Triple Lemon Cake

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This lemon curd cake is made of 4 layers of tender, sweet, perfectly tangy lemon cake filled with lemon curd and frosted with smooth lemon buttercream! Prepare yourself for a gloriously mouth-puckering dessert.

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Dessert

From the curd to the cake to the buttercream, this mouth-puckering lemony dessert is loaded with flavor from real lemon juice and fresh lemon zest. Here are just a few of the reasons you have to try it. Like, now.

• Perfect lemon curd. I used my classic lemon curd recipe. It really brings this dessert together. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and tangy and I love its smooth, silky texture. It’s the perfect filling for this lemony layer cake.
• Just the right amount of tart. People (including me) often hold back a little bit in lemon desserts for fear that the finished product will be too tart. I didn’t do that in this recipe. If you’re a lemon lover, you’ll be overjoyed at how this dessert makes your mouth pucker just the right amount.
• Texture. The cake itself has a nice density to it. Not too fluffy and not too heavy. It’s super satisfying to sink your teeth into. Plus, the use of oil instead of butter makes it so nice and moist.
• No fancy mixing methods. One great thing about this cake is that it doesn’t require much to put it together. The cake batter itself is particularly easy to make. Just whisk together the dry ingredients before mixing in the wet ingredients followed by the sour cream. It’s as simple as that.

What You’ll Need

You won’t need much to make this lemon curd cake and you might already have a lot of the ingredients in your kitchen. Here’s a shopping list for you. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Lemon Cake

• All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure your flour correctly, either with a food scale or using the spoon and level method. A quality 1:1 gluten-free flour should also work.
• Sugar
• Baking soda and Baking powder – A combination of the two gives the best rise and texture.
• Salt – This amplifies the flavors in your cake. Without it, the cake would be bland.
• Eggs – Be sure to use large size eggs, not medium or extra large.
• Vegetable oil
• Fresh lemon juice – Fresh. Seriously. The bottled stuff just isn’t the same.
• Sour cream

Lemon Curd

• Fresh lemon juice – Use fresh lemon juice. I know it takes a little extra effort but it’s just so much tastier.
• Lemon zest – Be sure to zest the lemons before you juice them.
• Sugar – Adds sweetness and volume to your curd.
• Egg yolks – These thicken your lemon curd and add to the tart flavor.
• Unsalted butter

Lemon Buttercream

• Unsalted butter – If the butter is too cold, you’ll get a lumpy frosting. Too melted and your frosting will be runny. Allow it to soften at room temperature before using.
• Powdered sugar – For volume and the right consistency.
• Fresh lemon juice – Real, freshly squeezed lemon juice really does make a difference here. So ditch the bottled stuff and grab your lemon press!
• Lemon zest
• Vanilla extract
• Salt – You don’t have to add salt, but it does help cut the sweetness a bit.
• Heavy cream – Use as much as needed to get the right consistency frosting.

How to Make Triple Lemon Cake

Ready to start baking? Here’s a quick look at how to make this outstanding triple lemon cake. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

Cake layers

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F, line the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper, and grease the sides with non-stick baking spray.
• Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• Add the wet ingredients. Whisk the eggs, vegetable oil, and lemon juice into the dry ingredients followed by the sour cream.

• Bake. Divide the batter between the cake pans and bake for 22-27 minutes.
• Cool. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 2-3 minutes before transferring to cooling racks.

Lemon curd

• Combine. In a double broiler set over simmering water, combine all of the ingredients. Heat until they begin to melt/thin out.
• Cook. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F or coats the back of the spoon.

• Chill. Transfer the lemon curd to a large bowl, press a layer of clear wrap over the top, and chill in the refrigerator.

Lemon buttercream

• Make the buttercream. Beat the butter until smooth. Mix in half of the powdered sugar followed by the lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract, and salt. Mix in the remaining powdered sugar.

• Get the texture right. Add heavy cream, as needed, to get the right consistency of frosting.

Assemble the cake

• Turn 2 layers into 4. Remove the domes from the top of the cakes and cut each cake horizontally to make 4 layers of cake total.

• Build the cake. Place the first layer of cake on a serving platter, pipe a dam of frosting around the outer edge, and fill the dam with half of the lemon curd. Add a cake layer and top with 1 cup of frosting. Add another cake layer, pipe a dam around the edge, fill the dam with frosting, and top with the last cake layer.

• Frost. Add a thin (crumb coat) of frosting to the outside of the cake and chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours before frosting the outside of the cake.
• Decorate. Pipe swirls of buttercream on top of the cake and garnish with lemon slices.
• Chill. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.

Tips for Success

When done right, this lemon cake with lemon curd is one of the dreamiest desserts ever. Pay close attention to these tips and tricks in order to get it there.

• Don’t overmix. When combining the wet and dry ingredients for the cake layers, don’t over-mix. This can cause the glutens in the flour to overdevelop which will cause the cake to become tough and overly dense.
• Use fresh lemon juice. In the cake, the curd, and the frosting. Bottled lemon juice will not give the same flavor.
• Cook over low heat. When making the lemon curd, cook over low heat. This, in combination with constant whisking (see my next point), will help keep the eggs from scrambling and will ensure that the lemon curd doesn’t burn.
• Whisk constantly. When cooking the lemon curd, whisk constantly. This will help prevent the eggs from scrambling and/or burning. It will also help add air and volume to the custard.
• Don’t overcook the custard. If you overcook the custard, it will become thick and lumpy and will not spread evenly over the cake layers. Cook it just until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Cool the curd. As the curd cools, it will thicken to the perfect consistency to spread over the cake. So give it some time to chill in the fridge before you use it in this dessert.
• Room temperature butter. Take the butter out of the fridge for a while before using it in the buttercream. You want it to soften otherwise you might find yourself with a lumpy frosting.
• Cool cakes. Allow the cake layers to cool completely before filling and frosting. Otherwise, the frosting and the curd will melt right off.
• Do your homework. Stacking, filling, and frosting a cake can be a little tricky. So I suggest looking through my posts on how to level and torte a cake, how to fill and stack a layer cake, and how to frost a smooth cake with buttercream while your cakes bake. They are full of information that will make the process a piece of cake (ha!).

How to Store Leftovers

Store this scrumptious lemon curd cake in an airtight cake carrier. If you don’t have one, wrap the dessert in a double layer of plastic wrap. I suggest using toothpicks to prop the plastic away from any decorations. If you’ve already sliced the cake, arrange the slices in a single layer in an airtight container. Whichever method you choose, store the cake in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

Can I Freeze This Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd?

You can! Pop the cake in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up before wrapping it in a double layer of plastic wrap. Alternatively, arrange slices of cake in a single layer in an airtight container. Either way, you can store the dessert in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Allow the cake to thaw in the fridge before serving.

More Lemon Desserts

You can’t get much more lemony than this triple lemon cake but if you’re on the hunt for more lemon desserts, here are some of my favorites.

• Lemon Cake with Lemon Bavarian Cream
• Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
• Lemon Loaf Cake
• Lemon Sugar Cookies
• Lemon Cheesecake
• Lemon Pound Cake
• Lemon Layer Cake
• Lemon Poke Cake

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