrigerated.
Hello. I was wondering if this will soak into the cake. I am making a double layer full size sheet cake. Should I use a butter cream icing on the cake before applying the curd? Thanks.
Hi Carolyn, It does sink into the cake a little bit and looks a bit thin between the layers when used alone so we usually use our buttercream as a filling and spread lemon curb over that. Don’t spread too close to the edge or it may seep out……you could also pipe a dam around the edge it you are worried about that. Hope you enjoy the recipe.
Thanks so much. Yes I did enjoy it, my kids eat it by the spoons full. Did a double batch so they can have some. ?
That’s great, Carolyn!! Thanks for your post!
Can I make the curd and then mix it with already made buttercream just to make it more stable? Making a cake for a teacher not sure if she can refrigerate the cake.
Hi Theodora, She would still need to refrigerate it.
OK thanks a lot!! Might just use the curd for home use!!
Hey, I wanted to try this recipe but I had some questions. First, I was worried that it will smell like eggs if I make the tiniest mistake. How could this be avoided? I was also wondering whether I could use a double boiler instead of direct heat. Thank you in advance! I am planning to use the curd for your gingerbread cake, do you think it will be a nice combination?
Hi I was wondering if I could use a double boiler for this recipe. Thanks in advance xo
Hi Maria, We have never had the lemon curd smell like egg and I don’t remember anyone contacting us with that issue. You can use a double boiler but it is not necessary and will take longer to make if used. Remember that the curd will thicken further as it cools, becoming quite thick after refrigeration. Yes, gingerbread cake and lemon will be great together.
Hi Becky, Check above for double boiler answer
How long is this safe at room temperature?
Hi Holly, As you know, the completed cake needs refrigeration, take out an hour or so before serving. The temperature of the room where served is a factor, but we have had the cake out for 3 hours with no problem.
Can you use this for a lemon pie ,I have a extra crust
Hi Laura, We have never used this for a pie. We have used the lemon curd for bite size tiny lemon tarts, topping them with a little whipped cream.
My mother made this when I was young. She added crushed pineapple and served over sliced angel food cake. Loved it.
Hi Liz, That does sound delicious. Melissa and I just completed a pineapple coconut cake today with a pineapple filling, and yours would be a great filling for it also. Thanks for your post.
I tried this recipe and it was my first time making lemon curd. It was simple you just have to have everything ready for each step because it goes quick. It turned out perfect.
Hi Roni, Thank you for posting your review of the recipe.
Pregnant wife wanted this at 10:30 at night. Well it was delicious.
HaHaHa, glad you liked it!
Your welcome. I doubled the recipe for a birthday cake and also made the lemon cream cheese frosting and everyone loved it. I even had to give someone else the recipe. Lol Brett when I was pregnant everything lemon was in my grocery cart.
Hi Melissa, Your lemon curd looks wonderful!! I’m so happy you like it and thank you for posting your thoughts on the recipe!
Can the lemon cake recipe with lemon curd be made and frozen ?
Hi Julie, We have never frozen a frosted lemon cake with curd filling, but since lemon curd can be frozen, I think you could do so with no problem. We often fill with a layer of frosting and a thin layer of curd over that. If you want a thicker layer of curd don’t spread it close to the edge, leave about 1 inch space around the edge so it will not be pressed out by the weight of the top layer. I would thaw in the refrigerator the day before you plan to serve it.
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Hi Sarah, we use unsalted butter but you could use salted if you would like to.
Just tried it with Lemon sponge cake. I loved it. delicious ❤️
Hi Samantha, I am so happy you like the recipe, thanks for posting!
Hi Bebe,
I just made the lemon curd and it is cooling now. I made it to use as a filling layer in a birthday cake for tomorrow. Once it’s cooled and I place it between my layers (with a frosting dam I read) will I need to refrigerate my finished cake because of the lemon curd or will it be fine at room temperature?
Hi Stephanie, The lemon curd is perishable so the cake will need refrigeration. Take it out of the refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before serving so the chill will be off the cake.
Could I substitute milk for water in this recipe? I would like this filling to be a bit more custardy if that makes sense. I am not a fan of that “watery” custard taste I have tasted in the UK.
Thank you very much in advance for your advice?????
Hi Emmie, We have not tried using milk so I’m not sure of the outcome. Please let us know if you give it a try.
I made the curd and put it in the fridge. How do I warm it up so I can spread it to fill my cake? It is really thick and it’s not spreadable right out of the fridge
Hi Corinna, You should be able to leave in out of the refrigerator maybe 10 minutes, then put some on the cake layer and spread out using a spatula or the back of a spoon. Don’t microwave to warm it. Hope you like it.
Mine ended up quickly becoming a thick goop before I even mixed it with the egg yolks. The yolks and the butter/lemon/zest mixture combined together smoothly, but even out of the fridge it’s more of a … it’s not spreadable… you can break it into chunks like a jelly.. more like cranberry sauce when it’s cold. What did I do wrong?
I made this today to put in my vanilla cake. So far it turned out great, taste and consistency. I can’t wait to fill my cake with it.