If you love bright, citrusy desserts, this lemon cake with lemon curd is a must-try! It's soft, buttery, and filled with a luscious lemon curd center, making it a cross between a doughnut cake and a classic bundt cake. A sugar-lemon zest coating gives it the perfect sweet-tart finish.

Sliced lemon cake made in a bundt pan with fresh lemon slices.

This is a delicious and easy lemon cake recipe that is great for Easter or Mother's Day. This homemade cheesecake is another great dessert for Mother's Day, which tastes great topped with leftover lemon curd.

Lemon zest and sugar coating on lemon doughnut cake.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Bright & Citrusy - Bursting with fresh lemon flavor - great for lemon lovers!
Moist & Tender - Thanks to buttermilk and sour cream.
Smooth Lemon Curd Filling - A burst of lemon flavor in the center of the bundt cake
Easy to Make - No complicated steps and great for potlucks!

Ingredients in Lemon Curd Cake

unsalted butter, softened
white sugar
egg whites
vanilla extract
lemon extract
lemon zest
all purpose flour
salt
baking powder
buttermilk
sour cream

Lemon Curd Filling:

lemon curd

Sugar Coating:

lemon zest
white sugar
melted butter

See the recipe card for the full recipe with ingredients and directions.

Butter being brushed on a warm doughnut cake.

How to Make Lemon Curd Cake in a Bundt Cake Pan

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a bundt pan with baking spray.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy in a large mixing bowl for 2-3 minutes.
Add egg whites, vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon zest; mix well.
Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl.
Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet ingredients, starting and ending with flour and scraping the sides of the bowl to fully incorporate.
Fold in sour cream.
Pour ⅔ of the batter into the pan.
Drop spoonfuls of lemon curd in a ring over the batter, avoiding the edges.
Cover with remaining batter and smooth the top.
Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean and the top of the cake is golden brown.
Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before inverting the cake and transferring it to a wire rack
Brush melted butter over the top and sides of the cake while still warm. Press the lemon zest-sugar mixture all over the sides and the top of the cake.
Let the cake cool completely before slicing.
Garnish with fresh lemon slices if desired.

Lemon curd cake on a platter with fresh lemon slices.

Quick Tips

Use room temperature butter and eggs for a smooth batter.
Don't overmix the batter-gentle folding ensures a tender cake.
Spoon the lemon curd carefully in the center and avoiding the edges to avoid leakage.
Let the cake cool at least 10 minutes before turning it out on a cooling rack.

A scalloped plate with a slice of lemon cake with curd filling.

How to Store Lemon Curd Bundt Cake

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.

A fork cut into a slice of lemon cake with lemon curd filling.

More Lemon Desserts

Love lemon? Try these delicious citrusy treats:

Lemon Crinkle Cookies - Soft, chewy, and coated in powdered sugar for the perfect crinkle effect.
Lemon and Yogurt Cake - A light, moist cake with a tangy Greek yogurt twist.
Easy Lemon Poke Cake - A simple cake soaked in lemon syrup for an extra burst of flavor and topped with powdered sugar.
Lemonade Strawberry Cupcakes - A sweet and tangy combo of lemonade-flavored cupcakes topped with strawberry frosting.
Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies - Buttery shortbread with a dollop of delicious lemon curd in the center.

MORE CAKES

📖 Recipe

Dana

Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.

Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.