Looking for a tasty afternoon pick-me-up? This Lemon Curd Loaf Cake with Lemon Buttercream could be perfect. It’s tangy, sweet and delicious with an afternoon cuppa.
I love lemon curd, so of course, I had to make a lemon curd cake recipe.
Lemon curd on toast has got to be one of the best easy treats going. It’s so thick and tangy, but sweet and just absolutely delicious.
When something is that good, it just begs to be put into a cake!
I also quite firmly believe that actually, a little bit of cake is good for you.
Lemon Drizzle cake has always been a favourite but just adding some buttercream and heavenly lemon curd gives it something more.
This Lemon Curd Loaf Cake is sticky, sweet and perfect with a cup of tea in the afternoon, especially if you are flagging and need a bit of an energy boost.
Lemon Curd Loaf Cake Ingredients
Baking with Lemon Curd is brilliant and this recipe for lemon curd sponge cake is super simple. I use:
Margarine – or room temperature butter
Caster Sugar
Eggs
Lemon Curd – I add my lemon curd to my cake batter; if you prefer, you can add dollops to the batter as you put it in the tin instead. Or both for lots of little bursts of lemon curd as you bite in.
Self-Raising Flour
That’s it!
If you like a stronger lemony flavour or more tang to your easy peasy lemon curd cake you can also add the juice and zest of one lemon (add 15g of flour too, to compensate) or a teaspoon of lemon extract.
Could You Use Bottled Lemon Juice Instead of Fresh in a Cake?
I actually only use lemon curd in my lemon curd pound cake, and if ever I want more flavour, I’d use lemon extract.
But I appreciate that not everyone has lemon extract in their cupboard. And you might not all have a lemon waiting for a G&T like I do, either!
In which case, yes you could add bottled lemon juice to your lemon loaf with lemon curd.
I’d just add a tablespoon or two and, again, add a tablespoon more flour, too, to compensate.
How to Make a Loaf Cake with Lemon Curd
When I make this cake with lemon curd, I keep things super simple. I follow a basic loaf cake recipe and stir in a big dollop of lemon curd.
I bake it in a 2lb loaf tin with some reusable baking paper.
You can get the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Lemon Curd Buttercream
When I make Lemon Curd Buttercream Icing, I Use:
Unsalted Butter – Not margarine, which is oil-based and much runnier.
Icing Sugar – I use equal parts butter and icing sugar for a really thick, creamy buttercream.
Lemon Curd
How Long Will This Lemon Curd Loaf Cake Stay Fresh?
This Lemon Curd Cake, if covered, will stay fresh for around 3 days. It’s quite moist, so takes a while to dry out, I would advise keeping it in a sealed tin or tub though if you can.
I keep my Loaf Cake with Lemon Curd on the side in a lidded cake stand and it stays nice and fresh. But if your kitchen is particularly warm, I’d store any cake with buttercream in the fridge instead.
The only thing I will say is that the tbsp lemon curd I drizzle on the top kind of soaks into the buttercream. It still tastes great, but if you want it to look the same as it does when you first make it, either keep it in the fridge or skip the lemon curd on top.
Can You Freeze a Lemon Loaf Cake?
You can!
I’d leave the buttercream off, but you can freeze the cake if you leave it to cool, and then wrap it tightly. Or freeze individual slices, wrapped in cling film and sealed in an airtight tub.
I also tend to make too much buttercream, so I freeze extras in an airtight tub to put on a future cake.
It thaws a little bitty sometimes, but if you mix in a splash of milk before spreading or piping it should be fine.
What Can I Do with a Jar of Lemon Curd?
If you’ve bought a jar of lemon curd to bake with, you might be wondering what to do with the rest of it.
More cake is, of course, a fantastic option!
You can also use it as a topping on pancakes, scones, toast, and even as a sandwich filler.
You could use it in muffins, either mixed into the batter or with a big dollop in the middle, on waffles or in a cheesecake mixture.
Other ideas on how to use up lemon curd include tarts, mousses, or a layered dessert like a truffle. This page has some other great lemon curd uses.
How Long Will Lemon Curd Last?
Once opened, a jar of store-bought lemon curd will last in the fridge for around 3 months. Like many other preserves it’s got a pretty good shelf life, so don’t feel rushed to use it up.
Can I Use Homemade Lemon Curd?
Absolutely, but remember, homemade lemon curd won’t last as long. Once the jar has been opened, it should be consumed within a week or two. There’s an easy homemade lemon curd recipe here.
Other Loaf Cake Recipes
Lemon Curd Loaf Cake with Lemon Curd Buttercream
Ingredients
For the Lemon Curd Cake:
- 170 g Caster Sugar
- 170 g Butter (or margarine)
- 3 Eggs
- 200 g Self-Raising Flour
- 4 Tablespoons Lemon Curd (At Room Temp)
For the Lemon Curd Buttercream:
- 150 g Butter (at room temperature)
- 150 g Icing Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Lemon Curd (+ 1 Tablespoon to drizzle – optional)
Instructions
The Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (fan-assisted) and grease or line a 2lb loaf tin.
- Whisk together the butter and sugar.
- Mix in the eggs one at a time.
- Add the lemon curd and whisk until mixed through.
- Whisk in the flour until smooth.
- Pour into the prepared loaf tin and spread out evenly.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 45 minutes, testing by inserting a skewer into the centre.
- If the centre is still uncooked, cover with foil and return for 5-10 minutes.
- Leave to cool completely in the tin.
The buttercream:
- When the cake is completely cool, beat the butter until soft.
- Add the icing sugar and continue beating until smooth.
- Stir through the lemon curd.
- Spoon or pipe onto the cooled cake.
- Pipe or drizzle over a tablespoon of lemon curd to finish. It can be easier to warm the lemon curd slightly in the microwave first.
Video
Notes
- If you want a stronger lemon flavour add a teaspoon of lemon extract or the juice and zest of one lemon to your cake batter, adding 15g of flour if you use juice.
- If you prefer fab bursts of lemon curd, instead of mixing it through the batter, add dollops to the batter once it’s in the tin in layers. So add half the batter, some dollops of lemon curd, the rest of the batter, and dollop on more lemon curd to finish. I’d add extract or juice to the batter if you are doing this.
Nutrition
Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.
I LOVE lemon curd/lemon honey. This looks like a gorgeous recipe, I might have to give it a try!
Me too! I could just sit and eat it on toast all day± :)
I was a bit worried making it with lemon juice. But to my surprise it worked out well. Since then my husband, daughter and Granddaughter don’t ask for any other cake. AMAZING
That’s so nice to read, thank you for letting me know, I’m so glad you’ve all enjoyed it!