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Lemon Curd Loaf Cake is the perfect afternoon treat. Serve with a cup of tea, you just can't beat lemon cake. This lemon cake is swirled with lemon curd all throughout for an extra tangy-sweet dessert! Use homemade or store-bought lemon curd!
this recipe
Lately, lemons have been ruling my house. And you know what I don't' hate it. I love lemon on just about anything, squeeze it on top of some soup, with salmon, in my tea, in a cake...you get it.
My mom has a lemon tree so I am lucky enough to have fresh lemons pretty much whenever I want. Last week I made my lemon curd recipe, the recipe makes a fair bit so I had leftovers, what to make I thought? So many ideas- Eton mess, lemon curd biscuits, cheesecake with lemon curd, lemon layer cake with lemon curd filling, then I decided on a lemon loaf cake that would be swirled with lemon curd.
I based the recipe loosely off of my wildly popular lemon and raspberry loaf cake. I love that in this lemon curd loaf cake you can see the swirls of the lemon curd. This was the perfect treat, my whole family loved it. I hope yours does too!
The texture of this lemon cake is thick, soft, and dense, this is not a light and airy cake, but that's what I love about it!
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- 📖How do you make lemon curd loaf cake
- ⏲️ How long to bake
- 🥄 How to make a lemon glaze
- 🍋More Lemon Recipes
- Recipe Card
📖How do you make lemon curd loaf cake
First things first, you need lemon curd, you can make your own but keep in mind it does need to chill in the fridge for a few hours or you can use store-bought.
Baking is a science and to really achieve the best results I highly recommend investing in a kitchen scale. This OXO Kitchen Scale is the one I use and is also the number one recommended kitchen scale by Cook's Illustrated. Think about it -what one person scoops into a "cup" is completely different from what someone else scoops!
In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a bowl of an electric mixer or large bowl with a handheld mixer combine sugar and lemon zest for 3-4 minutes- this helps infuse the sugar with a stronger depth of lemon flavor.
Add the butter and mix for 3-4 minutes, so it's nice and fluffy. Then the oil and mix for another minute or two.
Next, add the eggs one at a time. Mix in lemon juice (mixture make look curdled that is totally fine). Add the Greek yogurt, mix to combine. Gently fold in the dry mixture. Do not over mix the batter, you want it just combined.
Place ⅓ of lemon loaf batter in the prepared pan and place ⅓ of lemon curd in dollops on top use a butter knife to slightly swirl the curd, repeat two more times ending with lemon curd.
⏲️ How long to bake
Bake for 40 minutes then place a piece of foil on top to prevent the lemon curd from turning
While most everyone has had success with this recipe a few readaers complained of an underbaked cake. So I recently made the cake again, at 30 minutes I added a lightly greased piece of foil on top of the cake to cover it and prevent it from browning too much. Then I let it cook for another 20 minutes, at this point the cake was perfectly done. I do find that doing less swirling to the outside edges of the cake helps prevent any super dark spots on the cake from the lemon curd.
Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before inverting out of the pan, carefully flip right side up and let cool for an additional 30 minutes before starting the glaze.
🥄 How to make a lemon glaze
While the cake is cooling prepare lemon glaze. In a bowl combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and heavy cream.
Drizzle on top of the cake when it is completely cool. Store cake in an airtight container, store in the fridge to last longer.
Another lemon loaf cake recipe I love is my Lemon Zucchini Cake or my Lemon Pound Cake try one of these next!
I made this Lemon Curd Loaf Cake for the Spring Blog Hop! Thank you to Kendra for putting it together for us all. How beautiful is that welcome door mat, and those mantels?! I need to get springy in my home!
★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!
🍋More Lemon Recipes
- Raspberry Swirl Lemon Cheesecake
- Blueberry Lemon Loaf Cake
- Lemon Creme Brulee
- Lemon Olive Oil Cake
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Recipe Card
Lemon Curd Loaf Cake
Lemon Curd Loaf Cake is the perfect afternoon treat. Serve with a cup of tea, you just cant beat lemon cake. This lemon cake is swirled with lemon curd all throughout for an extra tangy sweet dessert! Use homemade or store-bought lemon curd!
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 Slices 1x
Ingredients
Units Scale
Loaf Cake
- 188 grams (1 ½ cup) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 200 grams (1 Cup) Granulated Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Zest (Roughly 2 medium lemons)
- 4oz (½ Cup) Unsalted Butter, at room temp.
- 2oz (¼ Cup) Vegetable Oil
- 2 Large Eggs, at room temp.
- 3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
- 4oz (½ cup) Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream
- 4oz (½ cup) Lemon Curd (Homemade or Store-bought)
Lemon Glaze
- 125 grams (1 Cup) powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest
- Splash of Cream
Instructions
Loaf Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C and grease a 9X5 loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a bowl of an electric mixer or large bowl with a handheld mixer combine sugar and lemon zest for 3-4 minutes- this helps infuse the sugar with a stronger depth of lemon flavor. (Video) No Bake Cheesecake Recipe
- Add the butter and mix for 3-4 minutes, so it's nice and fluffy. Then the oil and mix for another minute or two.
- Next, add the eggs one at a time. Mix in lemon juice (mixture make look curdled that is totally fine). Add the Greek yogurt, mix to combine. Gently fold in the dry mixture.
- Place ⅓ of lemon loaf batter in the prepared pan and place ⅓ of lemon curd in dollops on top use a butter knife to slightly swirl the curd, repeat two more times ending with lemon curd.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes then place a piece of foil on top to prevent the lemon curd from turning to dark back for an additional 10-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean** Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before inverting out of the pan, carefully flip right side up and let cool for an additional 30 minute before starting glaze.
Lemon Glaze
- While the cake is cooling prepare lemon glaze. In a bowl combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and, heavy cream. Drizzle on top of the cake when it is completely cool. Store cake in an airtight container, store in the fridge to last longer.
Notes
***While most everyone has had success with this recipe a few readaers complained of an underbaked cake. So I recently made the cake again, at 30 minutes I added a lightly greased piece of foil on top of the cake to cover it and prevent it from browning too much. Then I let it cook for another 20 minutes, at this point the cake was perfectly done. I do find that doing less swirling to the outside edges of the cake helps prevent any super dark spots on the cake from the lemon curd.
- Author: Elizabeth Waterson I Confessions of a Baking Queen
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 70
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: lemon curd cake, lemon loaf, dessert recipe
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FAQs
Should you refrigerate lemon curd cake? ›
Personally, I always refrigerate lemon curd cake since the lemon curd is made with eggs and I make it from scratch. Commercially-made ones have ingredients that help preserve it longer…but I still won't risk it.
Can you freeze lemon curd? ›Shelf Life: Prepared lemon curd can be frozen for up to 1 year without quality changes when thawed. To thaw, place container in a refrigerator at 40°F or lower for 24 hours before intended use. After thawing, consume within 4 weeks.
Can lemon curd sit out overnight? ›Does Lemon Curd Need to Be Refrigerated? Homemade lemon curd requires refrigeration at all times. For store-bought lemon curd, you can store it at room temperature as long as it's unopened. After opening, it has to be refrigerated.
How Long Will homemade lemon curd last? ›Lemon curd will keep in your refrigerator for up to a month according to the National Center for Home Food Preservation. You can also store it in the freezer for up to 1 year. To thaw, transfer your curd from the freezer to the fridge 24 hours before you need it.
Why does my lemon loaf sink in the middle? ›LEAVENING AGENT
Expired: If your baking soda or powder is expired it will not leaven your loaf or cake, causing it to sink in the center. It can expire or lose its effectiveness even before the expiration date. Learn how to test your baking soda and powder for freshness here.
Turns out, the nation's best-loved cake actually the humble cheesecake, beating off stiff competition from British classics such as lemon drizzle and Victoria sponge.
Why is my lemon cake dry? ›The ratio of wet to dry ingredients determines a cake's moisture level. If there's simply too much flour and not enough butter, a cake will taste dry. On the other hand, if there's too much milk and not enough flour, a cake will taste too wet. Finding the right balance between wet and dry ingredients is key.
Does lemon curd buttercream need to be refrigerated? ›If you'll be using lemon curd in the frosting, you'll need to get this made and refrigerated (needs to chill for 2 hours minimum).
Does lemon filling need to be refrigerated? ›LEMON PIE FILLING, COMMERCIALLY CANNED OR BOTTLED — OPENED
To maximize the shelf life of lemon pie filling after opening, refrigerate in a covered glass or plastic container.