Rich, tart, fluffy, and creamy, this cake is guaranteed to be a hit this spring.
Lemon Curd Cake
Makes 1 (9-inch) cake
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups unbleached cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- Vanilla Buttercream (recipe follows)
- ¾ cup lemon curd
- Garnish: lemon slices
Vanilla Buttercream
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (2-pound) package confectioners’ sugar
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with baking spray with flour.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, oil, sugar, and zest at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating until just combined after each addition, stopping to scrape sides of bowl as needed. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing tops.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread 1 cup Vanilla Buttercream on top. Place ¾ cup Vanilla Buttercream in a piping bag and cut a ½-inch opening at the tip. Pipe a border around the outside edge of cake (place any remaining buttercream back in the bowl). Spread lemon curd in an even layer on top of cake, inside the border. Top with remaining cake layer and spread remaining Vanilla Buttercream on top and sides of cake. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.
Vanilla Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and salt at low speed until smooth. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar, 1 cup at a time, alternating with 1 tablespoon cream at a time, beating until smooth and fully combined. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add vanilla, and beat to combine.
