Cake Fillings and Icings
Professional Lemon Curd Cake Filling Recipe
This luxurious, professional-grade lemon curd is engineered for the high-end celebration cake maker, providing a vibrant citrus punch with a firm, stable set. Unlike store-bought versions, this curd is thick enough to support heavy sponges while maintaining a silk-smooth, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 12
- Level
- Medium
- Per serving
- 115 kcal
Method
Zest the lemons finely into a heatproof glass bowl, then squeeze and strain the juice. Mix the juice with the cornflour until no lumps remain.
Add the egg yolks and caster sugar to the bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water (a bain-marie), ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
Stir the mixture constantly with a silicone spatula or whisk for about 10–12 minutes. The curd is ready when it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it.
Remove from the heat immediately. Gradually add the cubed cold butter, one piece at a time, stirring until each is fully emulsified and the curd is glossy.
For a professional finish, pass the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove the zest and any small bits of cooked egg.
Cover the surface directly with cling film to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, to allow the set to firm up before using as a cake filling.
Notes
Always use unwaxed lemons as the wax can impart a bitter, chemical taste to the curd.
For tiered cakes, create a buttercream 'dam' around the edge of your sponge layer before filling the centre with curd to prevent the weight of the cake from squeezing the filling out.
Do not let the water in your bain-marie boil vigorously; a gentle simmer prevents the egg yolks from scrambling.
The addition of cornflour is the secret to a 'professional' set that stays put between cake layers.
