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 a snap to make!
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!
Learn Cake Decorating with My Cake School!
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!
You may also be interested in our other Curd Fillings!:
That’s all for now, we hope that you enjoy the recipe!
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
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.