Even though the lemon is technically a winter fruit, nothing says summer to me more than a giant glass of fresh, cold lemonade. And I can’t think of a better way to celebrate those late summer nights, barbeques and clambakes, and the smell of sunscreen and salty beach air than a bright and zesty lemon curd cake. It’s lemonade in cake form! Now, pour yourself a glass, er, I mean, cut yourself a slice and enjoy the sweet sounds of summer. You'll love this Lemonade Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting!
Lemonade Cupcakes / Lemonade Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 2/3 cup sugar
- Zest from 2 lemons
- Juice from 3 small lemons (about 1/3 cup)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
- Pinch of salt
- Damask Vanilla Cake or Damask Vanilla Cupcakes
- Damask Cream Cheese Frosting
Step 1:
Whisk the sugar, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt in a medium bowl that is just big enough to sit on top of a small saucepan. Pour 2 cups of water into the saucepan and place the bowl with the lemon mixture on top. Over medium-high heat, bring the water to a low boil. As the water heats up, the steam will start to gently cook your lemon mixture. Whisk constantly for 6-8 minutes as the curd starts to thicken. When the lemon curd is thick, remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Once the butter has melted and is mixed in, pour the lemon curd into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to cool completely. Make sure you lay the plastic wrap directly on the curd, so a skin doesn’t form.
Step 2:
As the curd cools, prepare your Vanilla Cake as written. As the cake cools, prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting as written until Step 4. After the powdered sugar is mixed in, blend in 2-3 tablespoons of the cooled lemon curd.
Step 3:
Spread a thin layer of Lemon Curd Cream Cheese Frosting on the top of one layer of cake. Spread 2-3 tablespoons of lemon curd on the frosting and then top with the second layer of cake. Cover the cake with the remaining frosting. Lastly spread a thin layer of lemon curd on the top of the cake.
Step 4:
To make Lemonade Curd Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, follow the cupcake recipe as written and then prepare the frosting as described above. After frosting your cupcakes, drizzle 1-2 teaspoons of lemon curd on each cupcake.
Step 5:
Store the remaining lemon curd in the refrigerator for 10 days. Lemon curd is delicious on blueberry muffins, French toast, or vanilla ice cream!
